I’ve noticed recently a number of discussions on the “value” of ITIL Certifications. I’ve been kicking around the IT Certification industry for as long as your average Gen X’r has been working and longer than most Gen Y’rs have been alive.

So here’s the skinny.

IT Certifications were originally created to demonstrate to employers and customers that a professional has a proven set of skills. At this stage the certification has value because it also has integrity. That is, the professional generally has the skills attested to by the certification and employers will pay a premium for that. In addition, there aren’t many people around with the skills let alone the certification.

As certifications mature, the number of people holding them increases, thus driving down wages. Economics 101, supply and demand. In addition, the industry around the training delivery and certification becomes attractive to new entrants. This has the affect of driving down training costs and increasing the accessibility and number of certified professionals, further increasing supply and lowering wage rates. It also has the unfortunate affect of attracting short cut artists. Those are the “training” providers who teach you how to prepare for the test. The affect is that the certification is weakened because it is no longer necessarily true that the holder of the certification has the skills described.

When things really heat up the supply is so great that the certification becomes the minimum bar. At this stage, it often gets incorporated into the academic stream , college or even high school level.

“Wait,” you say, “money is not everything!” True, if you need the knowledge to advance your career and be successful in your job the  certification stream is a fantastic indicator of what you need to know.

However, if you want get a financial return for the exam fees, make sure you get in early and stay ahead of the curve.

Don’t believe me? In 1995 I was paying MCSE certified individuals over $100,000 US.  Anybody think they need to pay that for an MCSE today?

ITIL Certifications today are in demand and have maintained their integrity. All aboard!!

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