CompTIA Strata certification helps bridge the skills gap IT employers are needing.

The paradox appears on a regular basis in the business news headlines.




Unemployment in the United States jumped to double digits in October for the first time in more than a quarter century, reaching 10.2 percent.



Yet hiring managers continue to find it difficult to fill positions requiring certain high-tech skills.

According to the latest Yoh Index of Technology Wages, a poll of more than 9,000 hiring managers in more than 15 metropolitan areas across the U.S., companies continue to struggle to find workers with Java and .Net/C+ development skills, as well as IT security engineers, network engineers, software engineers, quality assurance professionals and project managers.



And the gap between tech job openings and qualified people to fill them appears to be growing, not shrinking.



Global IT research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) and Microsoft Corp. released a study in early October 2009 that suggests the IT industry will create 5.8 million new jobs over the next four years. That projected growth rate of 3 percent a year is more than three times as fast as the growth of total employment.



Now for paradox two.



Young people today are the most tech-savvy generation ever. Yet many continue to shun careers in high tech, even at a time when 21st-century employers desperately need new workers with technology skills.



Connecting these two groups is the challenge that will define the future. It’s a challenge that must be addressed with new solutions.



Strata Rolls Out

Last year, the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), a trade association for the global IT industry, took a major step to address this challenge with the introduction of its CompTIA Strata certificate program.



Rather than focusing narrowly on specific computer applications, CompTIA Strata is designed to offer a broad introduction to technology — the core terminology, uses and types of technology deployed today. The exams do not certify technical skills, but demonstrate that an individual has knowledge of IT terms, equipment and functions.



Why the emphasis on broad, fundamental technology skills? There are two reasons.



First, the service technician, help desk, support role, which requires a broad set of basic skills, remains the best avenue to begin an IT career.



Second, employers of all sizes and across many industries have identified this job as one they are looking to fill immediately.



According to the latest Robert Half Technology IT Hiring Index and Skills Report, a survey of more than 1,400 CIOs from companies across the U.S., when asked which technical skill sets are most in demand in their IT departments, 64 percent of respondents cited desktop support. Help desk and technical support and networking are the two job areas experiencing the most growth, with 18 percent of the response each.



Get on the Information Superhighway

CompTIA Strata is designed to be an on ramp to a career in technology, something students or adult career changers can use to gauge their aptitude and interest for IT. With a basic understanding of PC and networking fundamentals, these individuals will have the confidence to pursue more advanced skills certifications and will have a credential to prove to prospective employers that they’re ready to enter the IT workforce.



“We’ve been looking for a level one technical course for a while, and this suits our needs as it’s vendor-neutral,” said Stuart Philip, IT curriculum leader at Highlands College, Jersey, U.K. “It provides a good all-round platform to more technical qualifications.”



The CompTIA Strata Fundamentals of IT Technology exam is designed to show that the successful candidate has the knowledge to identify and explain technology basics, including the characteristics and functions of laptops, desktops and smart phones. Individuals must be able to understand the functions of internal and external storage devices, such as CDs, DVDs, USBs and hard drives. The exam also covers green IT: Individuals will have to know how to use and dispose of equipment in an environmentally friendly way.



Topical Discussion

Topics covered in the exam include:

• Technology and computer hardware basics (40 percent of exam content).

• Compatibility issues and common errors (13 percent).

• Software installation and functions (11 percent).

• Security risks and prevention (16 percent).

• Green IT and preventative maintenance (20 percent).



The CompTIA Strata IT Technology exam (FC0-U41) is a 60-minute test that includes 70 questions. A passing score of 70 percent or higher is required. Individuals who pass the exam will receive the CompTIA Strata certificate of completion.



The recommended number of hours needed to prepare for the exam varies based on each candidate’s existing level of knowledge and the type of exam prep they’re engaged in. For example, commercial training could be completed in four days. At the college level, about 48 hours of classroom or lab experience is the norm. For high school students, one semester of instruction (five hours per week for 18 to 19 weeks) is the recommended preparation time before sitting for the exam.



A second exam, CompTIA Strata IT Technology for Sales (FC0-TS1), is designed to show that successful candidates have the knowledge to engage a customer on a professional basis using proper communication skills, qualify the type of technology user, provide appropriate solutions based on a customer’s needs and coordinate with technical staff throughout the sales process.



This test assesses a candidate’s knowledge in areas related to ongoing customer care and engagement and ensuring proper customer satisfaction. This test is intended for candidates considering or currently in a technical sales role with the potential for future sales, project management or technical training.



Domains in the CompTIA Strata IT Technology for Sales exam include:

• Technology and computer hardware basics (48 percent).

