The Vital Role Of Certification In Education

Educators and employers are using certification to build tomorrow’s tech workforce

- Travis Wilde

More than ever, technology certifications are changing the way that middle schools and high schools are approaching information technology (IT) education and student training. Students are being prepared to walk into IT jobs and succeed at a high level immediately upon receiving a high school diploma.

Certifications and credentialing have become a driving educational force for many U.S. states as tech firms collaborate with departments of education to meet the increasing demand for skilled labor in the IT and computer science fields. These collaborations are breaking the traditional mold used to create productive tech workers.

In the past, newcomers with IT or computer science aspirations were considered career- and job-ready only after attending a four-year college or university. In 2020, higher education is no longer viewed as being the sole means by which students can obtain the high-level IT skills needed to embark on a successful IT or computer science career.

Building a new IT workforce

Alabama is a great example of a state where education is working with industry to prepare students for highskill high-demand jobs. The mini-metropolis of Huntsville (pop. 194,585), in particular, is an emerging tech hub that has recently captured a great deal of national attention, especially when it comes to producing skilled cybersecurity professionals.

Employers are in desperate need of job candidates who possess 21st-century tech skills. Russ Willett, who teaches at Columbia High School in Huntsville, acknowledges the need for his students to prepare for IT certification exams. Well aware of Huntsville’s burgeoning reputation, Willett has made it a priority for students to leave his program with multiple IT certifications.