Research shows the value of certification

Earning an industry-recognised certification results in a range of both tangible and practical benefits, including salary increases, job promotions and the ability to move into new chosen fields, according to the latest Value of IT Certification Survey by Pearson VUE.

The annual survey, now in its fourth year, looked at the benefits of earning an industry-recognised certification and involved querying nearly 10,000 certification holders.

The results certainly make interesting reading. For example the respondents were asked why they had opted for certification, with nearly 75% reporting that they actively pursued it on their own (internally driven) and the remainder explaining that certification was an indirect result of an academic program or course in which they were enrolled (externally driven).

Among those who were internally driven, 33% cited improving their professional profile or standing and 33% highlighted increasing their technical knowledge as the top reasons to become certified.

The tangible benefits of achieving certification were many and varied, with the most significant being:

• 34% saw a salary increase;
• 26% got a job promotion;
• 25% saw higher marks on their performance reviews;
• 19% got a new job altogether;
• 16% were able to get into a new chosen field.

These benefits mirror many of those found in another recent survey conducted by AXELOS among 810 graduates across the UK. Here the majority of respondents (68%) felt that industry-recognised certification should have been part of their higher education. And more than nine in 10 of those graduates whose degree included a qualification said this had helped their career by, for example, allowing them to apply for certain jobs, or had improved their chances of a promotion or a pay rise.

However, the Pearson VUE research also found that the benefits weren’t solely focused on salary increases and promotions, with many respondents citing on-the-job benefits as well. These included transferring their knowledge to real work situations, providing higher quality output and/or more effective solutions, and experiencing increased personal productivity and task efficiency.

The overall message is clear - certification holders attach great value to their certification achievements and believe that it empowers them, opens new doors and creates greater professional opportunities.

Interestingly the Pearson VUE study also revealed that the vast majority of respondents felt certification was superior to training alone in a number of ways. These included allowing certification holders to develop deeper technical skills, having a stronger influence among their professional colleagues, and fostering a greater sense of commitment to continued learning and skill development.