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There are hundreds of IT certifications
available in today's IT industry, so it should come
as no surprise that IT certifications come in
various forms. For this discussion, we consider two
different ways of describing IT certification
programs:
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By origin, in terms of who stands behind a IT certification
program. Please note that any
single IT certification program may itself include
one or more specific IT certification credentials;
for example, Microsoft's IT certification program
includes numerous individual IT certifications,
such as the Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP),
Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA),
and the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE),
among several others.
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Three types of organizations typically back IT certification
programs: vendors that sell
specific platforms or applications, training
companies that support specific programs of
study or methodologies, and nonprofit or user
organizations that likewise support specific
programs of study or methodologies. Just to make
things interesting, such offerings can overlap!
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By testing method, in which the kinds of
interaction with prospective candidates for IT certification
help to describe a program. IT certifications invariably include exams (and
some also include detailed application forms,
projects, essays, reports, and even background
checks) as part of the qualification process.
In the various headings that follow, you will
learn about vendor-neutral versus vendor-specific IT certification
(a distinction that derives from the
axis of origin); and also about content-,
simulation-, and performance-based IT certifications (a
distinction that derives from the testing methods
used).
Vendor-Neutral IT Certifications
When considering an IT certification program of any
kind, it's important to understand who's behind that
program. Vendor-neutral IT certifications earn this
designation when they cover a subject or technology
without focusing on any single specific
implementation. That's why vendor-neutral IT certifications can be valuable to those seeking to
demonstrate a broad knowledge of big subjects, such
as PC repair, networking, or information security.
This broad focus also explains why most
vendor-neutral IT certifications focus on entry-level
or intermediate professionals in specific
fields—because these are the levels of knowledge
at which broad conceptual coverage is most likely to
be useful. Also, most certified professional
populations include more entry- and
intermediate-level professionals than advanced
professionals, in a typical “pyramid” model for
a variety of reasons.
Vendor-neutral IT certifications most often
originate from training companies, or user or
industry groups that don't have particular product
or platform allegiances to worry about.
Vendor-Specific IT Certifications
As the designation indicates, vendor-specific IT certifications focus on specific products or
platforms. In this realm, there's often a
distinction between "official" IT certifications—such as those in the Microsoft
Certified Professional program for Windows —and
"unofficial" IT certifications, such as those
available for Windows, SQL Server, and other
Microsoft products and platforms from various
training companies (Global Knowledge or Learning
Tree, for example).
Content-Based IT Certification Testing
Some credentials rely on examinations that seek
to assess a IT certification candidate's knowledge (in
whole or in part) of concepts, tools, technologies,
and platforms by asking substantive concept- or
activity-based questions about such things. An
example is a hot spot question, in which the
test-taker is asked to correctly identify an item by
clicking an area of a graphic or displayed diagram.
Another example is the case in which a candidate
must apply her knowledge to construct an appropriate
TCP/IP subnet mask or CIDR address range. Such tests
rely on reading and comprehension skills as much as
they rely on knowledge of the underlying subject
matter to test the candidate's skills and knowledge.
Nearly all IT certifications include at least some
content-based components, even if they also use
other testing models such as simulation or
performance-based testing.
Simulation-Based IT Certification Testing
Some credentials rely on examinations that seek
to assess a IT certification candidate's knowledge (in
whole or in part) of concepts, tools, technologies,
and platforms by requiring candidates to run a
simulator that looks and acts like the "real
systems" it imitates to solve problems, answer
questions, or demonstrate specific proficiencies.
Such tests rely on hands-on knowledge, skills, and
experience in operating the various tools,
utilities, consoles, and so forth that practitioners
must use on the job. A growing minority of IT certifications include some simulation-based
components along with content-based testing.
Microsoft and Cisco's IT certifications increasingly
fall into this domain, for example.
Performance-Based IT Certification Testing
A small but growing number of credentials rely on
examinations that model or are based on real-world
experience, skills, and knowledge. All of these
programs also include one or more conventional exams
as part of their testing strategy, along with a
so-called "practicum" or "laboratory
exam." In this latter component, candidates
must install and configure systems and equipment to
meet specific needs or troubleshoot real
installations of some kind; that's what makes such
credentials performance-based (at least in part).
Other such programs rely on the observation and
analysis of a candidate's activities in the
workplace to verify real-world skills and abilities.
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