The following are some qualifications that are relevant to the
Government IT sector. Holding at least one of these will raise your standing
before hiring managers. The ones you go for depend upon your skills and career
aspirations.
These qualifications are suitable for people who want to
understand how to use Microsoft software in a more professional manner, how to
use computers and networks to an industry-standard level and how to manage
projects. I suggest that everyone should
try to gain the first one shown in this list because ITIL is becoming the
standard for IT service management and deployment of hardware and software in
large organisations such as government.
ITIL (version 3)
Foundation Certificate in IT Service Management
ITIL is a best-practice framework for IT Service Management that
is being adopted by IT departments around the world, after being developed by
the UK government. There are four levels of ITIL certification. The Foundation
certificate is the entry level certification. It shows general knowledge of the
key parts of ITIL v3. ITIL lays out guidelines and practises for the best
utilisation of IT services within an organisation. Understanding these
principles will help you know how IT services ought to be managed.
ITIL certifications are most beneficial to managers and team
leaders, although junior staff will also benefit from knowledge about using
ITIL standards.
MCITP – Microsoft
Certified IT Professional
Microsoft Certified IT Professional certification enables IT
professionals to demonstrate their skills and knowledge of planning,
supporting, and maintaining IT infrastructure based on Microsoft technologies.
There are various categories of MCITP qualification, each related to a
particular area of expertise, such as Office 365, Microsoft Server 2012 or
Microsoft Sharepoint.
Gaining
a Microsoft professional certification will show that you strongly desire to
help your colleagues and users to be more effective in their use of Microsoft
software and it will help your own performance too. You will become more
proficient in using their products.
CompTIA Security+
Network security is an important part of IT. The CompTIA
Security+ certification is an international, vendor-neutral certification that
demonstrates the holder is competent in network infrastructure, system
security, access control and organizational security. These are all worthwhile goals when working
for a government department.
Although not a requirement, it is recommended that you have at
least two years of technical networking experience, with an emphasis on
security, before attempting this qualification.
CCNA – Cisco Certified
Network Associate
CCNA is
more advanced than the CompTIA Security+ certification. CCNA has become the standard for network and IT professionals who work
in network-related areas. Cisco Certified Network Associate certification
reveals your ability to install, operate, and troubleshoot routed and switched
networks for small companies or the branch offices of larger ones, using
Cisco-branded hardware.
It is recommended that people who sit the exam have 1-3 years
prior networking experience with Cisco hardware, and maybe already have the
lower-level qualification CCENT.
PMP – Project
Management Professional
Since so much of what IT does today is project-related, a
Project Management Professional certification from the Project Management
Institute is a valuable certification for project managers. The PMP
certification shows you have proved you have the knowledge and skills for
leading and directing project teams and in delivering project results within
your constraints of schedule, budget and resources.
Conclusion
Becoming
certified in the IT industry shows that you are reaching out for more skills
and it validates your past experience and knowledge. Government departments may well pay staff
more if they are recruited with an existing certificate or they obtain one
while working for them. So becoming certified has many benefits.
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