Assignment # 1
Submitted to:
Ms. Syeda Qanitah
Submitted by:
Sabir Hussain
BSCSF13E055
BSCS (SS1) 8th
Q# What is the purpose of certifications and licensing? Also mention
software companies/organizations that provides certifications/licenses.
Certification is essentially the process of publicly attesting that a specified quality or
standard has been achieved or exceeded. We see this in an informal way all around us
nearly every day. For example, when a product has the Good Housekeeping Seal of
Approval, it means that the item has been attested to meet the standard set for it.
Whenever we make a recommendation or referral to a colleague or client we are
informally certifying the competence of the person or the quality of the item being
recommended.
Professional certification uses a formal process to identify and acknowledge individuals
who have met a recognized standard. Usually this standard includes education,
experience, and an exam of knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the job.
When an individual meets the standard, he or she receives certification from a certifying
agency. The credibility and integrity of the certifying agency determines whether the
agency’s certification means anything to the public, and therefore, ultimately, its value.
Accordingly, certification agencies may seek out recognition by an outside agency that
will, in turn, attest to the certifying agency meeting a standard. Generally, this standard
involves the qualification requirements to take the exam, whether the exam meets
accepted psychometric standards for exam development, how the exam is given and
scored, how the agency is administered, and whether its rules are fair. The National
Organization for Competency Assurance operates the National Commission for Certifying
Agencies for that purpose.
Professional certification is a voluntary process by which a non-governmental
professional organization grants recognition to an individual who has met certain
qualifications. It is a credential which attests that the individual has demonstrated a certain
level of mastery of a specific body of knowledge and skills within the relevant field of
practice. Certification should not be confused with either licensing or accreditation. While
each involves some type of evaluation and the awarding of some type of credential, they
are quite different from one another and the terms should not be used interchangeably.
Licensing is a non-voluntary process by which an agency of government regulates a
profession. It grants permission to an individual to engage in an occupation if it finds that
the applicant has attained the degree of competency required to ensure the public health,
safety, and welfare will be reasonably protected. Licensing it always based on the action
of a legislative body. Once a licensing law has been passed it becomes illegal for anyone
to engage in that occupation unless he or she has a license. The health care professions
are typically licensed at the state and/or local level, but not usually at the federal level.
Certification differs from licensing in that it is nearly always offered by a private, non-
governmental agency. Such agencies are usually outgrowths of professional associations
which create certifying agencies to identify and acknowledge those who have met a
standard. Another contrast with licensure is that, under a licensing law, practitioners of
the licensed occupation must have a license in order to practice. It is involuntary. On the
other hand, certification is voluntary. One does not have to be certified in order to practice.
An individual takes the certification exam because they want to enjoy the benefits of
certification. However, to use the title and initials copyrighted and associated with the
professional certification, one must be certified.
Software companies/organizations that provides certifications/licenses
Microsoft
Oracle
International Business Machines(IBM)
SAP
Symantec
EMC
Hewlett-Packard
VMWare
CA Technologies
Salesforce.com
