Hottest IT Certifications

Attaining the right IT certifications is a great way for workers in the field to find more employment opportunities and achieve higher pay. According to data found in the 2014 IT Skills Demand and Pay Trends Report by Foote Partners, the following certifications stand head and shoulders above the rest.

Open Group

Architecture is a big need in the modern IT market, and Open Group offers three hot IT certifications for professionals that are in high demand. TOGAF9, Open Group Master Architect and Open Group Certified Architect are all listed in the Foote Partners report as some of the highest-paying certifications, and all are globally recognized. According to IT World, the need for the TOGAF9 IT certification has been growing rapidly.

VMware

According to the data by Foote Partners, IT professionals with the VMware Certified Professional, Certified Design Expert and Certified Advanced Professional designations in cloud applications saw a 28.6 percent pay increase over a 12-month period in 2014. Employers are also giving professionals with the VCAP-CID IT certification 8 to 13 percent of their base pay added to their salary as skills pay as of 2014.

Amazon Web Services

Amazon is one of the big players in cloud services, and demand for certified professionals in the area is growing as more companies are adopting the company's services. Amazon Web Services IT certifications convey a worker's ability to design, implement and manage applications based on this cloud computing platform. Workers can earn the title of AWS Certified Solutions Architect at the Associate or Professional level, and a Masters level is in the works as of September 2014. A relatively new entry, Amazon's certifications are already listed in the Foote Partners' highest-paying list.

PMI Agile Certified Practitioner

Tying for third place on Foote Partner's highest paying list, the PMI-ACP certification is delivering 11 to 15 percent in premium skills pay for most professionals. Experts predict that this IT certification will continue growing as the need for agile skills expands.

EC-Council Computer Hacking Forensic Investigator

As news stories of big data breaches continue to make the headlines, this has become a highly valuable IT certification. By the second half of 2014, the security certification had gained an astonishing 66.7 percent pay increase over a 12-month period, according to Foote Brothers. The five-day certification is ideal for system administrators, law enforcement workers and bankers.

These are just a few of the many certifications that IT professionals can take advantage of, allowing them to expand their credentials and gain hefty pay raises. Although some IT certification programs may require careful study and difficult exams, the resulting job and pay opportunities are well worth the effort. Choose the certifications that are most useful for your area to become an invaluable employee.

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