It was a rare day off for Wanderley Martins as Rio de Janeiro's Carnival holiday celebrations came to a close. Though the nationwide festival gave Martins a brief respite from his new position as a senior security specialist at Capgemini-Brazil, he never rests when it comes to his career ascent.
He has identified the growth areas of Brazil's IT economy, how to master the technological demands and how to demonstrate that mastery to employers. For this, CompTIA certification has been vital since he began in IT more than a decade ago.
“I needed to establish my career,” Martins said. “In this profession, a person who has certifications is more recognized in the market.”
Martins has been working on networks in various capacities, including consulting roles, since he started in IT nearly 17 years ago. Throughout his career, he has noticed industry needs becoming more specialized. For those who are just starting out in IT, as well as those at his advanced level, being a jack-of-all-trades with general computing knowledge doesn't necessarily put one on the path to a career as it once did.
Martins has accumulated numerous CompTIA certifications over the years, tailoring his skills to those new needs and specializations he has seen appearing throughout the enterprise computing landscape.
Pinpointing In-demand Skills
I needed to establish my career. In this profession, a person who has certifications is more recognized in the market.
Martins sees cloud computing and network security as two prime areas in which Brazil's IT economy is taking strides. And so, moving away from consulting, he pivoted toward a more straightforward technical direction, honing his skill set to focus on securing networks.
Already a holder of the CompTIA Linux+ certification, Martins sought out CompTIA Security+ to build his cybersecurity skills and, more recently, was awarded the high-level CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) certification. He has been able to read the way the computing landscape is going and, in turn, pursue CompTIA certifications to guide his career in the right direction. For Martins, certifications have acted as stepping stones, one preparing the way for the next, especially in the realm of cybersecurity.
“[CompTIA] Security+ gave me the base to pursue the CASP+ certification because Security+ is a robust certification,” Martins said.
And pursuing the advanced CASP+ certification was another step in the right direction, as it played a vital role in Martins landing his current role.
Going Global With CompTIA Certifications
As this year's Carnival season came and went, Martins has continued his work at the high tier of cybersecurity. While he handles business-critical cybersecurity, he continues to focus on advancement, in skills, certifications and career opportunities. And as he does so, he is not limiting his opportunities for the future to his home country. Thanks to holding several globally recognized CompTIA certifications, Martins has his sights set on international opportunities.
“My dream is to work abroad,” Martins said. “I'm looking for opportunities in Canada, the United States, Australia and so on. I'm preparing my English, my resume and my certifications, too.”
Where have your certifications taken you? Share your story in the comments or shoot us an email.
Matthew Stern is a freelance writer based in Chicago who covers information technology, retail and various other topics and industries.
