The software certification and training market in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region is expected to experience a 25 per cent drop in investment from corporations and individuals in 2009 due to the global recession, according to Gartner.
Gartner said that although the market is estimated to grow from $5.59 billion in 2008 to $13.58 billion in 2013, it will not escape the global economic slowdown.
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“For some time now, the software certification and training market in APAC has played a pivotal role in developing quality resources and addressing the long-term skills shortage within the IT industry,” said Asheesh Raina, Principal Research Analyst, Gartner. “Training budgets are usually among the first to be cut as part of cost containment efforts,” he added.
In Canada, IT professionals looking to survive a potential company layoff, or find employment if already jobless, are turning to certifications to improve their marketability in the eyes of employers.
Gartner said that the entire certification and training ecosystem i+n the region is becoming vibrant due to the amalgamation of vendors; public sector undertakings such as HPCL, training enterprises such as Aptech, and NIIT.
The Indian IT training market was estimated to be around $700 million in 2008 and is fueled by the demand for on-site deployment of certified training resources. Even during the global slowdown, Indian IT enterprises are investing in certification and training on a select basis.
“Although the training and certification markets in APAC will experience a temporary decline in 2009 due to recession-induced budget cuts, the need for trained IT personnel continues to grow and enterprises and vendors need to work together to collectively deal with this scenario,” said Raina.