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What Does BICSI Certification Mean To You?

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Joel Kriener
Sep 16, 2013
IPVMU Certified

As a project manager it is very important for me to know that I have the right skills and experience on my project teams. In general, I look for proven, experience persons that can bring those skills to the table and execute projects flawlessly (or at least with minimal re-do or issues). One way I do that is to choose contractors with BICSI qualifications. i.e. RCDD, ESS etc..

My question to the IPVM forum is this, "What does BICSI certifications mean to you and your project success?"

- ps I am not BICSI certified nor do I represent the BICSI organization in anyway.

Thanks ahead of time!

Joel

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Ethan Ace
Sep 16, 2013

I think the RCDD is a pretty respectable credential, since it's been around for so long, and it's been effectively the only credential in network infrastructure. Most of the RCDDs I know have generally known what they're talking about, though many are/were caught up on sticking to standards even when it makes more sense not to. Overall, though, good experiences.

Credentials like the ESS and RTPM, though, are pretty much only respected within the BICSI crowd, and I doubt they'll ever be more than that. They don't have the benefit of years of history like the RCDD. And there are credentials offered by organizations specific to security and project managment already, which candidates are more likely to work toward. It's not that I think there's no value in the education required to get them. They're just not the most valuable credentials I can think of.

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Joel Kriener
Sep 18, 2013
IPVMU Certified

Ethan commented; "They're just not the most valuable credentials I can think of".

OK Ethan, what credentials (other than 'hard knocks') do you look for or feel are 'credible and important'?

thanks - Joel

JH
John Honovich
Sep 18, 2013
IPVM

I don't think there's any generally accepted credential within physical security systems. As for BICSI, the problem is that their ESS certification is comically rudimentary.

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Ethan Ace
Sep 18, 2013

In project management, the PMP is drawn from a huge body of knowledge, and I believe you have to have verifiable work experience behind it. That feels credible to me.

As far as security...I still kind of like the PSP, despite it being technologically dated. I think it's a solid foundation of general physical security, and doing my reading for it actually made me think more about security as a whole, instead of just video or access. Knowing when lighting is a problem, or barriers are weak, or non-electronic access control is nonexistant, that sort of stuff sets you apart, I think.

JH
John Honovich
Sep 18, 2013
IPVM

Except when you need to know any details about how physical security technology works and then the PSP is essentially useless.

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Hal Bennick
Sep 17, 2013
Trafficware, a CUBIC Company

What does BISCI mean to me? I can check the box on the RFP response....

JC
Jason Clement
Sep 17, 2013

I take certifications with a grain a salt even though I have quite a few. Having references is far more important to find out how a company implements a project.

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