Re: Certification? Plz help...
GenSec,
Your friend will need to decide whether he wants to pursue the database track or development track. This is not to say that a hybrid isn’t possible… but in the long term, specializing in one track will pay off.
The other suggestion I have is to pursue complementarities along with specializations.
For example, if your friend is interested in the development track, and he already has some experience in VB programming, then pursuing a .NET related track would be a good specialization – and perhaps along with that, a Web Services certification would be a good complement endorsement.
The above is just an example. Anyone that you talk to will give you their own take on what is a lucrative certification these days. The ultimate decision is your friends. A lot depends on the type of opportunities that are available around him… and the plans of his own employer etc.
I am personally looking into certifications related to SOA and Web 2.0 these days and am researching options right now.