Scheme to certify tech experts begins, NATION

Sirivish Toomgum
The Nation (Thailand)
11-16-2001
A certification project to boost IT development and help local professionals
to break into the global tech market has been launched by Software Park
Thailand, the Association of Thai Software Industry and global tech firms.

The plan aims to create 10,000 new certified IT developers,
programmers and systems analysts within the next year and about 50,000
within the next five years, up from the current 7,000, said Pipat Yodprudtikan,
vice president of the Thai software association. Ten per cent of the total
10,000 professionals targeted for next year are expected to get top expert
level certification, he said.
The plan is also expected to receive government funding, Pipat said.
The shortage of skilled IT labor worldwide has reached an alarming
rate. Rough estimates place the overall demand for certified workers in
this field to be around 95,000, but there are currently only about 25,000
such professionals available.
The joint partners of the project therefore hold the view that there
is a great opportunity for Thai IT developers to enter the international
market if they can meet global certified standards.
They are particularly keen to enter areas where there is high demand
such as networking systems and in the development of certain software applications.

The certificates can be the developers' passports to better promotions
within their organization. They could also enable them to increase productivity
and boost their standing.
Developers should be aware that the certificates could bring them huge
benefits, said Dr Rom Hiranpruk, director of Software Park.
To encourage IT developers to obtain the certificates, the partners
have tied up with high-tech companies - including Microsoft (Thailand),
Sun Microsystems (Thailand), Oracle Corp (Thailand) and Cisco Systems (Thailand)
- to organize an "IT Certification Day 2001" seminar.
The event will take place on November 30 at the Software Park
Building, on Chaeng Wattana Road.
Apart from informing participants about the importance of the
certification program, it will also share job demand information from executives
at high-tech companies.
The participants can take a test to see how they score. The test is
supported by Prometric Thomson Learning Co, the world's leading provider
of comprehensive technology based testing and assessment services. Its
general manager for Asia Pacific, Wallance Craft, will also be sharing
his views at a seminar called "Internet & Developer Certification Overview
& Case Study".
Vorkon Patrayanan, managing director of Cisco (Thailand), said the
shortage of existing IT networking professionals was more acute than that
for general IT developers.
The number of Cisco certified developers in the networking area in
Thailand is 209 this year, up from 39 in 1999, he said. But for developers
in the top expertise level, he added, the number was only 12 for this year,
up from 7 in 1999.
Cisco has its Cisco Career Certification program for training and
certifying professionals to design and operate enterprise and service provider
networks.
The program offers three levels, from fundamental through to the most
advanced. The three certificates are: the Cisco Certified Network Associate,
the Cisco Certified Network Professional and the Cisco Certified InterNetwork
Expert.
Nidjarin Keeratiwutitamrong, principal consultant of Oracle Corp
(Thailand), said Oracle would also be launching new training programs.

The Oracle Associate and Oracle Certified Master will soon be
launched, in addition to the existing Oracle Certified Professional program,
he said.



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