The rise in the number of industry-sponsored credentialing programs in information technology (IT) raises many questions for Career and Technical Education because the development and growth of such programs is seen in an increasing number of fields. This study investigated the influence of IT-industry-sponsored credentials from both organizational and individual perspectives. Survey research was conducted with a sample of human resource (HR) executives from organizations that have a large number of IT employees. A web-based survey was administered to IT employees in a sample of these large organizations. Results show that HR executives and IT employees have different attitudes towards IT-industry-sponsored credentials in terms of their influence on recruitment, training, and organizational outcomes. Additional analysis also found significant differences in the perceived influence of industry-sponsored credentials among those employees who have earned credentials as compared to those who have not. Implications of the results are discussed for career and technical education policymakers, researchers, and educators.

Bartlett, K. R. (2002). The perceived influence of industry-sponsored credentials in the information technology industry. St. Paul, MN: National Research Center for Career and Technical Education, University of Minnesota.

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