Company-Wide Competitive Edge – The Importance of IT Certification
In IT, certification isn’t everything, but it’s a lot.
You probably already implicitly understand this. Your boss wants you to be continually advancing in your knowledge of networking, databases, and even simple help desk and tech support processes. But, you can’t do this without certification classes and testing. Here’s how to pitch it to your boss.
TGAF 9 and Its Importance
TOGAF training online is available through reputable companies like Simpilearn, but many managers and CEOs aren’t biting. Why not? Because they don’t understand the full implications of the certification. So, explain it to them.
TOGAF is the Open Group Architecture Framework, and it’s a series of design principles that were created by a non-profit (not for profit) organization called “The Open Group.” The methodology has become an industry standard for enterprise architecture because of how it simplifies the architectural design process.
In all, there are over 30 different design methodologies recognized by The Open Group’s TOGAF program, and IT professionals receiving the certification can choose any one of those methodologies or submit one that is not on the list.
The TOGAF is concerned with pretty much every single aspect of how a company designs its infrastructure and architecture. From database design and implementation to networking to the apps that run on those networks, you will be learning how to build better frameworks that are more secure, run faster, and protect users as well as the company.
One of the things you learn in TOGAF training is how to optimize business performance through achieving efficiency in the architecture. This is obviously a good thing because it reduces costs for materials and resources like hardware and software – specifically software development.
You’ll also better understand the business structure by preparing a blueprint of how the business should be run. A clear identification of how different departments interact with each other will also help you better understand the company you work for.
TOGAF also prepares you for the future of your company by being proactive with changes instead of merely reacting to network failures and architectural limitations after-the-fact. You can identify weaknesses in your product or service, the sales process, the software implementation, and even higher-level marketing and management processes.
Finally, the training isn’t a once-off class. It’s ongoing, so you’re always up-to-date with what’s happening in architecture design.
Ask Employers To Help Pay For Training
One of the biggest roadblocks employees face when it comes to training is getting their employer on-board with it. Employers want measurable ROIs, and training doesn’t always have that. It’s more of a gradual return.
Your job is to convince your employer that there is an ROI, that it matters, and that it costs more to do nothing. How do you do that? Find inefficiencies in your current architecture. Look for methods and processes in the company that could be improved. You may not be able to say what the specific improvement should be, or what the ROI will be, but you can demonstrate that a process is inefficient and that TOGAF will help make it more efficient.
If you are having a difficulty communicating with your boss, books like [amazon template=product&asin=1598698818] can really help. The most important thing you need to make him understand and communicate is that even without hard numbers, the fact that an improvement can be made is significant. Plus, many inefficiencies can be “estimated” in regards to an ROI of fixing it. The more inefficiencies you find, the higher the probability your boss will be swayed to your line of thinking.
It’s Your Salary
Ultimately, you are in a tug of war with your boss over your paycheck. But, it’s a friendly struggle. On average, TOGAF training can improve your paycheck by about 5 percent, with most companies affirming that certifications directly lead to raises and bonuses for employees.
The degree of training, as well as the experience of the employee, also count. So, a single raise is usually not the end of your promotion. So, for example, you may be immediately promoted for getting your TOGAF certification, but you may also get a raise 6 or 12 months down the road for the continuing education and further improvements to the company’s efficiency.
Companies tend to operate on the idea that improved efficiencies translate into improved bottom-line results. If it’s a public company, the company and shareholders are rewarded with a higher share price. If it’s a private company, those shares can be distributed in the form of a company bonus.
In a sense, the strongest argument for your boss to pay for your training is that you’ll end up giving him a bigger bonus through increased company profits.
Eshna Verma is a Real Career Girl writing at Simplilearn. She has done Masters in Journalism and Mass Communication and is a Gold Medalist in the same. A voracious reader, she has penned several articles in leading national newspapers like TOI, HT and The Telegraph. She loves traveling and photography.
