Technical Certifications Make Comeback
"Vendors are getting tough again with program requirements that a certain number of certified technicians must be on your staff for you to get better margins," said Alex Solomon, co-owner of Net@Work, New York. "This rationalizes paying certified people more."
This is no small issue for solution providers. The 2006 CRN Channel Compensation Survey results show that margins are the single most important type of vendor compensation when it comes to revenue and profits.
The data also shows that certifications make a difference in the size of pay raises. Certified technicians received higher percentage pay increases than non-certified technicians both last year and in 2004. In 2005, however, the difference in the size of pay raises was not as large in as 2004.
"It depends on company policy," said Ken Yee, a consultant at KEY Enterprise Solutions, Boston. "Some companies use higher pay as a reward for being certified in the same way they give people with master's degrees higher pay."
Certified personnel working in networking and security again are receiving the largest pay increases. Networking infrastructure was cited by 19 percent of respondents, with security hardware and software following closely at 18 percent.
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In a turnaround from last year's survey, certified technicians were paid more in 2005 compared with technicians with no certifications. The difference was significant, amounting to about $7,000, or 12 percent.
The results indicate certifications once again are becoming an important factor in determining both the size of technicians' compensation and yearly pay increases. In 2004, for example, the CRN Channel Compensation Survey revealed that non-certified technicians were paid more than certified technicians. In the 2003 survey, pay levels were nearly the same for both sets of technicians. Prior to 2003, certified technicians were the ones being paid more.