A cloud-based financial and human capital management software, Workday gives organizations greater visibility into their HR, finances, payroll, and talent acquisition. With automatic release updates and a sleek interface, the company continues to grow in popularity, offering customers more flexibility than traditional ERP tools.
But despite greater adoption it’s often difficult for Workday customers to harness the true potential of the software. As a result, organizations turn to Workday certified professionals to help them carry out their implementations. If you’re a Workday professional, certification is incredibly valuable, and gives you access to lucrative Workday consulting opportunities you’d otherwise miss out on.
Workday requires that all individuals working on initial implementations maintain an up-to-date certification. The requirement, in a sense, verifies talent, ensuring that a Workday professional has the most up-to-date training and skillsets necessary to carry out the project.
Certification clears Workday professionals for all engagement related to the implementation of a module with a client. Those who are not certified, are ineligible for these positions. Typically, the projects entail processes like setting user requirements, migrating from legacy systems and converting data.
Though Phase X engagements do not require certification, the more lucrative opportunities tend to be related to initial setup and implementation. Maintaining your certification ensures you have access to these highly sought-after contracting roles.
It should also be noted that end clients are increasingly seeking certified resources for their projects where a certification is not required including projects such as mergers and acquisitions, new interfaces, and meeting new reporting requirements. A certification in these situations may not be required but it does set you apart from other non-certified consultants.
Unlike other similar systems, all Workday customers operate on the same version of the software. Twice a year Workday pushes out a new release that automatically updates all implementations simultaneously. This means that, if you as a Workday professional stay on top of your certification, you’ll always have the latest knowledge set. However, if you miss a new release training and your certification goes stale, you’ll miss out on potential job opportunities. Staying certified is the best way to keep your skillset relevant.
Only certified Workday professionals have access to Workday Community. Like a message board, Workday Community is a place for certified resources and customers to gather online. Essentially, it’s a dedicated space to collaborate and learn for new and experienced members alike. It’s an incredible resource for sharing relevant ideas, posing questions, and networking with other Workday professionals. In addition to trainings, this is great tool for expanding your knowledge set.
