Technology

Career News - New Software Testing Certificate Program

With the U.S. economy arguably in its worst recession in over 70 years, career planning has become more important than ever. While there is no single best strategy which suits everyone, based on survey data of hiring managers from tech companies in the Northwest, it is clear that improving your skill set is by far the single best plan and is your best form of career insurance. As a general rule of thumb, in today's market you need deep, expert level knowledge in at least one technology. Additionally, employees who have supplementary mid-level knowledge of a variety of technologies are the people who are most often advancing their careers.

There is a wide range of technologies which are currently in demand. No single technology dominates job descriptions, but the high-demand skills include C# programming and the closely associated knowledge of the .NET Framework, C/C++ programming, and Web development PHP and with ASP.NET (using both the C# and VB.NET languages). Although the number of jobs which are entirely based on SQL is relatively small, mid-level knowledge of SQL has become a hidden requirement for many job positions. In addition to pure technology skills, knowledge of fundamental project management principles and techniques appears to be developing as an increasingly important part of high-value employees' skill sets. As software systems become increasing complex, PM knowledge is needed to both manage the systems themselves as well as to manage outsourcing of parts of the project. High demand secondary skills include JavaScript and PowerShell scripting, AJAX, WCF, and WPF.

In most cases, with one major exception, the role of technical certifications has not changed significantly over the past 12 months. IT-related certifications, such as the MCSE tend to be valued by the majority of (but by no means all) IT managers. SQL certifications, such as MCDBA are also generally well thought of. In the area of application development, demonstrated skill and experience tend to outweigh certification, although many hiring managers look favorably on ASP.NET certification.

The one major change in the area of technical certification is for software testing. Survey data clearly suggests that existing certifications in software testing hold very little weight with the majority of hiring managers, primarily because these existing certifications are largely based on generic vocabulary questions. However, Volt and Microsoft are currently working on the creation of a software testing certificate program which is more focused on principles and practical knowledge. The certificate program, which does not yet have a name, will include a training class, book, and a certificate exam. The software testing certificate program has a planned release date of March 2009. We believe that after the program is established, the software testing certificate will likely become a requirement for many software testing positions.

VTE, the technical training arm of Volt, offers instructor-led classes to employees working at the Redmond, WA campus. Upcoming classes include "VS 804 - Project Management IV", "VS 419 - SQL and LINQ with C#", and "VS 313 - Intermediate JavaScript". Visit the website of Volt Technical Education or send a message to techTraining@volt.com or call (425) 702-9000 and ask for Stacey, Shirley or Lauren.