ISACA, the global IT professional association and learning organization with more than 150,000 members, is nearing 10,000 members in India and has surpassed 10,000 current certification holders. Acknowledging the growing demand for emerging technology and information technology skills and the shortage of talent in these areas, ISACA has launched an extensive outreach programme in the country, targeting next-gen IT students and non-IT professionals, in addition to experienced professionals, looking to upskill and IT enterprises investing in upskilling/reskilling their staff.
ISACA has 10 local chapters in India and recently launched two new credentials: the ISACA Information Technology Certified Associate (ITCA) and Certified in Emerging Technologies (CET), recognising the growing demand for skills in cloud computing, cyber security, big data analytics, AI, and IoT, to name a few. Additionally, three ISACA credentials—Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) and Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)—were recently named three of the top-10 highest-paying IT certifications by Global Knowledge. ISACA also released its exclusive State of Cybersecurity 2021 survey report earlier this year, which included data from respondents in India, addressing one of the fastest growing segments in IT at present.
As Indian IT organisations–large, mid-size and start-ups—grapple with an immense talent shortage, ISACA has been sprucing up its certifications and training portfolio to provide market-relevant, practical online courses, in line with evolving trends and changing industry demands. It is estimated that the number of professionals in India requiring digital skills will increase nine times by 2025 and the average IT professional will need to develop seven new digital skills by 2025 to keep pace with technology advancements and demand, according to a report commissioned by AWS.
Speaking about the new initiatives undertaken by ISACA, RV Raghu, director, Versatilist Consulting India Pvt Ltd, and member of the ISACA Emerging Trends Working Group, says, “As an ISACA member and volunteer in India, I have access to a network of 11,000 IT professionals in this country and 150,000 worldwide. These connections and the learning and credentials I have received through ISACA have had a huge impact on my career, and by growing ISACA in India, we aim to help other IT professionals build their careers and grow their teams with qualified professionals as well.”
In a survey conducted by Pearson VUE, with over 10,000 respondents from India, 55% confirmed that the knowledge they had acquired while pursuing certification courses has been transferable to real-life situations in their careers. The respondents disclosed that they had experienced numerous professional benefits by pursuing certification, with over a third (35%) reporting a salary or wage increase.
Among these respondents, 21% had received a pay rise of 11% – 20%. Another 28% said that they were trusted with more responsibilities after completing their certification, and 26% of them even secured a promotion.
“As industries around world are being transformed through digital technologies, IT professionals must constantly upskill themselves to stay relevant in the job market, to progress further in their careers and to enable the organizations they serve in the best possible manner. ISACA continues to enhance how it serves the professional community in India through its chapters and global initiatives, towards ensuring they have the tools they need to innovate and excel,” said Chris Dimitriadis, Chief Global Strategy Officer of ISACA.
About ISACA:
For more than 50 years, ISACA® (www.isaca.org) has advanced the best talent, expertise and learning in technology. ISACA equips individuals with knowledge, credentials, education and community to progress their careers and transform their organizations, and enables enterprises to train and build quality teams. ISACA is a global professional association and learning organization that leverages the expertise of its more than 150,000 members who work in information security, governance, assurance, risk and privacy to drive innovation through technology. It has a presence in 188 countries, including more than 220 chapters worldwide. In 2020, ISACA launched One In Tech, a philanthropic foundation that supports IT education and career pathways for under-resourced, under-represented populations.
