The Computing Technology Industry Association is developing a convergence certification with the support of industry players like Intel, Avaya and Catalyst Telecom that they say will provide a way of measuring competencies in voice and data.
CompTIA executives said the certification, which will be vendor-neutral, is expected to be available next year. The aim is to cross-train IT professionals in telecom and datacom, creating a convergent workforce. This could include technicians that are able to troubleshoot hybrid networks or those looking to broaden their IT skill sets.
“Just because you know voice and data doesn’t mean you know convergence,” said Edward Migut, director of CompTIA’s Convergence Group.
The association is in a position to deliver this certification, said Migut, because it already has the infrastructure and a global channel in place.
The association has been developing standards and best practices in IT for the past 23 years, and has 20,000 members in 102 countries. More than one million IT professionals hold CompTIA certifications.
Over the past three years, members have been requesting a convergence certification, he said. Only now, however, is there a solid business case.
The benefits of a convergence certification include lower costs for training, recruiting and hiring, according to CompTIA.
CompTIA expects to roll out its certification program on a global scale next year, at the beginning of the second quarter.
“CompTIA is offering vendor-neutral services, and that’s important in a way because it allows organizations to generalize and they’re able to deal with diverse technologies,” said Greg Ambrose, e-learning and skills development program manager at IDC Canada.
At the same time, he added, IDC research has shown that vendor-specific certifications are often seen as more attractive because, as an IT professional, you become identified with a branded skill as opposed to purely an idea or technology.