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Kid to Kid franchise, offered by Raleigh NC franchise consultant and franchise business consultant, Franchising 4 Success is a time tested child education development franchise.

At Kid to Kid Franchise Systems we tend to do things a bit differently than most franchisors. One thing we like to do differently is call our franchisees ‘owners’. To us they are more than just a franchisee they are owners of an exclusive Kid to Kid location and an extension of our values. Our owners are also our customers, and as such we strive to go above and beyond to make sure their needs are met. After all our success is directly correlated to their success.

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The US economy is in the throes of a recession accompanied by a dwindling job market. While IT has traditionally been a demand field, it is now experiencing a significant drop in new job opportunities. Many companies have started to outsource jobs to low cost destinations where the cost of labor is cheap.

Companies that continue to hire on-site professionals are looking for employees that are not only qualified in the field but have certifications to confirm their qualifications.

Employers believe that certified employees are more productive on the job, have better customer relations, earn more customer trust and thereby improve the profit margin of the company. In addition, certified professionals can also command higher salaries.

There are well over 400 certifications available in the computer industry. A popular one however, is the Comp TIA A+ certificate. This has the advantage of being an international vendor neutral certification. Yet it is recognized by major hardware and software vendors as well as distributors and resellers.

The Comp TIA A+ certificate verifies that the technician and do such jobs as installation, configuration, diagnosing, preventive maintenance and basic networking.

The original exam consisted of two parts. One tested hardware technologies and concepts while the other covered operating systems and concepts. These two areas are considered to be the basic foundation of technical skills and knowledge required by entry-level workers.

Although the two tests of hardware and operating system concepts have been preserved, the exam has been updated to include additional areas such as security, safety, environmental issues and communications.

Once having passed the Comp TIA A+ exam, one can sit for the Comp TIA A+ 220-602. This confirms a technician’s skill in installation, building, repairing, configuring, troubleshooting, optimizing, diagnosing and preventive maintenance in a field service or enterprise environment. It is highly recommended for those technicians who plan to work in a mobile or corporate environment.

The Comp TIA A+ is part of the certification track for corporations such as Hewlett Packard, Cisco, Novell and Microsoft.

It is also recommended that individuals who have received A+ certification pursue a Microsoft certification for Microsoft Windows since most desktop computers use this system.

There are also many certification opportunities open to entry-level technicians who are working with specific systems. For instance, Sun offers the “Sun Certified Associate for the Java Platform.” This is recommended for entry-level programmers, for students studying to become Java programmers or for program managers working with Java technology.

Sun Java offers various certifications for people working with Java. These are categorized as basic, intermediate and advanced. An example of a basic certificate if the Sun Certified Java Programmer.
The Sun Certified Java Developer is an intermediate certificate for Java developers.

Cisco also has many certifications available, which cover Cisco products as well as Internet working technologies. Cisco certifications cover three levels of proficiency: associate, professional and expert. They have a campus in Silicon Valley.

These companies also offer considerable support to technicians who wish to acquire these certificates.
Sun has pre-assessments on their web site to help a technician determine which courses to enroll in and readiness for exams. In addition, Sun offers free proficiency assessments, practice exams and coaching programs in Java and Solaris.

With the vast amount of opportunities available, any technician who desires certification will have no trouble accomplishing that goal.

Read more on Computer Certifications – the Low End…

The CCIE is the most prestigious credential one can hold in the IT industry. CCIE stands for Cisco Certified Internet Work Expert and the certificate is truly the Rolls Royce of all computer certifications. The CCIE occupies the number one position on various Top Ten Computer Certificate lists.

However, the CCIE is also the most difficult credential to acquire. One has to sit for a grueling exam that is more difficult than the CPA exam or the State Bar of California, which is considered the most difficult of all the states.
The State Bar Exam of California has a pass rate of 48.2%. No other state in the United States has that low a pass rate. By comparison, the CCIE has a pass rate of only 26%. Some examinees attribute some of the difficulty of the exam to the tremendous amount of determination and self-motivation that is required.

However, CCIE holders complain that their achievement garners no respect outside the industry. While mothers brag about their sons and daughters who are lawyers and CPA’s, little is said about the son or daughter with a CCIE. Fortunately, in Silicon Valley it is a different story. A CCIE holder can look forward to an annual salary of about $115,000 or more.

Second on the list of “in demand” certifications is the CISA, which certifies auditors. And there is good news for this group. Auditors are much in demand in a dwindling economy.

Due to phishing, hacking, and spamming, security has become a major issue in the IT industry today.
So security certificates are also in demand. A security certificate that is seen on many “Top Ten” lists is the CCSE. This is a high level security certification for employees who work with check point products and are required to maintain secure VPN’s.

Another security certificate that usually makes the Top Ten is the CISSP or Certified Information Security Specialist. A holder of this certificate can look forward to an excellent salary of around $94,000 annually. Only a few years of experience or education are required to qualify and only one exam needs to be passed.

On the other hand, the PMP or Project Management Professional requires an extensive amount of skill and experience. However, once these requirements have been fulfilled and the exam has been passed, one can expect an annual salary in excess of $100,000.

The holder of a CAPM or Certified Associate in Project Management also earns a high salary. However, one can qualify for this certificate with 1500 hours of work on a team or twenty-three hours of project management education. In addition, the candidate must pass a three hours exam consisting of 150 questions.

The MCSD or Microsoft Certified Solution Developer is another certificate that commands a high salary from $70,000 to $120,000 per year. However, one is expected to have more than just developer skills. One must be knowledgeable in the field of enterprise solutions and Microsoft products and then be able to apply business analysis skills to recommend the best solution for a particular business.

There are many other certificates available that enable people who qualify for them to earn high salaries. A quick search of job sites such as Monster or Dice will reveal those most in demand and the salaries offered.

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