In its eponymous annual report, CompTIA provides its overview of the current standing of the IT field. Among its findings is that the industry as a whole is recognizing the necessity of computer certifications.
For example, in its "Employer Perceptions of IT Training and Certification" study, CompTIA found that four out of five respondents – HR managers from the field – consider certifications as a "high-value validation of IT skills." Those surveyed also answered that they expect the necessity for these programs to increase over time as the applicant pool grows and the IT needs of companies expand. Qualified candidates, the study seemed to suggest, are in short supply but high demand.
"At the end of the day, it all boils down to certification being an internationally recognized credential. If you can put that on your resume, you'll have a competitive advantage over another individual who doesn't have it," Mark Milton, a director for Goodwill Industries, told the authors of the report.
According to CompTIA, there were 300,000 IT-related jobs available in the United States in February 2012. Yet businesses reported that they were having problems filling these jobs due to a lack of qualified applicants. CompTIA estimates that the IT industry will grow at a rate between 4.5 and 7.6 percent in 2012 alone.
People seeking entry into the IT job market should consider taking a Microsoft SharePoint training or Cisco VoIP training certification course taught by an accredited professional instructor to expand their intellectual tool set. Doing so may mean the difference between filling out more applications and collecting a steady paycheck.