VUE Point The latest news, innovations, and technology
Q3 2019

The Global VUE

Ask our experts: How is 'EdTech’ impacting the testing industry?

To welcome you to our third edition, we’d like to introduce you to Bridget Herd, Senior Vice President of Program Management, and Julie Hunter, Vice President of Program Management EMEA.

As members of our Senior Executive Team and Global Leadership Team respectively, both women make certain that the service expectations of our global clients are met or exceeded by our expert program managers.

As test owners are having to navigate digital transformation, new regulatory environments and greater competition in the marketplace, we asked Bridget and Julie how clients’ exam programs are adapting to the latest changes.

Q. There’s a lot of talk in the industry right now about the ‘Future of Edtech’ and how technology is changing the computer-based testing (CBT) landscape, but from your own conversations with exam owners, what do they see as their most immediate priorities?

Julie: Our clients are focused on the reliability of the test as well as the people they partner with in delivering it. They ask themselves ‘Does this test measure what I need it to test?’, ‘Do we have medics or drivers out there who shouldn’t be there?’ That's the key thing that matters at the end of the day. And underpinning all of this is security; maintaining the security of their exams and having robust measures in place (whichever test method they’re using), is essential to maintain the value of a credential.

Bridget: Organizations want to stay relevant. How do you make sure that employers value a certification, so that when employers are hiring, they’re getting the right people? Today’s jobs have completely evolved from what they were 10 years’ ago, and we know that so many of the jobs that will exist 5-10 years from now don’t exist today.

Q. So how focused are clients on the latest technology trends? Is there demand for integrating the very latest technology as part of their testing programs?

Bridget: Technology is pushing the boundaries around what assessment is. A well-known client in the IT space is looking at using virtual reality in its exams and considering how best to do this. We have some clients that are pushing the boundaries while others are working to keep pace with the way technology is changing the world.

Julie: They might talk about it (new technology), but for many the technology still isn't quite there. They’re certainly aware of it, and they want to learn more about it, but it's more about how they can actually use it to benefit their exam programs.

Q. How do you see technology redefining how people earn and embrace new skills and ultimately get credentialed?

Julie: We’ve been deploying technology to score candidates in their oral assessments and written tasks for 10 years now, so redefining how people get credentialed with technology is in many ways, already happening. It’s just that not much is known about it. You have to find the right balance between what the market expects and what it demands, and then introduce new technologies at the right time.

Bridget: Organizations have to figure out how to meet the learners on their journey, and at the most advantageous point, to get the most bang for their buck. In today's world, if you look at how the big online retail players operate (by responding rapidly to consumer needs), and if you think about people's lives today, people are looking at ways to improve their learning, that fits into their lifestyle. Look at the evolution of micro-credentials, they are just one example of how the traditional credential or license is evolving.

Q. So if candidates are already willing to embrace new technologies around how they want to learn, are these new technologies going to open doors to a much wider range of people?

Julie: Yes. With CBT you can take an exam near you, and quite often you can get the results very quickly depending on the client’s requirements. All in all it means there are fewer delays when applying for the job you want; you know what your career pathway is going to turn into much more quickly.

For the exam itself, assisted technologies are a key growth area. For example, screen readers that read the test back to you, larger text that zooms in and out, or sign language videos that help people who are hard of hearing. It’s about leveraging technology where it can be used to measure performance in a better way and make the tests as accessible as possible to a wider audience.

Q. What's the opportunity for companies in the testing industry with the way technology is evolving?

Julie: It’s very much about broadening the scope for candidates through exam programs that evolve with the candidates’ needs.

You might not just test them once — there could be multiple touchpoints throughout their career (or lifetime) when their knowledge is assessed. It’s the ‘cradle to grave’ concept — you’re always learning some kind of new skills, you practice these and then you take a test and get a certification. We then capture what candidates thought of the test to help us improve it — it’s an evolving cycle for everyone.

Bridget: The challenge for exam owners is where can technology enhance and streamline any bumps in the ‘learning road’, and conversely, where is it just not helpful? People appear to be pursuing Artificial Intelligence for everything, but it doesn't mean it actually helps with everything. You have to make sure the technology is suited to the situation you are going to use it in.

When you look at the real definition of EdTech, it's basically that technology supports education and that’s something our industry should never lose sight of.

Insights & Innovations

Certification: The changes, the trends, the undeniable value for the IT industry

Over the last four years, we’ve conducted an annual survey to identify the benefits of earning an industry-recognized certification from the credential holder’s perspective and to outline the various paths they followed to become certified. Our latest research spanned 138 countries, 32 exam programs and had over 10,000 responses. Our findings continue to reveal compelling benefits when gaining new certifications.