• Compatibility issues and software compliance (16 percent).

• Preventative maintenance and green IT (18 percent).

• Sales and communication skills (18 percent).



The exam is a 60-minute test that includes 70 questions. A passing score of 70 percent or higher is required.



CompTIA Strata exams are delivered at Pearson VUE and Prometric testing centers around the world. Courseware is available from Axzo Press and Element K.



Employment Takeaway

For individuals, CompTIA Strata is a way to prove to employers or potential employers that they can handle an IT-related job. It’s also good preparation for CompTIA A+ or other advanced IT certifications.



For employers, CompTIA Strata can ensure that employees have baseline knowledge of computers and how to use them. This can help reduce unnecessary troubleshooting requests and increase the bandwidth of IT staff.



Now more than ever, companies value employees who can think strategically and communicate effectively, as well as those who possess strong business fundamentals. IT workers who understand how to use technology to meet business goals, and who can articulate this understanding, are golden in the eyes of employers.



A certificate such as CompTIA Strata makes an individual more marketable. Unless the employer is familiar with the school the job candidate attended or the organizations the candidate worked for, the hiring manager has no independent means of knowing how rigorous the program or experience is. When a job candidate comes to an employer with a recognized and accepted professional credential, it gives the employer more to go on.

For workers new to the employment market without a great deal of past experience, an industry-recognized credential puts the worker in a stronger position when looking for a job.




Individuals who are securing jobs in today’s tech workplace are equipped with greater versatility and a broader skill set than was required in the past. People who want to be in IT need an edge, a means of proving they can do the tasks assigned. CompTIA Strata is a step toward that proof.

Where are all the tech jobs

An Article from Fortune Magazine...By Anne Fisher, contributor

Where the tech jobs are now
At least 400,000 tech jobs are going begging, even in this economy. Here are the skills employers are looking for most.

NEW YORK (Fortune) -- Dear Annie: My son is going to graduate from college in December with a B.S. in computer science, and I am just wondering about the IT job market. On the one hand, we keep hearing about layoffs and outsourcing, but on the other hand, everything runs on computers now, so surely there must be some good tech jobs in this country, especially at the (relatively cheap) entry level. Is there anything he can do to increase his chances of getting hired six months from now? -Pasadena Papa

Dear Pasadena: Funny you should ask. CompTIA, the biggest trade association for IT folks and their employers, recently launched a new recruiting campaign aimed at filling an estimated 400,000 tech job openings.

Still, "before the recession, it was 700,000," says Todd Thibodeaux, CompTIA's CEO.
With so many people looking for work, why are so many jobs going begging? The short answer: A scarcity of candidates with the skills, or combinations of skills and credentials, that employers want. Even people with years of tech experience may find they need to upgrade their certifications and venture into new territory in order to retool their careers in today's job market.

"I've had jobs go unfilled for weeks or months because people with the right combinations of skills just aren't available," says Scott Dunlop, managing partner of Boston-area tech recruiters Bivium Group.

Candidates don't necessarily need to be programmers or systems analysts, or have worked for a tech company to get hired, says Todd Thibodeaux, CompTIA's CEO. "Most IT jobs are in tech support in a wide range of businesses like hotels, hospitals, and factories," he says.

"These days, employers are looking for people who can do hardware-and-software integration and data security," Thibodeaux adds. "One category in big demand now is basic computer skills, which will get you hired at the entry level. Then you can add certifications from specific vendors like Cisco (CSCO, Fortune 500) and HP (HPQ, Fortune 500), and other more advanced certifications as you move up in the organization."

You don't even have to live in Silicon Valley. "We're seeing tech openings in Des Moines, Boise, Louisville, all over the map," says Gretchen Koch, a director of skills development at CompTIA.
"There are tech jobs available even here in Detroit, many of them in hospitals," says Mark McManus, CEO of New Horizons Computer Learning Centers of Michigan, Chicago & Cleveland. In general, "tech jobs that require continual collaboration with other departments don't get outsourced," he adds.

And even with outsourcing, "the fastest-growing demand here in the U.S. is still for help desk and desktop support people," notes Koch. A recent survey by staffing company Robert Half International shows that 51% of employers plan to add IT staff over the coming year, many of which will be help-desk jobs. These can be a good way to get a foot in the door.

"Usually entry-level people do that for six months or a year before getting additional training and certifications and moving on to network administration, security, database management, or some other specialty," she says.

Another area to consider: As the health-care industry continues to grow, your son might be smart to focus his job search on medical providers and work on acquiring the skills specific to them.

