10/11/2000 -- In any economy, things that are valuable are typically things that are also relatively scarce, or at least difficult to obtain. Think about it: Commodities from diamonds to baseball cards owe their market value to the fact that there just aren't that many of them to go around.

This being the case, IT professionals ought to be worried: More people earn professional IT certifications every day. Internet professionals have an additional concern--the Internet has been assimilated into nearly all aspects of the business world (as well as personal life). Additionally, Internet technology has been forced to grow in order to keep up with demand for Internet-based business solutions. This has made Internet-technology certification (hardware, software, e-commerce and more) a growing niche within the certification community.

The challenge to any certified IT professional, and even more so to Internet professionals, is to protect the value of these certifications.

So what will keep these certifications meaningful in the Internet economy? A variety of factors need to come together. Below we examine those factors: current Internet-technology certification trends, the issues facing you as an IT professional considering such certifications, and how the industry itself is fighting to protect the value of these certs.

The Growth of Internet Certs
Certifications for Internet-related technologies have proliferated both in number and diversity. Vendors, training companies, colleges, online universities and industry organizations are all providing some sort of credentials in this area, either through self-study, coursework or off-the-shelf certification training.

An ostensibly complete list of computer certifications found online at www.cramsession.com lists over 30 Internet-related certifications, ranging from foundational Internet knowledge to specific certifications for software, e-commerce and Web development. CertCities' own Certification Database lists no fewer than 16 Internet-related certs from the major certification vendors. When you include software-specific certifications in applications like Microsoft FrontPage or Macromedia Dreamweaver, or hardware-related Internet certs such as Cisco's router-related titles, the number mushrooms.

Some Internet certifications, such as MCP+Internet and MCP+SiteBuilding, are "add-ons" to existing certifications. Newer ones, like CompTIA's iNet+, stand on their own. Still others, like the iGeneration (formerly HyCurve) Internet Project Manager certification, are still in development. In any case, we've seen an explosion in certification titles which shows no signs of stopping.

Choosing the Right Internet Certification: Purpose vs. Value
With so many choices, you need to pay close attention to these two areas: a certification's purpose and its value.

The Purpose Approach
To determine purpose, consider the number of certifications available. Simply put, the near overwhelming number of choices means you should take time to understand just what the certification is offering.

Jonathan Thatcher, certification program manager for Novell, agrees. "Current Internet certifications specialize along three lines," he says, "and potential candidates should evaluate programs at that level." The three paths he cites are:

• Content,
• Infrastructure and Systems, and
• Business.

Thatcher says he foresees tremendous growth in the demand for skills in each area. And as the need for skills grows, the need for certification will grow also.

Lutz Ziob, vice president of certification for the Computer Trade Industry Association (CompTIA), agrees, and says that CompTIA's iNet+ certification was designed specifically to fill a need that CompTIA's members collectively identified--the need for a certification of baseline Internet skills. "CompTIA responds to the needs of our members," says Ziob, "and our members told us that it was necessary to have a means of identifying individuals with basic Internet skills."

Eva Chen, CompTIA's iNet+ program manager, takes the point further, saying, "iNet+ is not meant to be a terminal certification. We expect individuals to go on to seek additional certifications in areas of specific expertise. "Finding the right Internet certification (or combination of certifications) will take some research on your part, so it's important to be aware that certification providers vary in their approach to marketing their Internet certification offerings. For example, the FAQ page of the Internet Certification Institute International suggests that candidates select a certification track based on the best match to their job needs, while iGeneration takes a more personality-oriented approach, suggesting that candidates select certification tracks by what appeals to them.

The difference here is subtle: The first approach is more "practical," relating certification to the job the candidate already holds. iGeneration's approach comes across as more forward-thinking, since it seems to encourage career growth and development. (As we'll see in a minute, there are some major pitfalls you'll want to watch out for with this approach.)

What does this mean for you? To obtain the maximum career benefit from an Internet certification, you'll need insight into both what you're currently doing and what you want to do. You'll also need to spend time researching what Internet certification best suits your interests and goals.

The Value Approach
But purpose is only half the story. The other--perhaps more important--half is making sure that the certification you hold retains its value. To a large extent, the Internet industry's growth has contributed to some degree of dilution of the value of Internet certification.

Everyone has heard the term "Paper MCSE," meaning a person who holds the Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer designation, but who learned what he or she knows by studying test prep materials, not by actual real-world experience. This is not to minimize the accomplishment of passing the six tests that make up that certification--doing so is a feat worthy of recognition. The concern is that test-taking alone is not adequate preparation for actually administering a multi-node network in the workplace.

In a similar manner, it's equally possible for a fledgling Webmaster, e-commerce director or other Internet "wanna-be" to obtain certifications without experience to back them up. This prospect of diminishing value is the main threat to the future of Internet technology certifications.

Industry Fights Back
The Internet certification industry is moving in two directions to minimize this threat of diminishing value: self-regulation and external validation.

