Geographic Information Systems (GIS) continue to be a rapidly growing industry worldwide. The opportunities for properly educated, experienced, and trained GIS expert are vast, and thus make this field of study very appealing for both the newbies and veterans of the information technology industry. Esri, a leader in the GIS marketplace, supplies the software and support for various GIS functions and data. As Esri’s product line and popularity continue to increase, Esri has added yet another value to their offerings: certifications. Obtaining one of these certifications may be the boost that lands you that next big GIS contract or job opportunity.

In parallel with their various products, Esri’s certifications range from the use of their base software ArcGIS, development on their ArcGIS software, and management of their server and client software. An interesting aspect of these certifications is that they are available in two levels: Associate and Professional. As the titles suggest, the Professional level certification proves that your knowledge of the particular certification topic is advanced, while the Associate level shows competence and basic ability in the topic area. Many of these certifications are still “in development”, and registration for the certifications does not open until January 17, 2011. If interested, basic descriptions of all the certifications are available on Esri’s website here.

The move for Esri to supply certifications is one that more software providers should take. Supplying methods for certification improve a company’s product at little to zero cost. Any costs incurred developing a curriculum is offset by testing/certification fees. Esri can make sure that those who will be using their products have a method from which to learn the proper use and practices to maximize value from Esri software. These official training avenues are likely to lower support costs for Esri while rising productivity for customers. It’s hard to find any negatives in this scenario.

Shortly after the announcement of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, Red Hat also announced changes to their certifications. These changes are outlined in two areas: the addition of the Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) certification, and the addition to/restructuring of the Red Hat Training curriculum.

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As one of the leaders of the most sought-after information technology certifications in the industry, Cisco caused a lot of confusion when they recently restructured their certification programs. In an effort to simplify the whirlwind of letters and acronyms that one encounters when certifying with Cisco, they created a mass of confusion for those people currently working on getting certified under the old system and those that are currently certified but do not their options for re-certifying.
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IT departments naturally normalize the technology infrastructure to exclusively utilize a vendor’s product line. The certification you chose will reflect that choice. In a Microsoft shop, an employee will seek Microsoft certification. If the shop focuses primarily on Cisco installations, then, a Cisco certification will be sought.
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Search Engine Optimization and Marketing is a huge industry. One of the key tools in this industry is Google AdWords. Deriving from these facts would lead those desiring a career in SEO/SEM to seek out some sort of related certification. Google AdWords Certification delivers. Here’s the quick and dirty synopsis of Google’s Certification Program.

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Certification exams, especially in information technology, rely heavily on remembering and recalling certain specific information and not only on understanding how a technology works and integrates with other technology. Because of the very nature of question and answer based exam, while not completely rote, basic quick recall of pertinent knowledge leads people preparing for the exam to incorporate flashcards into the preparation life-cycle.
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Microsoft software works well and plays great within a Microsoft environment. They have designed the entire software stack to integrate seamlessly together and provide a rich framework that enables developers to design and implement information technology solutions that work practically out of the box.
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When you go to take an IT certification exam, you are entering a controlled environment that is the testing center site. The testing center ensures your identification and provides a secure and comfortably optimal environment, that promotes your best ability to showcase your talent and deep knowledge of the subject matter. The utter reality is that site guidelines have enough leeway to allow testing centers to differ widely in their implementation of operational procedures. Some are closer to the pristine meccas of scientific measurement one would hope for, while others tend to be no better and perhaps worse than your average high school. Before you choose a testing center, before you take the expensive test, do not waste your money’s worth and valuable time spent studying, go to the testing center and scope it out.
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