Create Citizen Developers with Associate Developer Certification

Citizen Developer Certification with SS&C Blue Prism Associate Developer Certification

There’s much to rejoice in for graduates wishing to jump into more technical or STEM-oriented careers without having a STEM-oriented background. Many of the traditional challenges have been lifted. Now, there’s no deep chasm to cross; there’s a shallow ravine with no major obstacles along the way! A big reason for this is a phenomenon in the business world often referred to as citizen development.

Citizen development plays a significant role in the evolving workforce by empowering individuals to create and customize digital solutions without extensive programming or technical expertise.

It involves non-IT professionals using low-code or no-code development platforms to build applications, automate processes and solve business problems. You can read more on the role of the citizen developer and how the SS&C Blue Prism solution has supported citizen developers since its inception by checking out our blog here. It states, “SS&C Blue Prism believes citizen developers should be trained and empowered to create automations on behalf of their team. These analytical problem solvers should be equipped with no-code technologies and trained to generate safe and reliable solutions that improve team agility.”

Why Citizen Development Contributes to Evolving Workforce

Here's how citizen development contributes to the evolving workforce:

Empowering Business Users

Citizen development enables business users to take an active role in driving digital transformation. It reduces their dependency on IT departments and allows them to create solutions tailored to their specific needs. Business users can build applications or automate processes independently, enhancing productivity and efficiency.

Rapid Application Development

With citizen development platforms, individuals can create applications faster and with minimal coding. This agility facilitates innovation and iteration, allowing organizations to respond promptly to changing market demands and business requirements. It promotes a culture of experimentation and innovation within the workforce.

Bridging the IT Skill Gap

The demand for technical expertise often surpasses the available IT resources. Citizen development helps bridge the skills gap by enabling non-technical professionals to contribute to solution development. It allows organizations to leverage the knowledge and insights of business users who have a deep understanding of their domain, resulting in more effective and relevant solutions.

Promoting Collaboration

Citizen development fosters collaboration between business users and IT departments. While citizen developers can create applications independently, they often work in partnership with IT professionals to ensure compliance, security and integration with existing systems. This collaboration encourages cross-functional teams and knowledge sharing, leading to more innovative and comprehensive solutions.

Encouraging Innovation and Creativity

By giving individuals the ability to develop their own solutions, citizen development promotes a culture of innovation and creativity within the workforce. It empowers employees to identify and address business challenges in unique ways, fostering a sense of ownership and engagement. This bottom-up approach can unlock new ideas and drive continuous improvement.

Addressing Niche and Departmental Needs

Citizen development allows different departments or teams within an organization to address their specific needs more effectively. Each department can build customized applications or automate processes according to their unique requirements, improving operational efficiency and effectiveness. This flexibility supports a decentralized approach to solution development.

Upskilling and Empowering the Workforce

Citizen development encourages individuals to learn and develop new skills related to application development, process automation and problem-solving. It empowers employees to be more self-sufficient and resourceful, enhancing their professional growth and adaptability in the evolving digital workplace.

Governance and Guidelines

While citizen development offers numerous benefits, organizations should establish governance and guidelines to ensure security, maintain quality standards and align with overall IT strategies. Balancing citizen development with centralized IT management can lead to a collaborative and productive workforce. Again, as stated in our Citizen Developer blog, “SS&C Blue Prism has always supported a federated (or franchised) operating model in which individual citizen developers can exist outside the center of excellence (CoE) but can create automations that are managed in the enterprise repository by the CoE.”

Associate Developer Certification for Citizen Developers and Business Users

One way for non-STEM students and professionals to become ‘super’ citizen developers is to earn relevant micro-credentials to enhance their workforce profiles. Skills assessment and micro-credentials play a crucial role in today's hiring practices by providing a more holistic and granular evaluation of candidates' skills and qualifications. Per Coursera’s recent report, “The Job Skills of 2023” report, “Non-degree credentials are growing in popularity with 90% of students agreeing a professional certificate will help them stand out to employers and 76% of employers stating they are more likely to hire a candidate who has earned one.” In particular, micro-credentials support the following:

Enhanced candidate evaluation: Traditional resumes and interviews may not provide a comprehensive understanding of candidates' skills and capabilities. Skills assessments allow employers to evaluate candidates' practical skills, knowledge and abilities in a specific domain. This objective evaluation provides a more accurate assessment of a candidate's suitability for a particular role or project.
Validation of skills: Micro-credentials, also known as digital badges or nanodegrees, are focused, verifiable certifications that validate specific skills or competencies. They offer a tangible representation of a candidate's capabilities beyond traditional degrees or certifications. Hiring managers can assess candidates based on their micro-credentials, ensuring they possess the desired skills for the job.
Alignment with specific job requirements: Skills assessment and micro-credentials allow employers to align their hiring criteria with the specific skills and competencies needed for a role. By identifying candidates who possess the desired skills, employers can make more informed hiring decisions, increasing the chances of finding the right fit for the job and reducing onboarding and training time.
Skill-based hiring and upskilling: Skills assessment and micro-credentials support skill-based hiring practices. Instead of solely relying on academic degrees or past job titles, employers can focus on the specific skills required for a role. This approach allows organizations to hire candidates who possess the right skills, regardless of their educational background, promoting diversity and inclusivity in the workforce. Additionally, employers can identify skills gaps within their existing teams and provide targeted upskilling or reskilling opportunities.

Overall, skills assessment and micro-credentials provide a more nuanced and practical evaluation of candidates' skills, enabling employers to make informed hiring decisions and candidates to showcase their expertise and commitment to ongoing learning.

SS&C Blue Prism’s Associate Developer Certification

The SS&C Blue Prism's Associate Developer certification

can be a valuable micro-credential for university students and/or professionals interested in pursuing a career in software, citizen development or related fields. Here are some of the benefits:

If you plan to work in software development, fintechs or related fields where SS&C Blue Prism's solutions are commonly used, the certification may be particularly beneficial. It showcases your proficiency in a specific technology or platform, which can give you a competitive edge.
While a university education provides a foundation in your chosen discipline, certifications like SS&C Blue Prism's Associate Developer can supplement and enhance your knowledge. It demonstrates practical skills and expertise beyond theoretical concepts learned in the academic setting. It can make you stand out among other candidates and demonstrate your commitment to professional development.
Pursuing SS&C Blue Prism's certification can connect you with a network of professionals within the associated industry. This network can provide valuable insights, mentorship and potential job opportunities. Engaging with the SS&C Blue Prim's community can expand your professional connections and open doors to relevant internships or entry-level positions.

Ultimately, the importance of acquiring the SS&C Blue Prism Associate Developer certification depends on the specific job market and your career goals. It's advisable to research the industry and job requirements and seek guidance from professionals or mentors already working in your target field to make an informed decision.

Nevertheless, if you’re in a business role looking to sharpen your technical or citizen development skills to advance your career trajectory, the SS&C Blue Prism's Associate Developer micro-credential is a great place to start!

Get Started Today

To learn more about the SS&C Blue Prism Associate Developer micro-credential, please visit the SS&C Blue Prism’s University.

Once there, learners can enroll in a number of courses on offer and delve more deeply into SS&C Blue Prism’s role-based certification pathways to continue along their intelligent automation learning journey.

If students and faculty would like to learn more about our courses, programs and certifications, please reach out to me directly at [email protected]. Alternatively, if faculty would like to directly become a member of our Academia program, please sign up here.