Google launches Apps Certification Program

Google has launched an online application certification programme in a bid to capitalise on the growing demand for web-based enterprise applications.

The Google Apps Certification Program is designed to recognise IT professionals who sell, deploy, develop and support Google Apps.

The first accreditation to be awarded will be Google Apps Certified Deployment Specialist. This will certify IT professionals who can demonstrate the fundamental knowledge and skills required to migrate, configure and deploy Google Apps.

Over three million businesses are now using the Google Apps platform, according to Google, and Google Apps authorised resellers play a critical role in helping businesses get started.

"As our partner community has more than doubled in the last year to over 2,500 partners in over 70 countries, partners have been seeking opportunities to demonstrate their expertise and competence to a growing customer base," said Stephen Cho, director of Google Apps channels, in the Official Google Enterprise Blog.

The online accreditation test is charged at $145 (£90), and consists of 98 multiple-choice questions, some of which have multiple responses. The test is currently in English, but will be made available in other languages soon.

Google recommends that candidates have a minimum of three to six years' IT experience, and to have completed at least three customer deployments involving data migration and some technical complexity.

This latest expansion of Google Apps comes as the demand for enterprise productivity applications continues to increase with the penetration of smartphones and tablets in the business world.

Google has already opened up the Apps suite to over 60 other services, allowing users to integrate applications with tools such as Google Voice, Reader and AdWords.

The company has also introduced enhanced security features for Google Apps, including active data encryption and remote wiping.