Learning Objective: Discover which professional development learning path is better for your career. The increasing rate of technology innovation and the expansion of globalization has led to a significant increase in the level of competition in STEM fields. Whether you’re new to IT, a recent STEM graduate, or an industry veteran there will always be a need to be relevant in order to move your career forward. The ongoing debate regarding the values placed on industry certifications versus a degree remains a topic of discussion with employers and employees alike. The results of these debates often lead to the unfulfilling answer of “it depends”. This interactive discussion will review some of those dependencies, debunk hiring myths, and provide real-world examples of how each professional development path can impact your career. At the end of this seminar, participants will: • Understand the demand signals that drive the need for new skills • Debunk myths that occur during the hiring process and how value is attributed to candidates • Identify methods to differentiate your resume in a pool of competitive candidates • Review the ideas surrounding mastery vs. knowledge and how each is viewed

1. © 2019 The MITRE Corporation. All rights reserved.
MITRE BEYA Workshop
Advanced Degree vs. IT Certification
Discovering which professional development learning path is better for your career
February 8, 2019
Approved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited. Public Release # 19-0326.

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Agenda and Overview
10:15 – 10:45: Panelist discuss background, perspective, and experience
10:45 – 11:00: Market research, industry data, FAQs
11:00 – 11:20: Attendee questions and shared experiences
11:20 – 11:30: Wrap Up and networking opportunity
By the end of this session participants will:
 Understand the demand signals that drive the need for new skills
 Debunk myths that occur during the hiring process and how value is attributed
to candidates
 Identify methods to differentiate your resume in a pool of competitive
candidates
 Review the ideas surrounding mastery vs. knowledge and how each is viewed
© 2019 The MITRE Corporation. All rights reserved.

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Shane Patterson
© 2019 The MITRE Corporation. All rights reserved.

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Jeffrey Nolan
 Background
– Earned both advanced degree (MIS) and IT certifications:
 Zachman Framework for Enterprise Architecture and Implementation
Strategies, SAFe Certified Agilist, ScrumAlliance Certified ScrumMaster, ITIL
Fundamentals, NSA Information Assurance Methodology, and Certified
Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) – originally in 2001.
© 2019 The MITRE Corporation. All rights reserved.
Org.
Certification
IAM CISSP EA/IS CSM ITIL SAFe
PRC P
EDS P
BAE P
L3 P P
MITRE P
 Perspective
– Focus on kind of work you want to do, and
where you want to do it
– Then consider which credentials will be most
useful
 Experience on the topic
– Contractor in DMV since 1997

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Robert Wofford
 Recruiter with over 15 years experience
 Has recruited candidates with bachelor’s, master’s, Ph.D’s
 Recruited candidates with the following certs:
– CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional)
– PMP (Project Management Professional)
– CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker)
– And many more
 To get or retain the high-paying jobs, certs are required
 Most companies reimburse employees for obtaining certs
 Certs and degrees are the first things recruiters look for on your resume
© 2019 The MITRE Corporation. All rights reserved.

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Cozy Bailey
 Background
– I have an advanced IT degree and an industry certification
 Perspective
– Focus on kind of work you want to do, and where you want
to do it
– Then consider which credentials will be most useful
 Experience on the topic:
– I have been certified by PMI as a Project Management
Professional. I was also military occupational specialty
certified as an IT officer.
© 2019 The MITRE Corporation. All rights reserved.

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Summary of Panelists’ Perspectives
Career Factor Shane Jeff Robert Cozy Cert Deg
Career Advancement 0 4
Increase Pay 2 2
Impact on Performance 4 0
Change Fields 3 1
Respect from peers 2 2
Total 3 2 3 2 3 2 2 3 11 9
© 2019 The MITRE Corporation. All rights reserved.
IT Cert Degree
Question: Which path have you found more important for each of these career factors – IT Cert. or Advanced Degree?

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Industry Certifications and Future Degree Programs
Current Top 10 Certifications (by salary)
 Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT)
 Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
 Certified Information Systems Security Professional
 Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
 Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control
 Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)
 AWS Certified Solutions Architect
 AWS Certified Developer – Associate
 Project Management Professional (PMP)
 Six Sigma Green Belt
© 2019 The MITRE Corporation. All rights reserved.
Future (Predicted) Top 5 Certifications
• Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
• Cisco Certified Network Professional Wireless (CCNP Wireless)
• Certified Professional in Electronic Health Records (CPEHR)
• Certified Associate in Healthcare Information & Management
Systems (CAHIMS)
Source: Robert Half (2018, October 18). 10 Highest-Paying IT Certifications for Tech Pros - Robert Half – 10 Highest-Paying IT Certifications
for Tech Pros | Watts,R. (2018, April 23). The 10 Highest-Paying IT Certifications of 2018 - PC The Highest-Paying IT Certifications of 2018
Cyber
Wireless
Healthcare
Space Exploration
Bioengineering
Smart City
Autonomy / AI
Mixed Reality
Swarm Bots
Cryptocurrency
Blockchain
Quantum Computing
Future Degrees

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Certification Facts/Myths
 If you have certificates, you don’t need a degree (myth/fact)
– Degrees, experience, and certification all matter to government
 Myth for government
– Commercial work focuses on specific experience
 Fact for commercial
 Certifications have been devalued (myth)
– Most organizations reward relevant certifications with higher salaries
 Certifications are not real-world oriented (myth)
– Certifications continuously evolve with IT landscape
 DevSecOps, ITSM, Hybrid Cloud, Containers
 Certification’s life cycle is short (fact/myth)
– Information Assurance deprecated to cybersecurity
– Cybersecurity is as relevant as ever; CISSP since 1994
© 2019 The MITRE Corporation. All rights reserved.

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Frequently Asked Questions
Questions Answers
How much should I pay for a certification? Always try to get your employer to pay, but if they will not, treat it is an
investment in your future; ensure it is what you want to be doing for a
while, and it is likely to remain marketable.
If I don’t have much experience in IT, where do I start? If this is a career change, start with an IT area that aligns with your other
experience; if a recent graduate, find your passion, and seek projects that
gradually build experience.
How much value do HR hiring managers place on
certifications?
HR considers the reputation of the certification [these factors are
considered]:
vendor/body, knowledge-based certification exam format, performance-
based certification exam format, continuing education requirements, and
date of certification.1
Do I need a degree to pursue a career in user
experience design or digital marketing?
Diversity counts in corporate life; while there are extra challenges facing
non-graduates, there’s nothing to stop you from building a career without
a degree.2
© 2019 The MITRE Corporation. All rights reserved.
1 Examining Employability as Associated with IC3, MOS, and ACA Certifications, Kelley Leigh Todd, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Dec 2015.
2 https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/do-i-need-a-degree-to-work-in-user-experience

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Frequently Asked Questions…continued
Questions Answers
If I aspire to a key leadership position (KLP) in DoD, what
knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) need to be reflected
in my resume?
Education & Training; Experience; Competencies in:
Program Execution & Business Management; Executive
Leadership; Technical Management; Tenure; Currency.3
Is it too late in my career to get a certification or go back
to school?
Age discrimination does still exist, but having currently
marketable skills never goes out of style
Does on-the-job training eclipse all of this? If the training resulted in relevant experience, as
measured by results achieved
© 2019 The MITRE Corporation. All rights reserved.
3 Preferred Job Competencies of Engineering Leaders in DoD, Tim Clardy, Shahram Sarkani, Thomas A. Mazzuchi, Defense ARJ, Vol. 4, No. 24, Oct 2017.

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Questions & Open Discussions

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