Novell Education Announces "Novell Productivity Specialist" Certification

First Task-Based End-User Certification Ensures that Knowledge Workers Are Empowered To Use The Tools That Are Changing The Way People Work

June 6, 1995--EDGE '95--Novell Education continues to pioneer industry standards for training as it rolls out its new Novell Productivity Specialist certification. This new certification allows end users the opportunity to prove their competency on Novell applications--a competency that is becoming more important as organizations rely increasingly on their software application investments.

"The Novell Productivity Specialist is a crucial component for businesses looking to maximize their investment in computing, and for end users wanting to maximize their value, productivity, and employability," said Carolyn G. Rose, Vice President and General Manager of Novell Education. "These businesses are crying out for some mechanism that establishes a standard level of applications competency within their organizations. The Novell Productivity Specialist certification provides that mechanism. With it, Novell is creating a standard for assessing end-user applications productivity."

The Novell Productivity Specialist certification joins Novell's globally recognized certification programs, which include the industry-leading CNE, CNA, CNI certifications. The Novell Productivity Specialist certification will raise the standard of productive, proficient individuals in the workplace. Novell Productivity Specialists will know more than application features or single applications. Instead, they will have an understanding of how the Novell applications suite works together. This allows Novell Productivity Specialists to focus on tasks rather than on features or individual applications.

"The Novell Productivity Specialist certification assesses candidates on their competency in using integrated solutions rather than simply addressing their knowledge of specific products and features," said Novell's Rose. "The value of this certification is clear, providing immediate and long-term benefits for organizations and end users."

This new certification identifies applications users who increase productivity by using Novell applications as they are meant to be used--as a fully integrated, cross-product solution. "Industry-wide standalone and feature-based training are currently available. But what is not as prevalent--and is needed much more--is integrated, solution-based training," said Gary Clark, Director of Programs and Services for Novell Education. "Novell's End User courseware focuses on integrated solutions, raising the end-user literacy level past single applications, and teaching people how to use the tools that will help them perform their job more efficiently and productively."

END USER OBSERVATIONS

"The name Novell has led us in the information systems community to focus on the measurable development of professional skills in the networking arena. Novell once again leads us to focus on the development of skills at the desktop. Such a level of concentration can only lead to more productive and more professional users of the most innovative business tool of the twentieth century--applications software," said Larry Smith, Director, Academic Programs, Georgia Southern University.

"One well-thought out certification program saves the work of a hundred thousand personnel managers. Why reinvent the wheel?" asked Susan Fenner, PhD and Manager, Education& Professional Development Professional Secretaries International. "Certification levels the playing field [and] defines the league."

"It is no longer enough to know how to create a WordPerfect document. People have to link information to the database, or have their documents linked to spreadsheets. This integration capability is no longer optional, but is a technology people have to know," said Schalee Lodge, Branch Manager, OfficeTeam.

"Employers are screaming for integration between applications," said Lynn Weaver, WordPerfect Certified Instructor, J& L Computer Services, Inc. "A WordPerfect track alone does not make sense for productivity. People need to know how to pull it all together. They don't just do one thing, they have to do it all."

"OfficeTeam believes that the Novell certification process will be of significant value to businesses and employees alike as it provides reliable, professional standards for measuring an individual's proficiency on Novell's leading office software," said Andrew G. Denka, Executive Director, OfficeTeam. "Businesses will benefit by achieving increased productivity on their software investment while individuals will enhance their opportunities for career advancement through Novell's skills certification programs.

"OfficeTeam, the leader in specialized administrative and office support staffing, fully supports Novell Education's development of professional certification standards for users of Novell software," Denka said.

"This certification is going to help us create efficiencies," said Don Jenniges Lamb Business Forms.

NOVELL EDUCATION PERSPECTIVE

Novell Education's mission is to drive global pervasive computing through quality education programs and products. Since 1987, Novell has pioneered a leveraged model for providing training. Today, Novell training partners around the globe provide instructor-led training and other self-study options to student customers. Novell Authorized Education Centers in North America also offer distance learning via satellite. In 1995, Novell's 1,300 Novell training partners will teach three quarters of a million student customers.

In addition to innovating the leveraged education model, Novell Education has also pioneered certification in the information technology area with its industry-leading programs. CNEs are the global standard for servicing and supporting networking and network applications; CNAs are the global standard for administering networking and network applications; and CNIs are the global standard for teaching networking and network applications. Currently, there are more than 60,000-plus CNEs, as well as 90,000 CNEs "in progress." There are 4,700-plus ECNEs, more than 50,000 CNAs and more than 3,000 CNIs.