Monday, October 20, 2003		Feature

International certifications get popular
Ashwani Singla

WE are well aware about the tremendous potential of networking. Networking makes it simple for persons across the globe to access and transfer information without regard to differences in time, place or platform. The need for movement of information has given rise to a more diverse and networked world.

Think of all information that is transferred around us`85banks, call centres, hospitals, factories, and businesses. Networking is changing consumer electronics, biomedicine, industrial automation, super-computing and the military. The world has become a smaller place to live because of networking.

The future of networking is promising. The usage of the Internet is increasing at a fast pace and that too by leaps and bounds. In order to meet the ever-increasing demand, new data services like broadband access, virtual private networking and voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) have been introduced. A single converged network is the future of voice and data networking.

In an economy increasingly influenced by Information Technology, training in the technical skills demanded by potential employers has become central to professional advancement. Technical training as those by companies like Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Red Hat, CompTIA are serving as a gateway to ample opportunities, allowing motivated and self-driven youngsters to bypass college and latch on to rewarding jobs. For tech-oriented companies seeking recognisably prepared workers, the advantages are clear.

Focused instruction in networking, databases and other computing tasks means that program graduates are prepared to be immediately productive and later take on more advanced responsibilities. These trainings bring with them the concept of international certifications.

Many questions cross our minds when we think about international certifications especially for the people who are unaware of them. Questions such as what certifications do various companies provide, their benefit to a student, the place from where a certification can be achieved and the scope of growth afterwards often boggle the minds of an aspirant keen on pursuing a course.

International certifications are a facet of IT that most of us are unfortunately unaware of. These certifications address the growing demand for better-trained computer network experts. An International certification is nothing but an online testimonial from the company that has patented a specific product or application acknowledging that a certificate holder is proficient in a particular trade (software or hardware). The proliferation of these international certifications empowers a broader segment of the workforce to participate in an increasingly dominant sector of the economy. It is in this emerging mainstream that IT certifications have gained popularity.

Supporters of IT certifications believe that because high-tech world presents distinctive problems and approaches generated by the technology itself, the traditional college curriculum does not assist the students who would enter the digital economy. These certifications are useful for those who have completed or are pursuing their BA, B.Com., or B.Sc. from different colleges and want to adopt or switch over to the IT field as a career.

The demand for trained technical workers has spurred the growing popularity of International certifications in distant markets. Some of the popular certifications are MCSE, CCNA, CCNP, A+, Sun Solaris and Red Hat Linux. The training of International certification can be done at authorised and technical centres that are well equipped to provide students with the much-needed skills. These certifications provide the candidate with a set of skills that are considered benchmark in respective fields for par excellence. They are the initial step of a journey, which leads to a highly sustainable career.