2/6/2001 -- The Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), vendor of the popular A+ and Network+ certifications, announced Friday that it has bought and plans to re-launch the Gartner Institute's two certifications: Project Management and e-Business Fundamentals.

The certifications were owned by Prometric-Thomson Learning, and marketed under the Gartner Institute moniker. With the acquisition, CompTIA now has eight certifications either active or in development.

Martin Bean, chief IT business strategist for Thomson Learning, said in a printed statement: "Individuals interested in moving into IT management roles need to demonstrate a wide range of knowledge and abilities as they advance their careers and become responsible for the bigger picture. These certifications will be a significant addition to the existing CompTIA credentials for those ready to move up in their organizations."

"We are delighted to see these certifications made available to a broad range of training institutions and we expect that they will gain rapid acceptance in the same way as CompTIA's other vendor-neutral certifications," John Venator, president and CEO of CompTIA, said in the same statement

According to the release, individuals who already possess the current Gartner Project Management and e-Business Fundamentals certifications will ultimately receive CompTIA certification through a grandfathering arrangement. Those currently pursuing these certifications will have to wait for the new CompTIA versions to sit the exam(s).

For more information on this acquisition, click here. -B.N.