With the heightened emphasis on skills development in the IT space, the relevance and efficacy of certification will only continue to grow in the coming years….

Download the full report: pearsonvue.com/voc

Download the 2019 Value of IT Certication Survey

Why is performance-based testing becoming a more popular assessment tool?

Performance-based testing represents a shift between assessing whether candidates know something and measuring their ability to actually do something. It’s a broad assessment strategy that can be achieved using various techniques, such as simulations, observational testing, and situational judgment testing - each with different strengths, weaknesses and levels of precision.

When building an item bank, there are a variety of item types available to measure your candidates’ skills, so why is performance-based testing worth consideration? Because it has the candidate show what they know.

  • Exam owners can improve the value of their tests by verifying job-skill readiness.
  • Candidates increase their employability by demonstrating competence in real life scenarios relevant to their job
  • Employers hire better quality candidates (backed by certifications they can trust)

This method of testing is commonly used in the technology industry, where clients such as Adobe and Microsoft routinely use performance-based testing to validate skills applied within their software and applications. Performance-based testing is also being increasingly used across a range of industries to measure how students can apply their knowledge. The medical profession is just one example of how this can work in action. Clinicians are being increasingly tested with performance-based testing, also known as an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) to assess their skills and applied knowledge in a real-life setting. The assessment often consists of a multiple station rotation where a candidate is presented with a clinical scenario using patients to enact the symptoms. The candidate is then observed during their diagnosis.

Although performance-based testing is an exciting tool for candidates, there are some key considerations to take into account:

  • Content development – test items often take longer to develop and could be more memorable to candidates. Consider who will develop them, how they are to be trialled and how you might train your SMEs to create them.
  • Exam length - candidates can often take longer to progress through performance-based test items than standard knowledge-based questions, so consider a mix of both.
  • Software licensing - in order to replicate or use specific software in the test environment, special permissions may have to be obtained in advance.
  • Internet connection – performance-based testing content can require more bandwidth, so it is important to consider the internet speed and latency requirements – especially in very remote or poorly connected locations.

Making it Happen

Certification is the key to navigating the new digital era: driving new technology standards with The Open Group

Digital transformation is driving change across almost every industry. The global IT industry has boomed; digital technologies now impact every facet of organizational behavior, both externally and internally. Organizations require skilled professionals who understand the new requirements, standards and policies that accompany the shifting digital landscape, and who can help them to solve real business problems.

Industry-leading certification not only helps companies secure the very best industry talent, it helps the ever-advancing global IT industry maintain consistency, compliance and service quality.

For the last three years, we’ve been working with The Open Group, a global consortium dedicated to enabling the achievement of business objectives through technology standards.

The Open Group Certifications are a globally recognized, credible, and portable validation that IT professionals have the relevant knowledge, skills, and expertise for a range of IT roles.

With over 700 members made up of world-leading technology companies including IBM, Oracle and Cisco, The Open Group requires global delivery of exams for different skill sets. To reduce the logistical impact of certifying candidates across various markets, the industry body has integrated a range of exam delivery methods to support the career development of IT professionals as well as wider industry growth.

“It’s essential that we’re vendor-neutral in everything we do, that our certifications are highly valued, and that we can demonstrate that we provide the most reliable methods of selecting qualified professionals for critical roles in this industry,” explained Andrew Josey, Vice President of Standards and Certification at The Open Group.

Offering candidates convenience, flexibility and accessibility has been integral to the credibility of the consortium on the global stage, and last year nearly 15,000 examinations were delivered across our permanent test centers, our temporary test centers (Client proctored) and via online proctoring.

“Regardless of how or when our exams are taken, or where in the world the candidate is, the test results are streamlined into one exam record. This not only makes it easy for the candidate, but it provides us with a holistic approach around how we manage our many certification programs, which cover individuals at various stages of professional development,'' commented Josey.

The Open Group has to design and develop exam content tailored for a number of different certifications, and as new regulations and policies are introduced that impact all sectors of the IT community — customers, solutions suppliers, tool vendors and practitioners, to name a few — it’s vital that its certification program adapts to how the industry is evolving.

“Pearson VUE understands the challenges of our global consortium and our need to be agile and adapt to rapid shifts in the industry. As we’ve expanded our worldwide reach and the breadth of our certification programs, it’s been a true partnership that has helped us to further elevate our standing in our industry,” said Josey.

In the Spotlight

Raising safety standards: the impact of certification on the UK construction industry

Certification has proven to have a major impact not only on candidates’ lives, but also on the future of industries.

Industry sectors must comply with new regulations and working practices, so it’s essential that their testing programs evolve alongside changes that are unique to that industry.

