Education, Careers & Professional News

Impact with add-on qualifications

Source
The Hindu

Date
2005-03-23

Information
HOW IMPORTANT are add-on certification programmes for engineers and how they do help in the job market?

EducationPlus has tried its best to inform its readers about the uniqueness and importance of add-on qualifications that have surely made an impact on the students who have aspired to attain them during or after their diploma/degree qualifications. Moreover, the world of IT and ITES is today fast-paced and unpredictable, and organisations are requiring fast technology solutions to realise their business goals and be one step ahead of competition. It is in this scenario that one has to realise the potential of add-on qualifications that will greatly help the learner to join companies of repute.

Girish Nair, Vice-President, HR, Aztec, says that preference is always given to candidates who have add-on qualifications while they approach companies for jobs. If the candidates have attained them while pursuing degree programmes, then it is sure that not only will they be able to endure a tough work environment but also live up to the expectations of the industry as they would be in possession of world renowned qualifications. Clearly, those with such qualifications will be able to garner the best of information and knowledge.

Says Saleem Ali of Dell: After having completed MCSE, I have been able to work in a systematic manner at my workplace and I have been able to use all the tools on internet issues which I come across on my calls and I am able to resolve 75 per cent of them using the knowledge I gained.

Whether it is IT or ITES, the system has benefited by these qualifications, for not only the candidates get to know the latest nuances in the business but also better their opportunities in the organisation they are working with, says Sheela Charles, Soft Skills trainer at Aztec.

Students are bound to get confused if they look at the add-on programmes that are in currency, but they have to understand them better and join a programme of their choice that has industry recognition.

The Microsoft series of programmes, the Microsoft Certifications, ORACLE, CCNA, CompTIA Certification Programmes, SUN, IBM Certifications etc. have a pertinent facet that will help the learner to benefit and also the organisations where they are placed.

* Microsoft Certification : The Microsoft Certified Database Administrator (MCDBA) credential is the foremost certification for skilled professionals who implement and administer Microsoft SQL Server databases. This course is perfect for qualified or aspiring Database analysts, developers and administrators. SQL database professionals are in demand and the home study course will allow you to fill the role of this interesting and lucrative occupation.

It will provide you with the information needed to pass your MCDBA exams as well as equip yourself with the skillset necessary to perform effectively as a database professional. Another popular Certification programme is the MCSE which has seen to it that a large number of qualifiers have acquired good positions early on.

* Oracle : Some of the important Certification programmes are: Oracle Database Operator (DBO), Oracle Certified Associate (OCA), Oracle Certified Professional (OCP), Oracle Certified Master (OCM), Internet Application Developer (Release 6 or 6i) and Oracle Java Developer (JDEV).

* CompTIA Certification Programmes : CompTIA certification programmes are the recognised industry standards for foundation-level information technology (IT) skills. Best known for the A+ certification, CompTIA offers many certifications in key technology areas. Many of the certifications are electives or prerequisites toward advanced certifications, such as Microsofts MCSA and Novells CNE.

One can choose from the following specialty areas to learn more about CompTIA certifications: A+ Entry Level Computer Service; Network Support and Administration; Server+ Computer and Information Security; HTI+ Home Technology Integration; E-biz E-commerce; CTT+ Certified Trainer; CDIA Document Imaging and Management; INet Internet and Online Technologies and Project Management

* IBM Certifications : The new IBM certifications are designed to validate the skills in the on-demand computing environment for the IBM i5 series. Some of the programmes on offer from the stables of IBM, which are very popular, are (software): IBM DB2, Information Management; IBM Web Sphere; Lotus; Rational; Tivoli Software; XML and (hardware) AIX and IBM eserver pSeries; i5OS and eserver; and IBM Total Storage.

* Sun certifications : The Java 2 Platform provides robust end-to-end solutions for networked applications as well as a trusted standard for embedded applications. The Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition (J2SE), provides the essential compiler, tools, runtimes and APIs for writing, deploying and running applets and applications in the Java programming language. The Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE), manages the infrastructure and supports the Web services to enable development of secure, robust and interoperable business applications.

The Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME), is the Java platform for consumer and embedded devices such as mobile telephones, PDAs, TV set-top boxes, in-vehicle telematics systems and a broad range of embedded devices.

Earning a Sun Java technology certification provides a clear demonstration of the technical skills, professional dedication and motivation for which employers are willing to pay a premium. Recognised industry-wide, Suns Java technology training and certification options help ensure that you have the necessary skills to efficiently meet the challenges of your IT organisation.

As an IT professional, you understand that lifelong learning is the key to success in your chosen field. You also understand that gaining new knowledge is not the only step in advancing your career; you, and your employer, need tangible proof that you have gained that knowledge.

Thats where a Novell certification makes the difference. Novell offers industry-leading certification and testing in a number of choices from Certified Novell Administrator to Novell Certified Linux Professional.

One has to look into the requirements of ones area of functioning and then decide what would be the most appropriate of programmes. Add-on programmes have their own positive role to play, which even placement officers in engineering colleges are aware of.