IT Education Options
Managing Your IT Certification Portfolio with CompTIA and Microsoft

The goal of achieving IT certifications should be to validate your skill set and to increase your market value to prospective employers. One of the ways to do this is to have a healthy mix of certifications which demonstrate both a wide range of general skills as well as particular specialties. While hiring managers value specialties and the ability to match those specialties with specific job roles, they want to know that the potential hire can be counted upon to offer versatility to the IT department.

In recent years, Microsoft has recognized the importance of a wide range of general skills for IT professionals working in a Microsoft environment by allowing students to apply CompTIA (www.CompTIA.org) exams (A+, Network+, Server+) toward the elective requirement for the MCSA (Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator) certification.

These exams are vendor-neutral and demonstrate a broader base of knowledge than software specific certifications. A+ certification, for example, has become an industry standard for entry-level employment and demonstrating foundational skills in both hardware and operating systems.

While the need to demonstrate such foundational skills is important, employers also want to be able to quantify a candidate's specific skill set in relation to the employer's needs. In an attempt to make this process easier for employers, Microsoft has developed a new generation of certifications designed to meet the needs of IT professionals working in a constantly changing environment. These new certifications are more directly targeted at specific job roles. For hiring managers, this means that they will be better able to match candidates with a specific skill set with the job role they seek to fill. For IT professionals, this means that they will be able to demonstrate their skills more easily. The certification paths are more targeted, so they are shorter and less expensive.

The new certification programs consist of three series of credentials.

Microsoft Certified Technology Specialists (MCTS)

This series of certifications is designed to validate Microsoft core technologies. The exams are targeted to a specific technology enabling the student to demonstrate mastery of a specific area. The technology specialist exams go into greater depth than previous exams and focus on the student's ability to implement, build, troubleshoot, and debug that particular technology.

Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP)
and Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD)

Professional Series credentials are designed to validate a set of skills particular to a specific job role and build upon the MCTS exams. MCITPs focus on database administration and development or business intelligence. MCPDs focus on one of three areas in .NET Framework 2.0: Windows development, web development, or enterprise application development.

Microsoft Certified Architect (MCA)

The Architect Series is for industry experts with at least 10 years of advanced IT experience and a minimum of three years as a practicing architect. The MCA program evaluates technical and managerial skills.

From Technician to Architect, CompTIA and Microsoft certifications, together, form a solid path for those wanting a long and rewarding career in Information Technology.

Editorial provided by Jennifer Haller and Amy Matney, Educational Consultants, New Horizon Computer Learning Centers Ohio Valley.