Microsoft is a good example of a company that constantly monitors the industry, making changes in its certification programs where necessary. When asked about its approach, a Microsoft spokesperson responded: "When reviewing existing certification tracks and designing new tracks, Microsoft considers that value of the certification to candidates and the organizations that might hire certified individuals. Technology and the Internet industry have changed significantly in the two years since we have launched the MCP+Site Building credential. We are currently evaluating whether the MCP+ Site Building best reflects the skills and responsibilities of today's Web site builders."

To see this concern in action, look at upcoming changes to Microsoft's program. Microsoft is retiring the MCP+Internet designation in December of 2000, and, according to its Web site, is incorporating the "+Internet" skills and knowledge into its MCSE Windows 2000 certification. Also, an announcement about the future of the MCP+SB program is expected before year-end.

Novell also adapts to industry change. Its Certified Internet Professional program has four active tracks: Internet Business Strategist, Web Designer, Intranet Manager and Internet Architect, with a fifth track, Web Developer, coming soon. According to Thatcher, there are two considerations for creating these tracks. First, Novell's CIP designation is deliberately structured differently than programs like MCP+I. "We have no CNE+I certification," he says. "We want our CNEs to have more freedom to explore all aspects of the Internet." To achieve that goal, Novell's CNEs can seek Certified Internet Professional (CIP) certification under any existing CIP track. Second, Novell has designed the CIP tracks to add value to existing vendor-neutral certifications. According to Thatcher, Novell's philosophy is that as individuals move along in their careers, they'll develop their skill sets and earn higher-level certifications.

Enter the Watchdogs
The industry will soon find out whether self-regulation is an effective tool for maintaining the value of at least some current Internet certifications. In the meantime, several independent organizations are working to figure out a way to externally evaluate the validity of Internet certs. Two organizations currently lead the Internet industry as certification standard bearers: the Association of Internet Professionals (AIP) and the National Association of Communication Systems Engineers (NACSE).

AIP represents both individuals and companies in its efforts to efforts to unify, support and represent their members' interests in over 30 countries worldwide. Their accrediting arm, the AIP Certification Accreditation Council (ACAC), sets standards for Internet training programs in various educational sectors, such as non-academic for-profit, academic non-degree, testing and others. It accredits Internet certification programs on three levels: "Foundation Level," "Technical Application Level" and "Tool Level." These levels, in turn, are tied to job roles. According to AIP, job roles are related to specific job functions rather than titles to allow maximum flexibility for individuals holding AIP-approved certifications. By certifying training programs under a uniform set of standards, individuals who perform multiple job roles can choose certifications approved by a standards-setting body that best meet their needs, rather than settling for a predefined, prepackaged certification program.

Andrew Kraft, AIP's managing director, explains AIP's role by drawing a parallel between certification programs and universities. "We accredit programs that certify individuals," he says. "It's similar to how, in the U.S., both MIT and Penn State give degrees, but there's an association out there that accredits them, conferring the ability to give actual degrees...we are in the same situation as that accrediting body."

Bob Kile, executive director of NACSE, a watchdog organization that both sets standards for educational programs and certifies individuals, agrees with Kraft's analogy, and says the issues do not just face Internet technology certs, but IT certifications as a whole. However, new niches like Internet-technology certifications face a greater risk of devaluation because they do not yet have the recognition or acceptance by employers.

NACSE has sent out a warning call to the certification community as a whole that it must start policing itself now. Kile says he believes this is vital for two reasons. First, according to Kile, current baseline certifications are not recognized for what they are--baseline. Even more advanced certifications have their shortcomings, he says. He cites Microsoft's MCSE as an example: "The MCSE is designed to teach you how to install and support Microsoft products," he explains. "Many instructors that I know have told me that out of a five-day class, two full days are spent on fundamentals that the students should have known before they signed up. This puts the entire country's network infrastructure at risk."

Self-regulation is also needed to make sure that certifications meet the needs of employers. Kile says that in the Internet certification process, corporate America is often overlooked. Setting standards is often left to those within the industry; and general private sector companies aren't approached to find out the skills and abilities they want and need in employees..

What Will the Future Hold?
It's clear that the Internet certification industry is moving steadily upward, driven by cutting-edge organizations and individuals who constantly find ways to make more and better use of the technology.

Internet certifications are increasing both in number and in degree of specialization. As long as new approaches to Internet use are under development, you'll probably see that trend continue. With proliferation comes the potential for a watering down of the value of Internet certifications; that's when credentials replace knowledge and experience in the workplace.

Watchdogs such as the AIP and NACSE are helping monitor the industry and hold it accountable, and the industry itself is taking many steps to keep their certifications valuable, or even increase it. Knowing this, you can make appropriate educational, credentialing and certification choices. You still need to take time to do the research, but by choosing the right Internet certification for you, your career path can track right along with the growth of the industry.

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