Unemployment among tech workers stands at about 4.9%, far lower than the 9.6% overall U.S. jobless rate, "so IT is still faring better than most fields," says Tom Silver, CEO of tech job board Dice.com. Yet, he says, "there is a lot of frustration among job seekers now, however, because employers are hiring very slowly and looking for the exact right fit."

Dice.com recently compiled a list of the skill sets most in demand among employers.The top 5:

Security. Employers often want to hire people who have earned the CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) designation (see http://www.isc2.org/). Candidates need 5 years of hands-on experience before taking the exam.

Virtualization. The term refers to the practice of running multiple servers on a single piece of hardware, increasing efficiency and conserving energy.

Java EE. Sun Microsystems' (JAVA, Fortune 500) Java and its enterprise edition, until recently called J2EE, are the industry standards for developing online applications, so the Sun Certified Java Programmer (SCJP) designation is in widespread demand.

SAP. Most employers prefer candidates who have direct on-the-job experience with SAP (SAP), but "having the right credentials can make even experienced candidates stand out," the Dice.com report says.

.NET. Microsoft (MSFT, Fortune 500) has a variety of certifications, Dice.com notes, but "the most bang for the buck comes from the Microsoft Certified Professional Developer (MCPD)" designation, which covers Microsoft Visual Studio and the Microsoft .NET framework.

With a spanking-new degree in computer science, your son will already have an edge, but he'd do well to earn a certification or two. People who want to upgrade their skills or switch into IT from other fields who want to switch to IT can get training at local community colleges, computer-training centers and other specialty schools.

Many schools offer some form of financial aid. What's more, for unemployed adults looking to change fields, state and federal funding may be available to cover tuition costs. (New college grads are not usually eligible for these programs.)

Back-to-School Debate: IT Degree or Certification?

It’s nearing that time of year again. The air will get crisp, the leaves will turn yellow and the days will be full of anticipation. As you prepare to return to campus, you’re probably more concerned with sharpening your pencils and dusting off your books than brushing up your resume. But isn’t the reason we go to school in the first place to better prepare us for that thing out there called the “real world?”

Taking the time out to map the best course of study will not only maximize your return on investment but will help you lay the groundwork for the career of your dreams. What’s your best move: four-year IT degree or specialized certifications?

“It’s really an apples and oranges kind of discussion,” said John Estes, vice president of strategic alliances at Robert Half Technology, an IT consulting and staffing services company. “What companies tell us all the time is they want people that demonstrate willingness and a track record of lifelong learning.”

A Degree in the Door

At many IT companies, a four-year degree is a prerequisite for a job and could be the deciding factor between getting an interview and getting passed over. “There are some companies out there that, as a condition of employment, won’t hire you unless you do have a college degree. That’s just part of their basic requirements,” Estes said. Many companies are flexible when it comes to the major of the degree, however. Estes said he’s seen hiring managers eagerly set up interviews with candidates who majored in art history, for example. That’s because the degree really signifies broad, basic knowledge and demonstrates your ability to follow through on a project. Just don’t count on your degree to get you promoted or to open the door to additional opportunities. “Many people, when they get out of college [think], ‘Well hey, that’s done.’ They’re done with their education. And in IT, you’re just getting started,” Estes said.

Continued Education With Certification

In addition to showing your employers you’re committed to furthering your education, there’s another reason to get certified: The speed of innovation in technology is so rapid that “by the time you learn a technology, the beta for the new version’s already out,” Estes said.
Thus it’s important to show employers you’re working around the clock to keep your tech skills current.

“Certifications have become more and more en vogue as just one more differentiator for someone,” Estes said. “Because, even if you’re getting a college degree, you’re getting [it] in computer science; you’re not getting [it] in Microsoft Windows Server 2008. The certification will come into play more specifically with what you’re doing.”

Half the battle, however, is knowing when to begin the certification process. As a new grad, you’re not expected to have specialized already, but when is the right time to consider it?
“I would say as soon as possible,” Estes said. “It’s not like they graduate in May and have to start the certification by July, but [they should start] once they get more of an idea of where they are in the organization, truly what they have passion for, what really interests them.

Even if you’re not interested in a hands-on implementation job, you still are likely to get into some type of project management or business analysis role as you progress in the field of IT, and it’s worth getting certified to back up your experience, Estes said.

It’s also entirely possible that, as a recent grad, you’ll start off in one discipline but come to decide you’d like to go in a different direction instead.In that case, you should definitely consider a certification, but know that you’ll need to back it up with real-world application, Estes said.


