Information Technology is one field that has seen tremendous growth in a short period of time. If one wants to be relevant in this field, then it is very essential to keep up with the technological changes. One of the surest ways of keeping up in this rapidly evolving industry is via programming certifications as they are globally recognized benchmarks mapped to a specific skill set based on standardized testing.

Studies have shown that the certifications benefit companies as the certified individuals demonstrate higher productivity and minimize downtime as they have the proper skillset to handle issues and solve complex problems. It also helps in ensuring that teams working on various IT projects possess skillsets that are consistent and meet the expected levels of the desired skills. This helps in significantly reducing the cost the company bears and also results in better customer satisfaction. This is also one of the main reasons that companies help their employees pursue certification programs by helping them pay for it and giving them time off for preparation.

Almost all certification courses are conducted and proctored online. The resource materials to prepare for these are freely available on the Internet. For experienced developers, certifications form a measure of continued education via new iterations of technology. To complete a certification course, one has to typically attend online courses and then pass one or more certification exams, which generally include a combination of multiple choice questions and simulated real world challenges.

For a programmer, certification in programming languages makes them eligible for better jobs and salary.Studies have shown that online certifications have the potential to increase salaries by 20 – 40%. Irrespective of the fact that the certification could be specific to a tool, a programming language or even for a vendor specific platform, having one shows the individual’s deep engagement in the profession. While it is a fact that experience and real world development skills are the key requirements for the job, but in this day and age, given the vast difference between supply and demand of IT professionals, certification has become a standard criterion for candidates especially fresher’s among recruiters.

Lastly, for individuals working in the IT sector, who may want to explore a new career path and hence need to acquire newer set of skills, a certification is the easiest and the least expensive course of action. An added advantage related to certification programs is that they require smaller commitments in terms of time and money.