Certifications versus "Certifiction"

One of the more contentious issues in the channel has always been on the way certifications get managed. Vendors generally require them because they want to make sure that the solution providers in the channel representing their product is both qualified and is showing an appropriate level of commitment to that vendor.

Unfortunately, all too often the people who wind up getting the actual certifications all too often are people that excel at taking tests on paper versus actually having a real hands-on experience. For many solution providers certifications are little more than a cost of doing business.

However, with the advent of cloud-based services that allow IT professionals to actually run live demos of products, the certification game is changing. For example, this week Hatsize, a provider of a cloud computing platform designed to deliver product demonstrations and related training, inked an alliance with Certification Partners to deliver IT training courses and certification programs via the Hatsize Cloud for individuals running Web sites in the education sector.

The implications of this type of service in terms of policing certifications will be profound. Vendors will actually be able to see who is not only being certified, but can also now include exercises with live software as part of the certification process. This should not only put some more teeth into the overall certification process, it should also lead to better development of IT talent across the channel.

Hatsize CEO Sue Miller adds that another benefit of a cloud-based approach to product demonstration and certification is that more vendors can now afford to manage a certification process. Many smaller vendors tend to avoid this process because they simply can’t afford the resources required to set up training programs on site. In addition, she notes that a cloud-based approach to technology education means that it’s more cost effective to update the skills of people when a new update rolls out.

The certification process, sometimes referred to as “certifiction” has left much to be desired by both vendor and solution provider alike. Hopefully, as cloud-based product demonstrations and training start to become more prevalent being certified on a given product or technology will start to mean a whole lot more than it does today.