CompTIA Kicks Off UK Community Meeting with Merger News

CompTIA’s UK Community can be described in a word: momentum. This nascent community group is characterized by fast growth, having increased six-fold in the number of participants in just the last year. Gathered this week as an adjunct to CompTIA’s annual EMEA Member and Partner Conference in London, the community’s commitment to fostering business growth and collaboration is evident in the robust conversations, spirited speakers and a refreshing dearth of droning devices.

Against this animated backdrop, CompTIA officials announced that the association is merging with Accredit UK, an IT skills credentials organization that focuses on the UK-based ICT market. Accredit UK’s credential certifies its holders have mastered proven best practices and standards – not dissimilar from CompTIA’s own set of Trustmark credentials. At a macro level, the merger is aimed at bringing a wider network of high-skilled members into the CompTIA fold, strengthening the association’s global reach and bolstering its existing Trustmark credentials.

Accredit UK’s credential holders automatically become eligible to join CompTIA as a member and participate in the UK Community group. Accredit UK’s current standard will be rolled into CompTIA’s Trustmark family. The integration of the two entities is expected to be finalized in the first quarter of 2013.

The news resonated well with the community Monday. As Jim Hamilton, a CompTIA vice president said during the event in London, the merger elevates CompTIA’s global influence with credentials significantly. “What we have here today is foundational,” Hamilton said. “But now, with Accredit UK, we take it to the next level and provide a progression path to attain a robust standard that is fully audited. It’s a tremendous portfolio.”