Two views on IT certification market saturation

 IT field or an established pro, certifications are probably part of your career. But unlike a particular fruit-based movie review website, not everyone is so bullish on getting freshly certified. Andrea Simmons, a data consultant with her own practice in England, told IT Brew that certification glut is “a huge cost to an individual and/or a company if they’re actually kind enough to pay for your certifications.”

Specialization in security is important, she said, but it’s not the only thing that matters, especially in a changing cybersecurity landscape.

To Simmons, a fixation on IT certifications can lead to dilution of focus. She pointed to the evolving nature of AI, and threat actors deploying the technology in hacks. IT teams need to be quick on their feet when responding to adversaries—not overly focused on extraneous certifications.

“We are rarely one step ahead of the criminal because they’re better funded and better resourced,” Simmons said. “It would be interesting to do a mapping of how well certified are the criminals as opposed to those of us who are not.”