Updated: IT certifications gain value as businesses deal with talent shortage

Businesses are increasingly dealing with talent shortages and the most difficult positions to fill in recent years are in Information Technology (IT), at a time when big data analytics drive business intelligence.

According ManpowerGroup, a South African based talent management firm’s 2015 Talent Shortage survey, IT roles jumped from ninth to second place. This was the first time the sector has entered the top five hardest roles to fill. Business executives agree that certified IT staff perform at a higher level than non-certified staff; this is according to the CompTIA International Technology Adoption and Workforce Trends report, 2015.
Industry watchers say that IT certifications can and have lifted a lot of people out of the doldrums in developing nations because the basic requirements are interest, intelligence and persistence, rather than restrictive previous paper qualifications required to get into the formal university system.
Henry Beluchukwu, a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) said IT certifications have the ability to change an individual’s economic wellbeing, but that the challenge is that Nigeria has few IT driven companies, such as Microsoft for instance.

“Be that as it may, I earn over N350,000 monthly, designing, installing, and troubleshooting networks for both small and big businesses. I dropped out of school at some point for personal reasons; but had to return and complete my studies at the National Open University of Nigeria, thanks to income from IT certifications. I also have about five employees.”

Ike Mowete, professor of electrical and electronics engineering and director of the Centre for Information Technology and Systems (CITS), at the University of Lagos, contends that at the Cisco Networking Academy in the University, they have found that those who come for the various Cisco certifications are in high demand in various industries.
Cisco and similar certifications at the various levels enable their holders to handle network design, installation, operations and troubleshooting. However, the greatest benefits lie in the ability of these young graduates to employ themselves and others.

In addition to being in high demand in industry, IT certifications have the potential to curb youth unemployment. Youth unemployment rate in Nigeria averaged 17.5 percent from 2014 until 2016 reaching an all-time high of 24 percent in the second quarter of 2016 and a record low of 12 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014.

Information Technology (IT) related certifications in particular, are becoming increasingly attractive to employers because this skill-set is often specific and industry relevant. The United States of America (USA) Bureau of Labour Statistics, stated12 percent job growth is expected in network and computer systems over the next seven years.

Mowete said IT certifications are sure means for career change. “For instance, we had one of our law graduates who came because he wanted to specialise in cyber-law. It turned out that he found opportunities to employ himself and others. Similarly, a philosophy major went through one of the programmes, got certified and is today an employer of labour and averages N400,000 per month.”
Experts say all the talk of hacking, big data analytics, cybercrime, and data theft means one thing for sure; certified IT experts are going to be in high demand. Network administrators are also predicted to be in high demand in 2017.

“You begin to truly appreciate the value of these IT certifications when you apply to work for a multinational brand, or travel overseas in search of the proverbial greener pastures” said Ademola Akitoye, an Adobe Certified Associate and director of studies at Ai Multimedia Academy, a school of multimedia and cinematography in Lagos.

Akitoye added, “these IT certifications are offered by companies that are leaders in their industry, such as, Microsoft, Cisco and Oracle among others. Depending on industry entry point, individual experience and drive, holders of these certifications can earn between N300, 000 and N700, 000.”

Some of the certifications available include the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA A+), an entry-level certification and is a basic starting point for an IT career. Certified A+ technicians handle the maintenance of PCs, printers, operating systems, mobile devices and laptops.

Data from IT Skills and Salary Survey conducted by the Global Knowledge, a leading learning services and professional development solutions provider, has shown that more than 20,000 people worldwide have earned the Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) and 96 percent of those who have earned it keep current with an average income of $131, 298, annually. Given the demand for professionals with these skills and the relatively small supply of those who have them, CRISC was the highest-paying IT certification in 2016.

Earning a Microsoft Certification can open doors that may have normally remained shut. Here is a list of some specific jobs that a particular certification could qualify its holder for: IT Administrators, IT Architects, Consultants, SQL Server Administrators, Database Developers and Database Backup Administrators.

While these changes in the IT skills development landscape are taking place, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) does not recognise these certifications as such.
“We do not recognise these IT certifications. They are just short training courses and whilst they benefit their holders, we at COREN do not recognise them as engineering certifications” said a source at COREN who wants to remain anonymous because he is not authorised to comment on the matter in public.

 

STEPHEN ONYEKWELU