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IBM's Internal IT Architect Program the First Program to Achieve Accreditation From The Open GroupSAN FRANCISCO --(Business Wire)-- Jan. 25, 2006 -- The Open Group announced today that IBM is the first company to achieve accreditation for The Open Group's IT Architect Certification (ITAC) program. The accreditation authorizes IBM to recommend employees who meet the criteria for certification in The Open Group IT Architect Certification program. The Open Group's accreditation validates the quality of IBM's IT Architect certification program and the thousands of professionals who are qualified by it, and practice for IBM and its customers. Developed in response to industry demand, The Open Group IT Architect Certification program defines a global set of standards for measuring the skills and experience of IT Architects. Based on proven industry best practices, it sets a common industry-wide baseline and provides an independent benchmark for customers and partners who employ the services of IT Architects. In addition to accreditation of third party certification programs, The Open Group also operates a direct certification service for individual IT Architects who are not employed by accredited organizations but wish to be certified and who meet the required levels of skill and experience. The skill and experience conformance requirements for both direct certification and accredited program are the same. "We congratulate IBM on this significant achievement," said Allen Brown, The Open Group's President and CEO. "IBM's accreditation demonstrates their dedication to furthering IT Architecture as a profession and is evidence of their commitment to industry-wide standards." "We're thrilled to receive accreditation from The Open Group. It validates the exceptional work our team of IT architects do for customers on a daily basis," said Lauren States, Vice President, Technical Sales, IBM Software Group. "As technology projects continue to grow within organizations in terms of size and scope, it's important that IT architects have a set of recognized industry standards to help guide them. Being certified by The Open Group is a tremendous step in the right direction." The Open Group developed the accreditation program to enable companies who manage their internal programs at their own convenience without geographic, language or resource limitations. The accreditation is awarded based on a set of strict criteria that the third party program must meet. Eligible third-party programs may also include additional requirements appropriate to their business, for example knowledge of proprietary methods. For more information: http://opengroup.org/itac/accreditation.html. About the Program Establishing an experience and skill baseline, and setting certification criteria for IT Architects, the IT Architect Certification program brings a number of benefits to customers, companies, governments, academic institutions, as well as individuals. Organizations gain an industry-wide benchmark for selecting qualified individuals to lead their critical programs, and are able to verify their status in The Open Group Certification Directory. Companies with internal IT Architect programs gain credibility and increased stature for their programs. Certified professionals get portable credentials, and are able to choose the best of the available positions. Academic institutions are able to use the skills criteria for fine-tuning their curriculum focused on IT architecture. And finally, a recognized certification standard helps ensure further industry development and elevate the practice of IT architecture and the professionals who perform it. Complete information about the program, including how to become an accredited partner, how to get certified, and the Directory of Certified IT Architects, can be found at www.opengroup.org/itac. About The Open Group The Open Group is a vendor-neutral and technology-neutral consortium, which drives the creation of Boundaryless Information Flow(TM) that will enable access to integrated information within and between enterprises based on open standards and global interoperability. The Open Group works with customers, suppliers, consortia and other standard bodies. Its role is to capture, understand and address current and emerging requirements, establish policies and share best practices; to facilitate interoperability, develop consensus, and evolve and integrate specifications and open source technologies; to offer a comprehensive set of services to enhance the operational efficiency of consortia; and to operate the industry's premier certification service. Further information on The Open Group can be found at http://www.opengroup.org. Note to Editors: Boundaryless Information Flow is a trademark of The Open Group. |
