This article was written by Jim Henderson.
The IT Certification Council held its biannual member meeting in Lehi, Utah in October, bringing together 42 members for two days of collaborative discussion and strategic planning. The meeting focused on strengthening the ITCC community, championing the value of IT certifications, and shaping the future of credentialing.
A key focus of the meeting was learning from successful certification program launches and exploring strategies for ongoing scaling. Members heard inspiring stories from both Cloudflare and CrowdStrike.
Cloudflare’s Anne Altman shared how they rapidly launched their new certification program and built the exam delivery system in just three months to meet their fall user conference deadline, demonstrating a commitment to agility and responsiveness.
Megan Gordon provided an overview of the history of CrowdStrike’s program and highlighted recently launched certifications,
illustrating a strategic approach to program growth and evolution. These presentations sparked valuable discussions about overcoming common challenges and maximizing impact.
Discussions also highlighted the importance of student engagement. Jefferson Hanson showcased Certiport’s successful Student Competitions program and their innovative “Live in the Application” exams. Attendees saw the trailer for the documentary “Spreadsheet Champions,” which demonstrates how their program generates excitement for IT certification amongst high school students.
ITCC is powered by its members, and a significant portion of the meeting focused on strengthening the community and providing opportunities for participation. The recently revamped member portal was a highlight, and members engaged with the new features through an interactive scavenger hunt designed to gather valuable feedback.
Members also identified key audiences for their programs and explored ways to effectively communicate the business value of certification to leadership, as facilitated by Megan Gordon and Susan Farago.
Opportunities for increased involvement in the organization were also discussed, including participation in workgroups, task forces, the Innovation Award judging panel, or becoming a part of the board.
Members tackled critical issues facing the certification industry, including maintaining exam security, adapting to new technologies like AI, and ensuring accessibility and inclusivity. An “Ask the Experts” workshop – which featured facilitated discussions on accessibility, psychometrics, AI, recertification, exam development, and security – proved to be a valuable format for knowledge sharing and collaborative problem-solving.
An open session addressed a range of topics, including partner program candidate tracking, accommodation policies, and SME training.
The 2025 Fall Meeting reaffirmed the ITCC’s commitment to driving innovation, fostering collaboration, and shaping the future of credentialing. We encourage all members to actively participate in ITCC initiatives and contribute to our collective success, and we extend our sincere gratitude to Adobe for hosting our meeting at their beautiful campus and contributing to a productive and inspiring event.