– Agatha Gilmore, agilmore@certmag.com

Entry-Level Certs Fill Skills Gap

Certifications for workers in the information technology industry, historically targeted at professionals with at least a few years of experience on the job, are more and more being tailored for entry-level candidates.
For certifying bodies, the shift is aimed in part at addressing shortages of certain technology skills that are impacting the industry and have the potential to be even more problematic in the not-so-distant future.
For workers new to the high-tech sector, the emergence of new certification options at the entry level is good news.
Even in a market in which companies say technical skills are lacking, employers are more demanding and selective in their searches for technology workers.
Individuals securing jobs in today’s tech workplace are equipped with greater versatility and a broader skill set than was required in the past. An industry-recognized certification puts the worker — even an entry-level worker — in a stronger position with prospective employers. Certifications are a clear indicator for the employer that the individual who wants a job has the skills to perform the tasks.

Meeting Demand

IT jobs are among the 10 hardest jobs to fill, according to an April 2008 survey by Manpower. Nearly 25 percent of employers surveyed for Manpower said they are having problems filling open jobs because of a lack of talent.
Today’s IT jobs are more complicated than they were 10 or 20 years ago. Applications, networks and systems call for IT professionals with a much broader set of skills, even at the entry level.
Multiple studies suggest there will be a wide gap in the next five to 10 years between the demand for IT workers and the supply of workers with the right technical skills. Research firm IDC puts that gap at 40 percent.
A 2008 study commissioned by CompTIA that surveyed more than 3,500 IT managers in 14 countries found that there are gaps in several critical technical areas. There is a wide gap between the IT security skills that organizations want and the corresponding skills that workers bring to the job.
Among organizations surveyed in nine countries with established IT industries — Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, United Kingdom and United States — 73 percent identified security, firewalls and data privacy as the IT skills most important to their organizations. But just 57 percent said their IT employees are proficient in these security skills, a gap of 16 percentage points.
The gap is even wider in five countries where the emergence of a strong IT industry is relatively recent: China, India, Poland, Russia and South Africa. Among respondents in these countries, 76 percent identified security as the top skill their organizations need, but just 57 percent said their current tech staffs are proficient in security. That’s a difference of 19 percentage points.
Other skills with significant gaps between importance and proficiency are soft skills — such as customer service, sales, project management, communication — and nonspecific server technology including database, storage, maintenance and administration.
Development of new entry-level IT certifications and the refinement of existing certifications are intended to address this critical skill issue, according to Gretchen Koch, director of skills development for CompTIA.
“It gets back to enlarging the number of IT professionals and keeping the pipeline of workers filled,” she said.
Adobe Systems is among the major players in the IT industry that have expanded their certification programs to include more entry-level candidates.
In June 2007, Adobe Systems launched the first in a new line of entry-level certifications for its software. Targeted at high school and college students and entry-level workers, the Adobe Certifications exams are intended to test a candidate’s ability to use Adobe’s multimedia, video, graphic and Web software. The first offerings are tied to Adobe’s Flash and Dreamweaver products, with other certifications to roll out later this year.
“Adobe is committed to offering educators the resources to give students the necessary digital media skills to succeed in today’s highly competitive workplace,” said Megan Stewart, director of K-12 education at Adobe. “We can offer teachers and students the ability to not only learn to use Adobe’s industry-standard digital communications tools, but to validate the skills and competencies that they have acquired.”
“It’s a market plan that allows Adobe to increase the user base that’s knowledgeable about its programs and is capable of entering the higher-level certifications when they become professionals in the field,” said David Saedi, president and chief executive officer of Certiport, which Adobe partnered with in developing its certifications. “Trying to verify how many people out there qualify for a particular job is difficult. By [knowing] the number of people using Adobe programs in high schools and colleges around the world, it will give us a much better feel for the ebb and flow of talent coming into the market.”

Entering With Acumen

The CompTIA A+ certification has been revised to reflect the evolution of skills required for individuals embarking on careers in technology, which includes the need for technical, business, communication and personal skills.
“The role of the IT professional is more strategic for organizations, and technical skills alone are no longer enough for most IT jobs,” Koch said. “More than ever, companies value employees who can think strategically and communicate effectively, as well as those who possess strong business fundamentals. IT workers who understand how to use technology to meet business goals, and who can articulate this understanding, are golden in the eyes of employers.”
Though IT certifications take time, effort and resources — including money — to attain, the return on investment can be significant. Certification in the IT industry is critical for getting your foot in the door. Employers are looking for job candidates with some level of industry knowledge. What better way for an entry-level worker to demonstrate his or her knowledge than by obtaining a recognized industry credential?


by John Venator


John Venator is the president and chief executive officer of the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA). He can be reached at editor@certmag.com.