Aside from the obvious monetary benefits certification can provide,
certification training also provides the most relevant information
in the IT field. The material covered in training for certification
provides knowledge geared toward specific job roles and career
tracks. Many companies looking for consultants are looking for
certified individuals because certification provides the specific
technical knowledge needed to get the job done.
Ann Beheler, director of product and technology management for
Raytheon Professional Services and former professor and networking
programs coordinator for Richland College in Texas, emphasizes
that certification is the best way to prepare to enter the work
force.
Another benefit certification provides, especially for adult
learners, is its immediacy. Let's face it, taking four years
(at least!) to work your way through a degree program is not
going to put supper on the table tonight. And when the job market
for IT professionals is tight, employers need skilled workers
immediately, and you may be able to leverage your certification
to get that job regardless of whether you hold a degree.
"About 25 to 30 percent of the students I have dealt
with actually already have a bachelor's degree-they even have
Ph.Ds in some cases-and they were coming back to get the certification," Beheler
said. "Because what certification does is it teaches a person
how to do a job. It gives them the skills to immediately be
productive or at least to be productive a lot faster than an
academic degree."
Paul Wildrick, CEO and president of eLearning Professionals
(www.elearningpros.com)
believes that for IT professionals, certification is a badge
showing they have the knowledge they need to do what they love,
with or without a degree.
"When you go to a traditional school," he said, "you learn
how to learn. Certifications teach you how to earn.
I've always thought certification is not that different from
getting your MBA. Years ago, there were job listings that said, 'Need
not apply unless you have your MBA.' Now, it's 'Need not apply
unless you have your certification.' "
The emphasis in the IT arena is being placed more and more heavily
on lifelong learning. This means that a four-year college degree,
while it may provide some long-term benefits in terms of communication
skills and learning how to learn, is becoming less and less relevant
to the skills needed on the job. Bill Noyes, president and CEO
of Magellan University (www.magellan.edu),
believes that lifelong learning is decreasing the relevance of
a degree.
"In the broad scope of American higher education," he said, "the
degree is becoming less and less meaningful. And it's becoming
less and less meaningful because of the need for lifelong education."
Noyes said that employees with MIS degrees from the University
of Arizona often tell him that although their degree is great,
they apply little of what they learned in the degree program
to their actual jobs. "The MIS program would talk generally about
networking," he said. "Here, we would say, 'Here's a networking
piece of software; let us teach you how to use it.' And that's
dramatically more in-depth on a specific issue than you would
get in a broad MIS program."
The popularity of certification as a technical benchmark has never
been greater. Fueled by scarcity of qualified professionals and
increasingly complex, cross-platform environments, businesses are
realizing the benefits of hiring certified individuals.
Research has shown that certification has significant benefits for both employers
and certified individuals. A market survey from International Data Corp shows
that 78% of companies felt they experienced more productivity from their certified
employees, and 92% realized financial benefits with certified employees on staff.
Businesses have also enjoyed increased customer satisfaction and decreased support
cost. This is accomplished by the increased productivity and greater self-sufficiency
of a certified employee.
One of the Top benefits for certified individuals is increased average salary.
A recent salary survey by Microsoft Certified Professional Magazine shows the
average salary for an MCSE is $65,100 + benefits. This was for an individual
with an average of 6.8 years experience. The average starting salary for a MCP
with one year or less is $40,500. Needless to say, experience counts significantly.
A MCSE with 20 years of computer experience average $79,300.
Part One: Getting Started
Getting started with any project is easier when you have
a professional with deep industry knowledge help you through
the process. At New
Horizons Computer Learning Center of Orlando, the world
leader in computer training, an educational counselor helps
you every step of the way. The first step is figuring out
what you need to know about computers.
Decide what you need to know
Your life with computers will be much easier if you have
a solid foundation of the basics first. The basics
include being able to:
Describe computer hardware, software and functions
The ability to talk about computers is necessary whether you are buying one
or asking for help solving computer problems.
Perform basic computer operations
These include using the keyboard and mouse; turning the computer off and
on; opening software applications; opening, minimizing and closing windows;
and managing files and folders. Operate desktop applications; Word, Excel,
PowerPoint, etc. (New Horizons has assessment tools readily available free
of charge to assess your proficiency.)
The next phase the counselor will step you through is selecting
the correct career certification for you and schedule you
for classes.
Certifications
Individuals tend to select the "most popular" computer certifications
without considering their own wants and wishes. There may
be other computer certifications available that are more
in line with their interests. A New Horizons educational
counselor with locate available computer certifications in
your area of interest. If you are new to IT, the counselor
will direct you to an entry-level certification first. This
will allow you to have a computer certification while pursuing
a more difficult one.
New Horizons Computer Learning Center
20 years strong, New
Horizons Computer Learning Center, Inc. is the world's
largest independent Information Technology (IT) training
company, meeting the needs of more than 2.4 million students
each year. With 293 Training Centers in 48 countries, New
Horizons is the world leader in computer learning. They
offer the industry's largest number of technical training
and desktop applications courses, and new concept of 'Integrated
Learning'. (In addition to the instructor led courses you
will also receive the online version of the course, which
is available for up to 6 months).
New Horizons is dedicated to delivering high-quality training. With
full time trainers, they offer a cutting-edge curriculum
to fill the knowledge gap between today's skill level and
tomorrow's high performance.
New Horizons Orlando helps with placement assistance as
well. The Educational Counselor works closely with
local companies and with placement agencies to help the students
get out into the workforce to gain the experience necessary
to move ahead in their career.
New Horizons has many added values with their education.
All the books and exams are INCLUDED in their package pricing;
you will also receive complimentary tools and resource guides
for your use. Other benefits include:
Flexible class offerings and the most class offerings in
the industry (am/pm/weekends)
- Highest rated instructors
in the industry
- Free instructor-led class
retakes for up to 6 months
- Unlimited practice exams
- Test Pass Guarantee - they
will pay for you to retake the exam if you fail!
- Financing available
- Complimentary online courses
for 6 months
- 24 hour help line for each online
class
New Horizons has a "time-sensitive approach" to their education
as well. That means that it will not take 2 years or 4 years
to obtain a certification. You are able to learn exactly
what you need to know to be successful in passing the certification
exam, while gaining hands-on career training ~ without having
to spend a tremendous amount of time in the classroom. The
certifications range from 5 days of training to approximately
8 weeks of training.
For more information about New
Horizons Computer Learning Center, please contact Ms.
Zalika Taylor, Educational Counselor at (407) 210-4202.
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