A professional certification is a document or title that indicates to others that someone who has earned the certification is particularly knowledgeable or possesses certain skills. It is typically issued by a professional association. This type of certification is used in a variety of professional fields and is frequently used to show professional training as well as other achievements. Internal certification, product-specific certification, and profession-wide certification are three of the most common types of certification. Professional certification is similar to professional licensure, except that a license is usually granted by a government agency and is sometimes legally required for certain professions.
Professional certification, also known as trade certification or qualification, is used to demonstrate to others that a person has completed a specific level of training or education. This certification is not required for a profession or, at the very least, is not legally required, but it is frequently used during job interviews to eliminate competing candidates. A professional certification can be a straightforward way for someone to demonstrate to others that he or she is qualified to perform specific tasks. The nature of this type of certification, on the other hand, can vary greatly.
Internal certification, which is typically issued by a corporation or company to an employee of that company, is one of the most common types of professional certification. This usually means that the certified employee has completed some type of special training or a specific internal seminar. Product-specific certification is commonly used in the technological industry, particularly in computer software programming and development, to indicate that a person has received training and understands a specific program or aspect of technology. Profession-wide certification is common in professions like accounting, and it certifies that someone has received the necessary training and experience to work in that field.
A professional certification differs from a professional license in that the former is usually issued by a private professional organization or agency, whereas the latter is usually issued by the government. Licensure is typically required in professions where the government regulates who is qualified to work in that field, such as medicine and aviation. While a professional certification certifies a person’s skills and knowledge in a specific field, it is not always legally required. Licensure, on the other hand, is usually required for someone to practice a specific profession in a specific state or country.