Written by Sarah Pauling, Examity
In late October, ITCC held its fall meeting, and, as usual, it lived up to the hype! With a total of 88 attendees, the meeting was a wonderful opportunity to connect with peers, meet new members, and hear from IT certification leaders. We’ll also never forget the fantastic tribute to “I Will Survive” created by the ITCC leadership team! Below are just a few of the many highlights from the meeting.
Welcome New Members & Guests
The meeting began with a welcome to the newest ITCC members, including Alpine, CertiProf, Lineup, Qualified, Intuit, and Xvoucher. In addition, special guests in attendance from California Community Colleges, Coursera, Palo Alto Networks, OneStream, and the University of Minnesota.
2020 Contributor Award, Susan Farago from Scaled Agile
Susan Farago from Scaled Agile was named the winner of the 2020 ITCC Contributor Award. This annual award is given to a member who has gone above and beyond to make impactful contributions to ITCC. During 2020, Susan has been an invaluable member of the ITCC, with her strong involvement in multiple task force projects, member meetings, and open session conversations. Congratulations Susan!
‘How Are We Changing in Light of 2020’
ATP’s CEO William G Harris discussed the monumental changes that we have seen in our professional and personal lives. Harris’s captivating presentation covering many topics that all of us are intimately familiar with, from global economic challenges to US copyright changes. The presentation concluded with a look into the future and an engaging Q&A with Harris.
New ITCC Website
The new ITCC website was unveiled during the meeting, and all members are encouraged to check it out. The site includes an internal portal that’s complete with a dashboard for member events, along with access to a myriad of resources, including specific, member-only content. Don’t forget to visit today, and while you’re there, be sure to update your picture and profile.
Cisco Certification Presentation
Laura Ferrando from Cisco gave a member presentation on the transformation of the Cisco certification program. Laura noted that the amount of work and output from last year was astounding, involving 668 global SMEs, 249 exam refreshes, and over one million badges issued. This program’s keys to success included significant executive sponsorship and investment, long-term yet flexible strategy, fluid communication, strong project management, migration planning, and cross-functional leadership.
IDC Analyst Brief
“Four Ways Certifications Help Organizations Achieve Their IT Strategies” was introduced by Cushing Anderson, Program VP at IDC. The paper focused on the IT industry and how much certification has helped individuals accelerate their careers.
Microsoft Gives Back Program
Microsoft provided an overview of their “Gives Back” program, where eligible candidates affected by COVID-19 were offered free access to ten Microsoft certification exams. The program helped get people back into the workforce, while at the same time, introduced thousands of individuals to the Microsoft ecosystem. A true win-win.
We want to give a huge thank you to everyone who planned, attended, and supported the ITCC fall meeting! Thanks again, and stay healthy!
