The tech sector is rapidly evolving, and there is a massive market for IT skills in the workforce since the disruptive transformation in businesses. A career in information technology can be lucrative and long-lasting. However, to flourish in a digital profession, it is necessary to keep up with the ever-changing world of technology by acquiring valid certifications. 

Why Earn Certifications? 

Acquiring a certification is the most effective strategy to kickstart your IT career, raise your income and stay relevant in a competitive market. IT certifications attest to the depth of knowledge and experience in a sector. As a result, employers prefer candidates with certifications, and many provide raises or incentives to existing employees who earn their certifications. 

Then comes an aspect to consider. Should you go for a certification that is vendor-specific or vendor-neutral? Which is the best in the long run? 

What is Vendor-Specific? 

Vendor-specific certifications exhibit mastery of a specific tool developed by a particular vendor. 

Acquiring a vendor-specific certification is an alternative way to learn more about products that industries or businesses frequently use. For example, the training can benefit if the desired position emphasizes a specific skill or development rather than general expertise. In addition, this certification helps employees or jobseekers if the particular organization implements vendor-specific tools or software.

What is Vendor-Neutral?

A vendor-neutral certification provides a framework not directly linked to an IT vendor but develops technical skills or global applications. 

Vendor-neutral certifications do not concentrate on a particular vendor’s platform or tools. Instead, they provide an extensive overview of various tools and techs from different vendors. A vendor-neutral certificate has a broader scope which comes with information that validates your skills to organizations. In other words, they exhibit that you have completely mastered the needed skills. These certifications focus on employees and entry-level professionals and have wider opportunities to stand out to employers. 

Choosing the Right Certification

Vendor-specific certification will benefit individuals looking forward to joining an organization that deals exclusively in the vendor’s application and systems. Vendor-specific programs provide detailed instruction on specific technologies and products. They enjoy industry-wide recognition relative to product popularity and narrow down their focus to current and widely used products.

However, vendor-specific training does not necessarily translate your skills to other similar products from different vendors. For example, suppose the product you are trained for loses popularity or stops being used entirely. In that case, your certification is no longer helpful, and reskilling with other vendor-specific training can be costly and time-consuming.

On the other hand, vendor-neutral programs prepare individuals to work in multi-vendor environments and adaptations of specific technologies. These programs provide an unbiased view, delivering a balanced topic coverage, eliminating the need to promote individual products, and focusing on relevant technology issues. 

Why are Vendor-neutral Certifications Globally Preferred? 

90%  of employers emphasize vendor-neutral IT certifications. It aims to offer practical knowledge that can be applied on the job regardless of any software or hardware used by companies. In addition, vendor-neutral certificates will never be obsolete because knowing IT concepts such as networks and cybersecurity will always be significant, irrespective of which vendor products are generally used. 

iTrain provides solid certification training that is both brief and effective. With a certification from iTrain Asia, one of the region’s most reputable tech training certification providers, you can access more open doors in the IT realm.