It’s no surprise that the construction industry has stringent health and safety standards; it’s essential that any worker on a building site understands their own safety, the safety of those around them, and the safety of the environment they’re working in.

The CITB (Construction Industry Training Board) came to Pearson VUE two years ago with the need to review its Health, Safety and Environment (HS&E) Operatives test in line with the latest changes in regulations.

Keeping pace with the industry

Hands on, real-life experience is a valued asset across this sector, with certification reassuring employers that their workers are up to speed on the latest health & safety standards.

To keep the CITB’s exam content and approach up-to-date while still being candidate-friendly, new changes have been introduced:

  • In close collaboration with in-the-field experts, all operatives’ test questions are now rated for difficulty. This allows each candidate to get a much broader selection of questions and the same proportion of easy, medium and hard questions
  • Some revamped exam items include drag-and-drop images in recognition of the fact that some candidates have literacy challenges and for others, English is not their first language
  • Improvements to the on-screen tutorial have been made; test centers had reported that many workers struggled with the instructions on how to use the test equipment. Candidates can now learn how to operate the equipment during the test

Maintaining test credibility

New item types were first piloted within the construction industry to evaluate their relevance to real workplace scenarios. The new test items reflect the knowledge that’s needed in the real world of construction to provide a fair and reliable test for all.

“It’s important that this test focuses on the things that will help workers stay safe on site. The recent changes have made our test even more robust, ensuring that workers can continue to be safe on site and know that their colleagues around them are also able to contribute to a safer working environment,” Jonathan Chivers, Head of Product Management at CITB.

Our experience covers a wide range of vertical industries and we recognize that every professional sector has different needs. If you’re unsure how regularly you need to update your exam items, we’re able to provide advice and guidance.

  • We’ve been working with the CITB since 2011 and have updated its program on an annual basis
  • We've carried out 4 million health & safety certifications for this body to date
  • We test 45,000 - 50,000 candidates a month

Safety standards example

Transitioning careers with certification

Certification has found its way into almost every industry.

Credentials have the power to positively impact a range of professional careers and are becoming increasingly popular with the military, supporting the transition of active duty service members to civilian life.

89% of candidates in our VoIC survey believe that certification makes them more valuable to employers and 88% said that successfully completing a certification provided them with greater motivation to keep their skills up-to-date.

Someone who has successfully navigated their way from a military career to an IT career is retired Master Sgt. William (Bill) Rybczynski, USMC, who has served at various U.S. military bases.

We spent some time talking with Bill about how certification has influenced his career path, (both during and after service), helping him to earn professional recognition within the cybersecurity industry, for his unique experiences and skills.

Q. Let’s start when you were active in the military. What role did certification play?

During my time in the Marine Corps, I was able to explore my passion for IT while I pursued professional certifications that helped me to establish my credibility and expertize. I believe that certification contributed to my selection as one of the first 0689 Information Assurance Technicians in the Marine Corps. It gave me an edge over my peers as I was able to validate my technical knowledge and skills.

Q. How did certification play a role in your transition from military to civilian life?

Certification proves to an employer that you have the skills to support their business objectives, but on a more personal level, it instills confidence in yourself to apply what you’ve learned to different scenarios. It helps you to adapt to different working environments, whether that’s in the military or the civilian world, and it carries through to any industry.

My ongoing study for earning the Continuing Education Units (CEU) required for my most recent certifications has helped me to ensure that my knowledge and skills stay current in today’s ever-changing cyber environment. This of course also makes me more attractive to future employers.

Q. What has certification enabled you to go on to do since leaving the military?

Currently, I’m Senior Vice President of the Cybersecurity Division of RPI Group, Inc., headquartered in Virginia. My role involves serving both government and commercial clients by performing risk and security assessments, evaluating their business processes to develop strategic recommendations and providing training to personnel.

Everything I am now involved in on a day-to-day basis has been born out of not only the skills I developed in the military, but those I further refined and validated through my professional certifications.

I am still professionally certified as an (ISC)² CISSP and ISACA CISM.

Q. Do you think you will continue to pursue certification in any future IT roles?

Whether you’re working to acquire your first certification, a new certification or keeping your certifications current with CEU, certification is a journey that never ends (and that definitely applies in the ever-changing IT world).

In my current role, I’m part of the first line of defense protecting cyberspace.

My ability to apply what I’ve learned in my day-to-day work is the most important part of my professional growth and certification journey. The same has applied and held true during my time in the military and in civilian life.

Q. What advice would you give to someone considering a new certification?

Certification itself is not the end goal – it’s a pathway to more opportunity, and it’s the application and demonstration of what you’ve learned that’s truly valuable and that’s ultimately a result in certification.