Why Vendor Certification?

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Certification helps identify you as a Citrix expert. It is a tool that IT managers can use to identify those who have a solid grasp of the core language concepts. This is not to say that there are not good Citrix professionals that aren't certified, but when taken into consideration with experience, certification can be a powerful tool to the IT manager or consultant. Considering the Citrix-mandated requirements for CCA staffing at authorized Citrix Solutions Providers, CCA certification can be an extremely valuable addition to your hard-earned credentials.

Some people become certified as an aid to compete in the demanding IT marketplace. Some companies use the exam as the final phase of a Citrix training course. Others take it purely for the challenge. Whatever your reasons for tackling the exam, this book will help you prepare for it.

It would be nice to know some statistics about the exam such as the pass/fail ratio and the number of people certified. Citrix, however, has decided to keep this information confidential. The actual questions on the exam are also kept confidential and are even copyrighted. The questions and materials in this book are therefore based largely upon the experience of those who have previously taken and passed the exam as well as on Citrix's publicly stated course objectives.

Over the years, technology vendors have created their own certification programs because of industry demand. This demand arises when the marketplace needs skilled professionals and an easy way to identify them. Vendors benefit because it promotes people skilled in their products. Professionals benefit because it boosts their careers. Employers benefit because it helps them identify qualified people.

Technology changes too often and too quickly to rely on traditional means of certification, such as universities and trade associations. Because of the investment and effort required to keep certification programs current, vendors are the only organizations suited to keep pace with the changes. In general, such vendor certification programs are excellent, with most of them requiring a solid foundation in the essentials, as well as their particular product line.

Corporate America has come to appreciate these vendor certification programs and the value they provide. Employers recognize that certifications, like university degrees, do not guarantee a level of knowledge, experience, or performance; rather, they establish a baseline for comparison. By seeking to hire vendor-certified employees, a company can assure itself that it has also hired a person skilled in the specific products the company uses.

Technical professionals have also begun to realize the value of certification and the impact it can have on their careers. By completing a certification program, professionals gain an endorsement of their skills from a major industry source. This endorsement can boost their current position, and it makes finding the next job even easier. Often, a certification determines whether a first interview is even granted.

Today, a certification may place you ahead of the pack. Tomorrow, it may be a necessity to keep from being left in the dust.

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