Research Confirms Value of Printing, Document Imaging Certification

Technicians with expertise in printing and document imaging are needed given the sheer number of printers, copiers and multi-functional devices and recent surge in shipment growth. For the first time in more than a decade, the worldwide hardcopy peripherals market experienced double-digit growth. According to IDC, the total market grew 20 percent year-over-year to 29 million units in the second quarter of 2010 while shipment value increased 14 percent year-over-year to $13.3 billion.

Moreover, the demand for managed print services is also on the rise. As found by CompTIA in the 2^nd Annual SMB Technology Adoption Trends study, 21 percent of SMBs use vendor managed print services and 17 percent plan to start using these services over the year – significant increases over 2009, 11 percent and 6 percent, respectively.

As with all technologies, people with the appropriate skills are desired to support these printing and document imaging devices, especially given their increasing complexity and connectivity to networks. To establish or prove knowledge and capability in a field, many professionals turn to certification.

Employers recognize the importance of certification in helping to ensure the credibility and quality of IT employees, and the printing/document imaging field is no exception. An increasing number of manufacturers in this market mandate the certification of technicians, either as a prerequisite for hiring or as a requirement for employees. Manufacturers such as Brother, Cannon, HP, Lexmark, Panasonic, Sharp and Xerox recommend or require CompTIA PDI+ certification for their technicians, sub-contractors and authorized service providers.

PDI+ certified individuals were surveyed on the benefits they have attained as a result of becoming certified. According to the CompTIA study, Printing and Document Imaging (PDI+) Certification and Training Insights, PDI+ certification has resulted in a range of benefits for technicians and their organizations, including more efficient troubleshooting, more insightful problem solving, better understanding of new technologies and advanced product training, and higher customer satisfaction.

From an employer’s standpoint, PDI+ certification saves organizations valuable time and resources in evaluating potential IT job candidates by providing a baseline set of knowledge for IT positions (74 percent). For more than half (58 percent), holding PDI+ ensures the credibility of IT employees. Fifty-five percent also believe that PDI+ certification enables IT staff to learn at a more efficient pace once starting a job. Furthermore, nearly three-quarters indicate their organizations are able to gain business by promoting to customers/prospects that technicians are certified.

For individuals, PDI+ certification has also contributed to career advancement. A number of professionals say that obtaining PDI+ was valuable for promotions/career opportunities (49 percent), getting a foot in the door for interviews (48 percent), receiving higher pay (41 percent), and changing fields or industries (for those who are not currently working in the printer/document imaging field -- 38 percent). Overall, a great majority (81 percent) are likely to recommend the certification to colleagues.

The CompTIA Printing and Document Imaging (PDI+) Certification and Training Insights study was fielded via an online survey to individuals in the United States and Canada who had taken the PDI+ certification exam. Nearly 600 IT professionals and managers responded to the survey. The full report is available at no cost to CompTIA members. Go to the members section of CompTIA.org for details. And watch for the new CompTIA study, Employer Perceptions of IT Training and Certification, which will be available in November.