CIW stands for Certified Internet Web Professional. CIW certification programs allow candidates to prove their job-role skills and competency so that they can be competitive for entry-level jobs as well as for more specialized and advanced jobs. Both beginning students and seasoned professionals can pursue the CIW Certificate – it’s truly ideal for any professional who uses the Internet and computers for his or her job.

The basic CIW Certification is a prerequisite certification for all levels of specialization in the CIW program. Candidates for this certificate can earn it in various Information Technology (IT) job roles, from the foundational CIW Associate certification, continuing to CIW Professional and specialization certifications, and up to advanced-level Master CIW certifications.

Some of the most common job titles held by those who earn this certificate include Web designers, Web developers, database administrators, and E-commerce professionals. The CIW Certification allows professionals to apply for higher-paying jobs than those without this certification.

The CIW Certification focuses on the skills necessary for a particular job role, such as a Web Designer, rather than a specific product, such as a particular scripting program. The basic CIW Certification is the required certification for all levels of specialization in the CIW program.

Candidates for this certificate can earn it in various Information Technology (IT) job roles, from the foundational CIW Associate certification, continuing to CIW Professional and specialization certifications, and up to advanced-level Master CIW certifications. IW is comprised of multiple certification tracks that map to industry job roles. No matter what pathway(s) students choose to pursue they learn the latest Internet technologies and job skills.

Earning a CIW certification shows employers that employees are ready to put these skills to work for the employer. There are currently nine different CIQ certifications available, including Associate, Professional, CIW Security Analyst and Master CIW Designer. Some of the most common job titles held by those who earn these certificates include Web designers, Web developers, database administrators, and E-commerce professionals.

By becoming a CIW-certified professional, students provide proof to current or potential employers that they have the key job skills they're looking for, such as:

• Web development
• project management
• e-commerce
• security management

The CIW Certification can make a big difference to professionals who are looking for higher paying jobs in the Internet Technology (IT) and computer technology fields. To a hiring employer, the CIW certification not only provides evidence of an individual's familiarity with a particular technology or practice, but it also demonstrates initiative on the part of the applicant because he or she has invested the extra time and effort to become certified.

This means that employers often pay certified employees more than they pay non-certified employees. Certified IT professionals earned an average of $76,500 in 2006. This amount was a 7.1 percent pay increase from 2005 when the median average was $71,100. (Robert Half Technology 2007 Salary Guide).

Web designers are responsible for the layout, visual appearance and usability of a Website. This role may overlap with that of a Multimedia programmer and web architect, and Web designers are sometimes also called Web Developers. (However, Web designers will have knowledge of graphic design packages such as Fireworks or Photoshop in order to produce basic layout and manipulate images. Skills in cascading style sheets (CSS), e-commerce and server side technologies, such as PHP and Perl, and internet security are also important. The CIW Site Designer certification is ideal for:

• Web authors
• marketing and communications professionals
• PR professionals
• Webmasters
• graphic designers
• desktop publishers
• technical writers
• library scientists

Web Developers are responsible for the layout, visual appearance and usability of a Website. This role may overlap with that of a Multimedia programmer and web architect, and Web Developers are sometimes also called Web Designers, although Web Designers control more of the look and feel of the site.

Web Developers will have knowledge of graphic design packages such as Fireworks or Photoshop in order to produce basic layout and manipulate images. Skills in cascading style sheets (CSS), e-commerce and server side technologies, such as PHP and Perl, and internet security are also important.

The CIW Site Designer certification is ideal for Web authors, marketing and communications professionals, PR professionals, Webmasters, graphic designers, desktop publishers, technical writers and library scientists.

Database Administrators are in charge of figuring out the best way to store, organize, and manage computer data, and they work with specialized database software to accomplish this goal. They identify user needs, set up computer databases, and test systems.

Database administrators often plan security measures, and data integrity, backup, and security are critical parts of the job. Database administrators work in offices or labs. Some jobs in this field may require only a 2-year degree, and most community colleges, and many other technical schools, offer an Associate degree in computer science or a related information technology field.

However, many employers seek workers who have a Bachelor's degree in computer science, information science, or management information systems (MIS). MIS programs focus on business and management-oriented course work and business computing courses.

CIW E-Commerce Designers design and put to work commerce-driven Web sites, identify customer needs, monitor customer usage patterns, determine order processes and service after sales, and consider how e-business solutions can increase sales.

The CIW E-Commerce Designer exam focuses on standards, technologies and practices for both business-to-business and business-to-consumer e-commerce models. This certification deals with relationships among marketing, promotion, customer service, user interaction, purchasing methods and secure transactions by using SSL and SET, payment gateways, inventory control, shipping and order information, and site performance testing and evaluation.

The CIW E-Commerce Designer certification is ideal for network server administrators, firewall administrators, systems administrators, application developers, IT security officers, marketing and communications professionals and Webmasters.