IT governance: 3 upskilling certification programmes

IT governance plays an important role in every organisation and acts as a framework that aligns IT processes to business strategy.

Organisations of today are subject to many regulations that govern confidential information, financial accountability, and even data retention.

IT governance plays an essential role in overall enterprise governance, allowing organisations to produce measurable results toward achieving strategies and goals.

Many organisations have IT governance departments to ensure that policies and strategies are implemented correctly.

IT professionals can upskill themselves through several certification programmes to carry out their roles, within these departments.

ITIL certification

ITIL is defined as a set of detailed practices for Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) that focuses on aligning IT services with the needs of the business. In simple terms, ITIL provides a set of best practices for all the IT functions in an organisation.

The ITIL framework prescribes specific processes and activities during the design, development, delivery, and support of IT services in an organisation.

It covers the entire IT development lifecycle, from identifying requirements from a business and IT perspective, to designing and creating the solution, and also delivering and maintaining the service in a state of continual review and improvement.

Organisations adopt the ITIL framework to ensure that their IT services are delivered according to a set of consistent, well-defined processes that incorporate best practices and processes.

The ITIL framework has wide applications across various industries and is now more important than ever as most organisations rely on IT for their processes.

The framework itself consists of five areas, each focusing on a different element in the IT service lifecycle. The five areas include service strategy, service design, service transition, service operations, and continual service improvements.

Effective ITSM also involves continual service improvements, which enables organisations to prepare for continuous and ongoing improvements. The final module of ITIL is the continual service improvements that manage this aspect of IT service delivery.

Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC)

Offered through ISACA, this certification signifies knowledge and skills in risk management and is a good choice for IT professionals in nearly every industry.

This certification will provide expertise in IT risk identification, IT risk assessment, risk response and mitigation, and risk and control monitoring and reporting.

After passing the CRISC exam, professionals will need to have relevant full-time work experience in the CRISC Job Practice Areas and submit the CRISC Certification Application including Application Processing Fee to get the certification.

Taking an online course will help IT professionals prepare for the exam with on-demand and instructor coaching, practice exams, and case study activities.

Project Management Certification by PMI

The Project Management Institute (PMI), the world’s leading association for professionals in the project, programme, or portfolio management field reported that the project management workforce is expected to grow 33% by 2027.

This number translates to nearly 22 million new project management-oriented roles in seven project-oriented sectors. The Project Management Job Growth and Talent Gap 2017–2027 report released by PMI also cautions against the risk created by a skills shortage in this field which is estimated to be nearly US$208 billion in GDP over the 10-year period in the 11 countries examined.

A new Anderson Economic Group (AEG) analysis commissioned by PMI also finds the project management profession will outperform the total job growth in the United States over the next decade.

The report also estimates that in the United States alone, more than 60% of the 214,000 new jobs in this field will come from the management and professional services sector.

According to the report, the demand for roles in this specialisation will also stem from other industries, including manufacturing, finance and insurance, information services and publishing, construction, utilities, and oil and gas.

Project managers who have accumulated significant experience and display the skills necessary can go on to become programme managers or portfolio managers in organisations.

Mid-career professionals have various options to choose from to gain the right skills and certifications in this field.

Dave Hatter, cybersecurity consultant for intrust-IT and the VP of Training and Certification for the PMI Southwest Ohio Chapter told Dice, “There are many; the best known include the PMI’s Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, PMI’s Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), CompTIA’s Project+ and AXELOS’ PRINCE2 (Projects IN Controlled Environments).”

Hatter added that many colleges and universities offer their own certificates in project management.

Certifications in this field are a popular option for individuals who aspire to level up in their careers and find a role in IT governance departments in any organisation.

Although project managers are not required to have certifications, Hatter said, “In the U.S., many require the PMP certification as table stakes. I do believe that anyone who pursues the PMP certification will learn useful, practical information that will make them a more valuable project manager.”