IT Certifications: Yes, Even For Grad Students
The great big world out there is full of professionals who thought the last thing they needed to do before launching their studied career was sit down and take some more exams. Certain professions may take for granted the idea of certifying their knowledge; such as lawyers, accountants, doctors, nurses, and therapists of all kinds. Be they boards or bars, it’s well known professionals are regulated and authenticated for a number of reasons. We want to know who’s giving us important advice; legal, medical, or otherwise. It’s this otherwise that leads me to undergraduate and even graduate students in the field of Cybersecurity. Good grades may impress some employers, but what really speaks of knowledge and experience are industry standard certifications. As the bar exam is to lawyers, so is the Certified Information Systems Security Professional Exam for cybersecurity professionals.
Sure the CISSP is the premier cybersecurity certification at the moment, but there are more out there. The International Information System Security Certification Consortium, or (ISC)², is just one certifying ethical body; yet they offer no fewer than six information security certifications, with varying degrees of prestige attached thereto. The exam I’m aiming for when I graduate is their SSCP, or Systems Security Certified Practitioner. With my master’s degree in hand, I can pass that exam and enter into (ISC)2 membership. By becoming a member, I’m voluntarily submitting myself to both scrutiny in the application process and in practice, as violations of their code of ethics can lead to sanctions. The (ISC2), like a medical ethics board, can expel members that don’t follow the rules.
The same is true for cybersecurity certifications from the SANS Institute’s six different Global Information Assurance Certifications, or GIAC. CompTIA, the makers of the industry standard A+ exam for computer technicians, also makes a Security+ exam for entry level cybersecurity professionals. Microsoft, Open Linux Foundation, and many more key technology players offer exams and course materials on specialized topics in cybersecurity as well. One constant in this profession is the need to stay educated on new products, processes, and technologies, and certifications are no different. Many, if not all of the certifications I’ve mentioned so far, require continuing education to stay certified. Microsoft is one whose certifications don’t expire, but they do actively retire them, such as my first Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator for Windows Server 2003 credential. I kept upgrading as much as possible, and now they’re even retiring the most recent MCSA for Windows 10.
The key to all of this is knowing where you want to go or what you want to do with your degree once you’re done. An undergraduate degree may be fine to get you in the door, but to progress up the career ladder, a few certifications will never hurt. As for me, I already work in a fantastic career, I want to prove my worth after graduation with the SSCP exam from (ISC2). Beyond that, I’m still looking to upgrade that last MCSA to the latest Microsoft 365 Certified: Modern Desktop Associate credential, then maybe the Enterprise Administrator Expert if they haven’t come up with a whole new set of certificates by 2022. Don’t be shy after graduation, take a look at certifications in your own profession and see what kind of value others are getting out of theirs.
