Thank you for sharing your experience and perspective—it’s always valuable to see how attitudes toward certifications have evolved over time.

You make an important point: Not all certifications are the same. A course completion certificate shows participation in training, while a professional certification goes further by testing and validating real-world skills through rigorous assessments. Professional experience remains essential, but certifications serve as a strong complement—providing employers with a reliable benchmark of proven knowledge and practical ability.

If you would like to see this difference in action, I invite you to enroll in one of our professional certification exams. These certifications are built to demonstrate practical, job-ready skills and to give both professionals and employers confidence in proven capability. You can explore the available exams here https://www.intersystems.com/knowledge-hub/certification-program/  

And given your extensive experience, we would also be delighted to welcome you as a subject matter expert in the development of our certification exams. Your insights could play an important role in shaping assessments that truly reflect the skills professionals need today.