Information Technology Student-Based Certification in Formal Education Settings: Who Benefits and What Is Needed

There is a growing trend within secondary and post-secondary institutions to offer information technology (IT) certification programs as instructional vehicles to provide students with viable skills needed by the workforce, to satisfy state skill standards, and to prepare students for post-secondary IT studies. The use of IT certification programs in a formal education setting carries a number of salient issues and implications for educational institutions, IT teachers, administrators, students, and, ultimately, the IT workforce. Chief among these issues for both secondary and post-secondary institutions is that formal education institutions lack available data to determine the effectiveness of certification programs on a district, state, and national level. There is a need to collect and share IT certification program data to facilitate comparative analyses across formal educational institutions that are using certification programs or preparation. IT instructors and administrators may be making curriculum programming decisions that are based on a variety of information, some of which may be based more on marketing and convenience than specific program information, such as passage rates on examinations, preparation for post-secondary studies, and job placement opportunities. Making informed curriculum decisions about initiating, maintaining, or terminating IT certification programs also requires an understanding of the current IT workforce and future employment projections to ensure the marketability of students and their prolonged success in the IT workforce. The relative impact that an IT certification has on a student's success depends largely on the educational level at which students obtain a certification. A student that has obtained a certification as an addition to a post-secondary education has a strong theoretical foundation to build on, an increased marketability, and better chances for long term career success. The impact that an IT certification will have on a high school graduate's success in the workforce and long-term career prospects is limited. As opposed to post-secondary graduates, high school graduates lack a strong theoretical foundation and previous experience to draw from when faced with new technologies. Different categories of IT certifications may be more suitable at different educational levels. A vendor-specific certification may be more beneficial and appropriate for post-secondary students in computer science and business de