Throughout history there have been many walls. The Great Wall of China meant to keep Mongolian nomads out, the Berlin Wall to keep communist in, and Pink Floyds ‘The Wall’ protested education but none compare to an IT professionals ‘I Love Me Wall’ meant to humble anyone who approaches it. In many ways it is the 8th wonder of the world.
Over the years IT pros accumulate an incredible number of certificates to place on this hallow wall such as 4 yr degrees, 2 year Systems and database Cert, microsoft and novell certs, Java cert, TQM, A++, cisco certs, Dale Carnegie, and the list goes on.
Recently, I had all my certificates framed in the same black aluminum frame. It cost me my life savings. I also zox’d off every certificate and put together a packet for potential clients and employers. As I thumbed through each page I began writing the cost in terms of time and expense. I costed myself at a labor rate of $30/hr and pulled my old tax returns.
While I was employed nearly the entire time the cost and effort just never seemed to justify the end. Is there a better way to educate IT professionals? CPA’s have standardized their industry into kits to be purchased from the AICPA. Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers, and CPA’s have industry certs. Why can not IT pros?