Across the IT industry, certification is on the rise. What was once a “resume boost” has become a requirement for navigating the complexity of hybrid infrastructure, multi-cloud operations, and modern security mandates.

As both practitioners and enterprises look for ways to keep pace with change, certification offers a tangible solution to security breaches and an ever-changing technology landscape.

Certified staff add measurable financial value to their teams. In the 2024 IT Skills & Salary Report, 22% of organizations estimated that a single certified employee brings $30,000 or more in added value to their organization.

Security Expertise from Certification

The latest industry reports are clear: many security breaches start with simple misconfigurations. Virtualization and cloud platforms are no exception.

According to SentinelOne, almost 23% of cloud security incidents are caused specifically by cloud misconfiguration alone.

Strong teams need technical knowledge to rely on in the face of an ever-changing security landscape. VMware certifications help address these problems by embedding security expertise directly into training and exams.

Instead of falling victim to misconfigurations and breaches, certified professionals are hardening clusters, segmenting networks, encrypting workloads, and patching environments with discipline.

As threats rise, certification is becoming one of the most effective ways to validate that teams and individuals know how to defend the infrastructure they build.

Multi-Cloud Complexity Demands Consistency

Enterprises today rarely live in a single environment. They’re running workloads on VCF and public clouds. With so many moving parts, consistency is everything.

Certification establishes a common framework for deploying, integrating, and troubleshooting these environments. It ensures that no matter where workloads live, teams can manage them with a shared vocabulary and proven methodology.

Career Resiliency in a Volatile Market

For individual practitioners, certification is also about career resiliency.

In an industry defined by change—vendor consolidation, new technology waves, and economic uncertainty—certification offers proof of adaptability.

Hiring managers don’t just look for “years of experience.” They want to see verified expertise aligned with the platforms they trust. VMware certifications provide that experience, making certified pros more competitive in the job market and better prepared for future opportunities.

As IT leaders grapple with talent shortages and the existing talent skills gap, certifications provide measurable benchmarks for onboarding, upskilling, and retaining staff. Instead of uneven expertise and tribal knowledge, certification creates a baseline of competency across teams. This competency reduces risk and improves morale as employees see their growth being prioritized and validated.

Instead of uneven expertise and tribal knowledge, certification creates a baseline of competency across teams. This competency reduces risk and improves morale as employees see their growth being prioritized and validated.

Certification positions employees and decision-makers with the tools they need to make informed and proactive decisions for their organization.

Your Friend in the Shift

VMUG is at the center of this certification surge. Through VMUG Advantage, members gain access to discounted exam vouchers, certification study resources, and a global community of peers to lean on. For enterprises, group licensing makes it possible to scale certification across entire teams so you can create sustainable value in your organization.

The trend is clear: certification isn’t slowing down. Whether you’re a practitioner looking for your next career milestone or a leader building a resilient IT organization, VMware certification is the strategy you need to differentiate yourself and your team. And, once you've been certified, you can expand your skills with access to a full suite of personal-use VCP licenses exclusively through VMUG Advantage.

Discover the VMUG Advantage Now.

Sponsored and written by VMUG.