Technology certification prep classes proliferate
Atlanta Business Chronicle - by Sandy Amann John
You probably won't see a sign on the door warning "No certification, no job," but that's becoming the policy at many Atlanta high-tech companies.
Luxcore, an Atlanta-based developer of optical Internet working systems, is one firm seeking IT employees who have passed a test certifying they have knowledge in a particular area or vendor's systems. It's planning to more than double its work force this year, going from 30 to 80 employees.
"For technical positions, we don't consider a résumé unless it includes certification," said John Boyd, vice president of sales and marketing for the 15-month-old company that recently secured $10 million in first-round financing. "We don't have time to train people on the job."
Luxcore has found that requiring certification -- such as Microsoft Certified System Engineer (MCSE) or Cisco Certified Network Administrator (CCNA) -- "leads to qualified people who can solve the problem at hand in a timely manner, leading to a need for fewer people," Boyd said.
Demand growing
Demand for certification is expected to grow 15 percent annually through 2003, according to Gartner Group. The research group also found that managers are willing to pay an average 10 percent premium for certified employees.
That desire for third-party verification of skills and knowledge appears to be encouraging another trend, a booming cottage industry in providing preparation classes for those who want to take certification tests. From universities to trainers with names such as Microlearning.com or Microsoft TechNet, dozens of prep programs are available in metro Atlanta.
Mercer University's DeKalb County campus, for example, has partnered with Innovative Community Technology Services Corp., a 4-year-old Virginia-based computer training company, to offer several certification prep programs, said Christina Vallone, corporate account manager. With day, evening and weekend classes, Mercer has prepped hundreds of individuals for the tests.
More than 90 percent of its students pass the certification tests on the first try, Vallone said. Before a Mercer student can try the real thing, he must pass three different practice tests.
Mercer advertises a "no hidden costs policy" that includes textbooks, CD-ROMs, lab materials, tool kits, simulation exams, first sitting on the certification test, free lab access and unlimited class auditing for up to one year. Cost for the Master Web Developer Certification package, which includes three courses and three different certifications, is $5,495.
Like Mercer, Information Management Systems Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, requires its instructors to be certified by Microsoft, Cisco or another vendor of the systems they teach. That means the instructors have hands-on experience in the environment they are teaching, said Julia Hill, IMS marketing and product specialist.
Begin with basics
IMS specializes in corporate training but also teaches individuals, including a large number of career-changers who see certification as their ticket to a high-tech job, Hill said. Computer neophytes are encouraged to start with the most basic certification, A+, an industry-developed, platform-neutral program in computer repair, and network+, a similar program in networking.
Hill said IMS doesn't keep records of how its students do on the actual exams, but estimates that on the basic certifications, more than 90 percent pass on the first try. The higher certification tests are harder, and the first-try pass rate probably is lower, she said.
IMS' price for the MCSE prep package, including seven courses and six exams, is $6,695. That certification can lead to a $40,000 per year job or "more with experience," Hill said.
The experience vs. certification issue is a hot one in the high-tech community. In a research note published in August, Gartner Group cautions employers that certification "is not a substitute for experience and does not necessarily mean an individual has the real-world experience to design and implement the system." Certification, it said, is most useful for entry-level IT positions or jobs that involve technical knowledge.
Luxcore, however, finds that technology is moving so quickly that "experience is usually in something that is obsolete," Boyd said. Requiring certification does "drive up the cost of employees," he said.
State oversight
One state agency watching the proliferation of certification prep programs with interest is the little known Georgia Non-Public Post-Secondary Education Commission, which provides oversight of for-profit schools. A year ago, the commission found there were more than 200 computer training companies throughout the state, said Bill Crews, executive director. Not all must be authorized by the commission, however. Only those that primarily train individuals must obtain authorization, which requires a check of its financial position and of the academic content of its programs. Trainers that do mostly corporate work don't fall under the commission's jurisdiction.
The agency simply hasn't had the time to check out all the computer trainers, but moves quickly to investigate when it gets a consumer complaint, Crews said.
Sandy Amann John is a contributing writer for Atlanta Business Chronicle. Reach her at atlantatechbiz@bizjournals.com.
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