Personnel certification as a component of the business process of development of employees of it companies

The article examines the main theoretical aspects of employee certification. It analyzes the approaches to applying the definition of certification as an element of professional training for employees, as well as a permit to use specific software or other tools that are an element of protection and regulation in the labor market. Based on various sources, the author systematizes the classification of certification types according to various division criteria, in particular: by type, by the number of levels, and by the origin of materials. Based on the current situation in the IT industry, a list of advantages and possible disadvantages of certification of employees of modern Ukrainian IT companies is determined. The primary certification areas are identified: «soft skills», «hard skills», and the subject area of the unit's functioning. Among the main advantages of certification of employees of IT companies are the following: advanced training of current staff, standardization of own training programs, the ability to prove to external stakeholders the level of staff qualifications, and the simplification of recognition of the level of skills in certain areas. Typical shortcomings in the certification process are that the knowledge and skills acquired during certification are not always used in practice; there is no standard international certification for many industries/topics/elements; some courses are extensive and time-consuming; and some programs require certain significant restrictions (experience, qualifications). The multi-stage certification business process involves determining the need for certification by collecting the necessary information. Based on the list of potential areas of certification, available resources, and other components, an annual certification program is formed, and employees are motivated to improve their knowledge and skills. In the professional certification process of IT company employees, current feedback and, most importantly, summarizing the certification results and fair rewards based on its results are essential. The article provides conclusions and prospects for further research. Keywords: employee certification, staff development, business process, types of certification, IT company