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Do you want to debate the merits of IT Certifications with our offshore Architect?

Get techies talking about certifications, and the debate is sure to get interesting. I have my opinion on the topic, including on the merits/challenges of continually ensuring (re)certification; but this entry is not about my viewpoint. Bloggers and the tech media regularly pick on the topic to fuel a debate (and possibly readership). A week ago, I was intrigued to receive an internal mail featuring Amit Jnagal, an Architetect based offshore, who has also recently donned the Corporate Blogger hat. The mail was intended to motivate fellow employees in our practice unit on the organizational drive towards employee certification.

The note began with Amit talking about his earliest mentor in the IT world who motivated him to look at certifications as an opportunity “.. There is a new technology, a new framework or a new product springing up every other week. It is impossible for our customers or managers to gauge how technically sound a person really is. Since we cannot do the evaluation ourselves; we, and more importantly our customers, have started relying on certifications a lot…” Amit was told: and did he take this to heart?

Amit has successfully cleared close to forty technical certifications and has three technology patent applications pending. He justifies the need for certifications by stating “nothing stops you from being good at a technology or a product and also certified on it. Bear in mind that a lack of certification can really hurt you when it comes to two equals. It is not worth taking this chance. Please do not let this pesky little hurdle come between you and your career growth.” And just to drive home the point, he adds “Einstein was lucky to not have worked in our industry, our age or with our global competition!”

I guess there is no debating this matter with Amit!

ps: List of Amit’s Certifications begins with

  • Sun Certified Enterprise Architect
  • Sun Certified Business Component Developer
  • Sun Certified Web Component Developer
  • Sun Certified Java Programmer
  • IBM Certified WebSphere Specialist
  • IBM Certified XML Specialist
  • IBM Certified UML Specialist
  • IBM Certified eBusiness Solution Designer
  • IBM Certified Enterprise Connectivity Specialist
  • JCert Certified Enterprise Developer
  • IBM Certified WebSphere Administrator
  • Certified TOGAF Practitioner
  • ... etc...

Posted by Mohan Babu K. on July 26, 2008 05:59 AM |

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Comments

Wow, 40 certifications? That's awesome and a big thing to achieve. But a person can be an expert in something without certification right?

Posted by: Deccan Journalist | July 27, 2008 01:39 PM

Sure DJ, a person "can be an expert in something without certification"... but a certification certainly helps her/him showcase his expertise (just like Amit is doing)

Posted by: Mohan Babu K | August 3, 2008 03:19 PM

Too often certifications are substituted for real knowledge and experience. I tend to be skeptical about people with certifications, especially if they have more than one or two in their primary specialty. That's just one person's opinion, though.

Posted by: Eric R Johnson | October 2, 2008 08:53 PM

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