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SAN FRANCISCO, May 21, 2009 – The Open Group, a vendor- and technology-neutral consortium focused on open standards and global interoperability within and between enterprises, today announced that the number of individuals that have achieved its Information Technology Specialist Certification (ITSC) program has surpassed the mark of 1,000 professionals. Launched just last year, the ITSC program assures that individuals possess the prerequisite skills and experience to develop and deliver an ever-more complex set of IT solutions. The program counts a diverse set of companies and global IT solutions providers across numerous industries as active contributors, including for example Credit Suisse and Capgemini, one of the world's foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services.
The Open Group ITSC program offers a worldwide set of standards for qualifying the skills, knowledge and experience of IT Specialists. Rather than requiring an examination that only tests a professional’s knowledge of basic skills, a review board comprised of certified IT Specialists ensures that the skills and experience of each candidate meet the rigorous qualification standards. As such, ITSC enables organizations to find and select the right expertise for their projects, a critical requirement brought on by the globalization of IT initiatives, regulatory compliance and rising industry expectations for quality of service.
“ITSC raises the bar for qualifications across the entire industry,” said Ron Tolido, vice president and chief technology officer at Capgemini Nederland. “As one of the founding contributors to ITSC, Capgemini believes that the industry at large benefits immensely from a global standardized view of the skills, experience and competencies of IT Specialists across many different disciplines. The world is our market and also our delivery place: we need to speak the same language to achieve successful collaboration.”
ITSC is the first program to offer independent, comprehensive, global certification for professional specialists within two technical focus areas: Development and Operations; as well as four client focus areas, including Services, Technical Sales, Technical Support and Technical Training.
“IBM employs over 50,000 IT Specialists worldwide. To allow for the development of truly well-rounded and competent specialists, it was important to IBM that both skills and experience be assessed as part of the program,” said Brian Mitsuki, Senior Certified Consulting IT Specialist & Americas IT Specialist Profession Leader, IBM. “The ITSC program provides for that holistic assessment and ensures that our specialists are the right people for the job.”
“The rapid growth of ITSC certifications in the last year affirms our belief that establishing a set of standards for IT Specialists benefits not only the professionals, but also their employers, and clients,” said Allen Brown, CEO of the Open Group. “Companies such as IBM and Capgemini leverage ITSC because they understand that they are well served by a globally-recognized set of certification criteria that acknowledges real world skills and experience to assure the quality of hires, provide a clear career path for employees, as well as a guide for selecting the most competent individuals.”
Individuals interested in certification for their own career paths as well as companies looking to establish an Accredited Certification Program for employees should visit http://www.opengroup.org/itsc/cert.
The Open Group is a vendor-neutral and technology-neutral consortium, which drives the creation of Boundaryless Information Flow™ that will enable access to integrated information within and between enterprises based on open standards and global interoperability. The Open Group works with customers, suppliers, consortia and other standard bodies. Its role is to capture, understand and address current and emerging requirements, establish policies and share best practices; to facilitate interoperability, develop consensus, and evolve and integrate specifications and open source technologies; to offer a comprehensive set of services to enhance the operational efficiency of consortia; and to operate the industry’s premier certification service. Further information on The Open Group can be found at http://www.opengroup.org.
Note to Editors: Boundaryless Information Flow and TOGAF are trademarks of The Open Group. All other company, brand and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
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