Certification - July 2008 - (Page 20)

starting point rather than your final destination. The traditional, powerhouse, industry-standard type certifications aren’t going away, but they are getting augmented with a throwback to the apprentice levels and a future eye toward the specialization sector. Why this move toward the entry-level market? There may be a little more to this than meets the eye. Take Cisco’s newest certification, the Cisco Certified Entry Network Technician (CCENT), for example. By splitting the CCNA into two halves, focusing on theory and basic, smallnetwork routing and switching in CCENT, it may appear Cisco simply is moving money from one pocket to another. After all, it’s still a part of an existing certification and doesn’t appear, at first, to reach out to a new audience. the inevitable fear and apprehension that both new and seasoned IT workers face when attempting their first certifications. Don’t discount the government’s role in all this. The recent drive in the Department of Defense for IT and IA certification at both the technical and manage- However, Lora O’Haver, program manager for CCENT at Cisco, believes marketplace needs have reached critical mass for entry-level certification. “Studies show training and education are key to successful deployments and optimum operation of networking gear,” she said. “Theory and configuration of simple networks has always been a part of CCNA certification, but not certifiable by itself. Now CCENT provides a means to demonstrate relevant skills for technical support, help-desk [and] even retail and service organizations.” When asked why the certification came out now, she replied, “Certifying a more limited set of skills has more value than it used to.” The argument for simplicity rings true for another reason as well. CCNA and other well-known certifications present quite a challenge for newcomers to the certification world and scare off some other talented, experienced networkers. Taking a certification test is a daunting process, and many of the more traditional certs covered such a wide range of topics many newcomers don’t even know where to begin. Many knowledgeable, skilled IT folks simply didn’t attempt it. Entry-level certs bridge that gap by easing It appears the certification world may be rebounding in a big way by targeting an area previously not in its crosshairs. ment levels is pushing the entire certification market forward, and lessons learned during the actual implementation have bolstered the arguments for entry-level certs. Despite the fact that you won’t necessarily find all entry-level certs listed in DOD 8570.1 — the manual directing all DOD employees in an IA function to become certified — savvy government and contractor leaders are recognizing the need for progression through the certification ranks. The approach initially taken — that of throwing as many people as possible into CISSP courses and watching them fail out — has proven the benefit in taking a structured approach, more closely matching personnel position and skills to available certifications. Paul Clark, director of IA training at Dynetics Inc., thinks the entry-level certification market is primed for explosion for this very reason. “The days of a newcomer in the field taking a single test and vaulting to the top of the heap are over,” Clark 20 CERTIFICATION MAGAZINE July 2008 http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/le2/le45/learning_certification_level_home.html http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/le3/le2/le45/learning_certification_level_home.html http://www.dynetics.com/ http://www.dynetics.com/

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Certification - July 2008

Certification - July 2008 Editor's Letter Contents Data System Virtual Village Tech Careers Dear Techie Academic Connection Look Ahead Troubleshooting Testing Your Foot in the Door: Certification at the Entry Level Analyzing the Societal Effects of YouTube Interface Spread the Knowledge: Becoming an IT Trainer Inside Certification Ad Index What We Like Endtag

Certification - July 2008

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