Thoughts on departmental certifications

DatabaseHead

Such as a PMO requiring employees to get their SCRUM certification or a networking team getting their CCENT?

A friend of mine told me last night that his networking group is requiring all of their networking employees, analyst up through engineers to get their CCENT if they don't have at least that. Have you heard of this before?

A while back I was working for an MSP and I noticed all the IT managers had the ITIL foundations and another time while working on another contract I noticed all employees in asset management had their green belts from ASQ.

Is this common, just curious I have never had it happen to me personally. Obviously it does happens just curious if you think this happens often.....and if you think it makes sense. Part of me thinks the terminology and understanding would be helpful through communications but the other part thinks its a waste since some people aren't going to want to do it and if they do it they will either **** or do bare minimum.

NetworkingStudent

I’m not sure if this happens a lot.

I hope the company would pay for at least the voucher for the required certification.

DatabaseHead

@NS - I am assuming the training and exam is paid for by the company. I just think it's strange in one light to certify a group.

Now that I think about it has happen to me, there was this training that was sent out to all manager level employees, it was negotiating. It was a Harvard training course, the instructor in their law school provided a 3 week long training virtually, assigning projects etc, but no formal certification was given out afterwards, so not exactly but sort of....

Terminator X

Just depends on the company you are with. My last job I just had to be 8570 with regards to CND work. At the new job, I'm still doing the same job, but they required that I get my ITIL as well.

networker050184

I think it's a good idea in theory, but really forcing people to get certified usually leads to people doing the bare minimum to pass.

Danielh22185

networker050184 wrote: »

I think it's a good idea in theory, but really forcing people to get certified usually leads to people doing the bare minimum to pass.

^^ This!

jeremywatts2005

Not totally unheard of. In the infosec world companies buy information security breach insurance no joke. Something like this or related to this https://www.thehartford.com/data-breach-insurance The company usually in turn has to fill out a form stating the amount of employees holding certain degrees, certifications and other training that the insurance company may require. The more people they have meeting the requirements the lower the risk for the insurance company which in turn lowers the companies premium.

DatabaseHead

This topic went into a great direction, thanks! The insurance link is really interesting. Makes sense, if sending N amount employees to training / certification to lower your rates by X, it makes A LOT of financial sense, or potentially makes sense.

beads

Never seen this happen in my experience but from a organizational development stance sounds like a good way to promote team building through shared responsibility. If that's the case more power, more money to ya!

- b/eads

PJ_Sneakers

networker050184 wrote: »

I think it's a good idea in theory, but really forcing people to get certified usually leads to people doing the bare minimum to pass.

I see your point, but on the other hand I've seen organizations where getting the bare minimum to pass (let's use the CompTIA trio), would be a huge upgrade in knowledge.

networker050184

Well, the bare minimum I was speaking of includes just a bunch of memorization if you know what I mean!

PJ_Sneakers

I gotcha! Yeah, that would be a problem.

Ertaz

The department I'm in requires either a CISSP, CISA, or a CRISC. Some folks have all 3. Some folks have just 1.

Queue

The organization I'm apart of A+ was a requirement within 6 months of hire. Some staff had trouble passing it. I think having the standards is great. People still have to put forth enough effort to pass a huge 200 question two part exam. You will definitely come away with more than you went in with.

I thought more people in this thread were going to share my same point of view. I guess I never looked at this as a negative aspect, and since I've only worked here just thought of it as the norm.

Now the problem with this place is as follows: They will pay for everyone to attend Windows 8 training for days. Then boom done, it's just recommended you sit for the exam. How can you gauge anybody's comprehension of a subject if there is no test?

Personally I like certifications because when self studying I need the light at the end of the tunnel. I wouldn't dive deep enough into a subject without an expensive test pushing me to study.

DatabaseHead

Queue you make a good point about having an expensive test pushing you; I have those same feelings early on.

However....... I like developing a lot so in this regards I don't need that motivation, projects at work provide that "push" for me, which IMO is the best way to learn.

Welly_59

It's common practise in my company. If you want a role in the network/telecom team then you need to have ccna at minimum. Once you a have your ccna then they will transfer you in

E Double U

I think it is a good idea. People will still learn something even doing the bare minimum. What is most important is that they do more than the minimum on the actual job.

I've enjoyed having roles that required (or recommended) certs because the company would pay for training and reimburse for exams/books.

revbox

I would think this would happen in the insurance scenario, like mentioned above or in the case of a large organization, someone getting primed to sell off lines of business. Xerox had a big push when trying to sell off technology services to make the business appear more lucrative to buyers. Granted, there is no guarantee that the employees will stay on during the transition, but most will if a fair offer is made. Atos eventually purchased the company and absorbed all those willing.

ivx502

I see the value in requiring that. Businesses I have worked for often have that requirement. If the person doesn't have it in six months they are gone. It separates the wheat for the chaff, and shows who wants to be there rather than collect a check.