Certificate vs Certification

[dfrecore]

I've been trying to network with people in the tech industry, but it seems like most don't know the difference between a certificate and certification, and it's driving me crazy. No, a LinkedIn Learning certificate of completion is not a certification that certifies that you know anything. No, the undergraduate certificate in Cisco networking at your community college is not a Cisco certification.

I find this odd.  My husband has worked in IT for 25 years, and certifications are a way of life.  Everyone is always studying for the next cert. Companies are looking for people certified in certain things to maintain status to be able to sell products (like, you have to have x number of people with an XYZ cert in order to be a preferred provider of XYZ software).  Every job requires certifications in something or another.

My husband has been asked to get a specific cert many times over the years just for his company to maintain their status.  He's not expected to go to school, he's expected to go study for a cert, pass the exam, and tell his boss so they can have the right number of people with it.  They all keep a database of who has what and how many people they have with certs so that if/when someone gives their notice, and they may go below the count, they immediately task someone with getting whatever cert that person is taking away.