What certifications are best for IT professionals?

The modern IT professional has to contend with a number of factors, such as an increasingly complex IT environment and growing business demands. Other factors such as cyber security are also becoming a top priority, and can present real concerns for ongoing IT operations.

This isn't to mention company executives attempting to adopt new and often necessary technologies. 

To ensure IT professionals are able to effectively handle technology changes, it's essential to consider how frameworks (and their certifications) can be utilised effectively.

In most cases, the certifications provide a wealth of useful information that can be applied to a number of scenarios. The best certifications for IT professionals will be outlined below.

ITIL

The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) is one of the best courses for IT professionals, and is able to offer an extensive number of volumes for understanding organisational objectives, developing better service strategies and improving IT capabilities.

At its core, ITIL is essentially designed to provide an array of procedures and processes that can be applied to a number of organisations. Through implementation, value can be delivered along with a minimum level of competency.

ALC offer an extensive ITIL training program, which can take IT professionals from a basic understanding through to a Masters accreditation. Throughout the course, practical knowledge is taught to participants.

COBIT 5

Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (COBIT 5) is another framework, but one designed with a different set of objectives in mind.

Through use of this framework, IT professionals are able to implement effective control objectives for day-to-day use within a business. These can subsequently be used by business managers and IT professionals.

Often, the objectives relate to confidentiality, integrity and data availability – along with the overall management of the IT department of a business.

Similar to the ITIL training course, a COBIT 5 certification from ALC extensively covers a range of components related to the framework. Further courses specialise even more so, covering areas such as risk and implementation.

PRINCE2

PRINCE2 is designed for project management professionals, and as such offers certifications that are recognised around the world.

It can be utilised by professionals working in projects, initiating projects and even other business staff who require project management training.

As IT environments become increasingly complex, having a firm grasp over the entire IT department is essential, and that's where the necessity of project management lies.

A PRINCE2 course from ALC Training covers a number of areas, such as using the framework to direct a project and how to effectively implement it in a business.

TOGAF

To enhance business efficiency, the Open Group Architecture Framework (TOGAF) is often the best framework solution. As a proven enterprise architecture methodology, IT professionals using the system can both enhance their industry credibility and ensure improved IT efficiency for businesses.

As businesses increasingly seek to reduce operating costs and drive workplace efficiency, the value of certifications such as TOGAF cannot be overstated.

In addition, IT professionals can also use TOGAF to develop enterprise architecture that surpasses standards. Common areas of implementation are for data architecture developments, technology architecture and applications architecture.

The ALC course is split into two levels, foundation and practitioner, which cover a number of topics relating to successful TOGAF implementations.

Certifications need to be considered in the near future, as they can help to ensure that IT professionals understand the best-practice methods and frameworks for the industry.

Once the detailed courses have been completed, professionals will be able to more easily adapt to changing technology environments and implement effective solutions.

Failing to understand the value of such certifications could lead to IT environments operating ineffectively.