The Significance of Professional Certifications: Build Your Career as a Young Professional

In today's ever-evolving job market, the potential for success goes beyond the existing knowledge that professionals have. While it provides a solid foundation, it is essential to recognize that expanding one's horizons and embracing additional skills are key to unlocking greater opportunities. Professional certifications play a pivotal role in this pursuit, offering a multitude of benefits. By augmenting your knowledge and skills, certifications empower you to work smarter, increase productivity, and enhance your professional standing. These advantages provide a competitive edge in the job marketplace and open doors to higher earning potential.

According to Statista, the professional certificates market is projected to reach 9.84 million users by 2027, with a global market value of $300 billion by 2025. This growth is driven by the increasing demand for skilled professionals and the recognition of alternative credentials in the job market.

Let's delve into the profound impact that certifications can have on your career:

Igniting Your Career from the Start:

Certifications can ignite your career from the start by validating your expertise and commitment to your industry. For example, globally recognized certifications like the Project Management Professional (PMP)® and Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® showcase specialised skills applicable across fields. Employers value these certifications as they signify a strong foundation in project management principles. With transferable skills in communication, problem-solving, and leadership, certifications open doors to diverse career paths and accelerate long-term success.

Unleashing Your Earning Potential:

Certifications unleash higher earning potential, with certified professionals consistently enjoying greater median salaries compared to their non-certified peers. For example, the twelfth edition of Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey reveals that those with a PMP certification report median salaries that are 16% higher on average across 40 surveyed countries. This notable salary advantage highlights the significant impact certifications can have on both financial growth and professional recognition.

Career Advancement and Global Opportunities:

Certifications unlock new career opportunities and expand your horizons. Employers value certified professionals who navigate complex tasks, assume greater responsibilities, and show dedication to professional development. With globally recognized certifications, there is greater likelihood of moving up the corporate ladder

Fueling Continuous Learning:

Obtaining a certification entails rigorous training, study, and practical experience that deepen your existing skills and equip you with new ones. By embarking on this continuous learning journey, you sharpen your expertise, adapt to evolving industry trends, and deliver exceptional value to your organisations.

Safeguarding your future:

Learning and upskilling is a way to equip yourself for the uncertainties of the future. They are the means to add greater value in your current organisation and are tools to harness your career growth. With the influx of innovative technologies and new ways of working, the role of project professionals is changing. They are expected not only to be experts with technical skills but need to have an understanding of the business vision and the impact their work is likely to create to the overall strategy of the organisation. They are expected to have the ability to handle intricate tasks and mitigate risk and at the same time deliver business outcomes.

In times of economic uncertainties, and other unprecedented changes in the business environment, certifications empower you to stay agile and adapt to the ever-changing work scenarios.

Hence investment in upskilling and capability development not only prepares you for the future but also helps you add greater value to your current organisation and deliver better outcomes.

About the author: Dr. Srini Srinivasan, Regional Managing Director – South Asia, PMI As Regional Managing Director of PMI South Asia, Dr. Srini Srinivasan oversees business development and represents the chapters in the region (India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh). He also leads the PMI IT Systems Working Group. Dr. Srini has over 30 years of global experience as a CEO, business unit leader, business builder and entrepreneur at the intersection of professional services and technology. He is a subject matter expert in strategy, organisational transformation, operations improvement, and analytics-based digital solutions. Before coming to PMI, he was the Managing Director of Arthur D. Little India, based in New Delhi, re-establishing the firm in India while growing the business opening-up three offices for the company in New Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai. He has also served in senior leadership roles at Altran Technologies and the Hay Group India.