Why Get Certified?
I know how to do XYZ why should I bother getting a certificate to prove that I actually do?
We all have a skill or talent which we can use to earn a living, and with more practice, we get better at our craft, This can range from singing, drawing, farming, programming, braiding hair, or driving a car, in no particular order, each craft has its merits and can secure a good livelihood if maximized to its fullest potential.
I’m a strong believer in getting certified and with over 4 years of pursuing skill-based certifications in data and IT-related courses, I have managed to go over quite a fair amount of steps in the development of my career. Above is a picture of some of my certifications on youracclaim. Certifications help build a great portfolio and can help potential employers to assess your skills even before they decide to engage you for an opportunity at employment or consulting.
It’s amazing to be a master at your craft and be the top talent in your field but is that really enough, and how do you assess that which has no documentation and only word of mouth through recommendations? Beyond just serving as proof of your skills, certifications help create a clear track record of your growth process and maturity over time and show great initiative towards learning and continuous improvement.
FACT: high-value certifications are expensive.
The one reality we cannot escape is that high-value certifications are indeed quite expensive especially those issued by “big” corporations or “good” universities and colleges. Below are two certification programs offered by Cornell and GreyCampusAcademy respectively, both very prestigious establishments, the Data Analytics course comes at a whopping 3600USD (ZAR 59,468.65), and the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt course comes at 900USD (ZAR 14, 867.16), quite expensive right! But given the educational value and the upskilling that comes with taking these programs, they’re really worth the investment which will be reciprocated by employers through the quality of the opportunities you obtain after making such huge financial sacrifices.
What then if I cannot afford all these expensive certs, should I still bother?
The biggest obstacle in our perceived reality is that nothing is for free. I usually get amazed at how many free online courses exist on the internet, but unfortunately we never really take the time to explore and find all those corners of the internet where we can get certified for free. here is a list of some of the places you can get free quality content:
- OpenLearn: https://www.open.edu/openlearn/free-courses/full-catalogue
- edX: https://www.edx.org/
- HavardX: https://online-learning.harvard.edu/catalog/free
- Coursera: https://www.coursera.org/courses?query=free
- Alison: https://alison.com/certificate-courses
Certifications mean a better professional portfolio
Times have changed and some employers/clients prefer skills over the paper, but wouldn’t just having both be at your advantage? It definitely will, because it’s great to say you have a skillset, but actually proving through the right credentials added to your portfolio or résumé/cv beats just being vocal about your skills.
To wrap up: get certified and prove that you are indeed the master of your craft.
