Slashdot notes BSD Certification Group Releases Roadmap. Jeremy C. Reed writes “The BSD Certification Group announced on Thursday the release of their certification program roadmap. This publication introduces the Group’s planned BSD system administrator certifications and the construction of the certification program. The press release is available, as well as the certification roadmap.”
I’ve been a big fan of certification for a long time, as I think it shows a sincere interest in professional credentialling. There will always be “paper CNEs” — fakers who memorize questions and answers and squeak through the exams, so the credential should never be considered alone.
I hope that certification will eventually lead to professional licensing of software developers and other IT professionals. While many see the downside of getting state regulatory agencies involved in the process of determining computer competency, there’s an upside I hadn’t considered. I was chatting about certification recently with a Professional Engineer. He explained that a P.E. receives a license from the state in recognition of study, practice and exam performance, and is required to maintain current licensure by documenting ongoing education. If accused in court, a P.E. is more likely presumed by professional standing to have performed correctly, and the burden of proof is on the other party to prove negligence, incompetence or malpractice. Compared to the current situation in software development, this would be a desirable stance.