PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS IN DEVOPS: REAL VALUE OR FORMALITY?

Abstract

In the context of the rapid development of the information technology industry and the increasing complexity of infrastructure solutions, companies are increasingly facing a contradiction: the need for specialists with proven skills is growing, while traditional methods of knowledge verification are becoming less effective. At the same time, academic research evaluating the real benefits of industrial certificates is currently insufficient. This paper proposes a multidimensional model for assessing the value of information technology certifications. It allows determining the extent to which a certificate serves as a reliable indicator of a specialist's qualifications (taking into account the complexity of obtaining it and its proximity to real professional tasks). The theoretical basis is a synthesis of human capital theory and labor market signaling theory. The empirical base consists of data from industry reports and academic publications. The main conclusion of the study is that the relationship between holding a certificate and an engineer's actual effectiveness is not linear and depends on the exam format. The practical significance of the work lies in creating tools that allow companies to optimize training costs, reduce recruitment expenses, and mitigate the risks associated with hiring insufficiently qualified employees.