Professional Certification and Career Development A Comparative Analysis between Local and Foreign Certifications

• Published in: Management & Economics Research Journal Vol. 5; no. 1; pp. 1 - 14
• Main Authors: Adeosun, Oluyemi Theophilus, Adegbite, Waliu Mulero
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: جامعة زيان عاشور بالجلفة - كلية العلوم الاقتصادية والتجارية وعلوم التسيير 01.03.2023
• Subjects: التطوير الوظيفي; الشهادات الأجنبية; الشهادات المحلية; الشهادات المهنية; نيجيريا
• ISSN: 2676-184X; 2710-8856
• DOI: 10.48100/merj.2023.253

Professional certification, a proficiency to validate employees' competency and readiness for career development, has recently become a subject of inquiry among researchers. There are concerns about employers' demand for foreign in place of local professional certifications in employment decisions, especially in developing countries. Therefore, this study examines the impact of indigenous and foreign professional certifications on employee career development in developing countries like Nigeria. A survey questionnaire was designed to collect data from certified and non-certified human resource professionals in Nigeria. A structural equation modelling analysis was carried out to explore the relationship between the exogenous and homogenous constructs. Findings revealed that local and foreign certifications influence the career development of the sampled employees. However, the model's explanatory power shows that foreign certification has a greater influence on career development than local certification. The study report suggests that both certifications benefit career development, thus, are relevant in career development and employment decisions.