Professional Associations in Networking

Professional associations are bodies or societies made up of people with common goals or interests in the particular field. Their formation is not informed by the quest for profits but the need to further the public interest and for the members especially in the setting and keeping of standard in the field. In most cases, the influence the government in the formulation of policies and introduction of new curricular geared towards ensuring that quality of knowledge is optimized. They also provide certifications to the members to show that they are qualified and should be trusted in executing their roles given the knowledge they have in the field. In my previous coursework on networking, I am interested in joining Network and System Professionals Association (NaSPA) and the Network Professional Association (NPA). From my extensive research, I have realized that the two are influential bodies on computing and networking professions.
NaSPA’s membership is segmented into various categories namely, Associates and Students, Current and Former US Military, and Basic membership among others. The basic requirements include having knowledge in this field and certification from various US institutions. Some benefits, which depend on free/paid subscriptions, include access to jobs websites, access to past/upcoming newsletters, programs and games. Ever since its establishment in 1986, NaSPA has been instrumental in enhancing members’ job placement, the provision of technical support, and networking.
NPA was established in 1991 with membership classified as Professional, Community, and Executive. The professional and Executive are paid while the other is free. The organization connects network-computing professionals who are expected to follow its code of conduct and committed to improving the field once admitted as a member. They have a Certification credential to its members once they have grown professionally and proven their experience and worth in networking. It also offers opportunities for advancing education, linking with reputable firms and other job placement opportunities.
Although NaSPA and NPA differ in areas such as membership fees, membership classification, and year of formation, the bodies have the common goal of enhancing quality and certification in the field of computing and networking. They are also avenues for professionals to meet and share knowledge on how to improve the field. For students, they are beneficial because of the articles and links with job opportunities. This would be helpful for me if I were to join them. I realized that I would pay $0 in subscription fees because I am still a student. Nonetheless, access to some of their newsletters requires less than $100 per year, which is still a reasonable amount for a student.
Technology has played a critical role in the success of the two professional bodies. For instance, they can publish newsletters, establish localized chapters for their members, and have websites offering a wealth of information. With technology, they can provide reliable content about the Networking field.
Presently, I am interested in joining Network Professional Association because of its global coverage and the minimal subscription fees compared to NaSPA. Moreover, its mission statement is more elaborate just as its code of conduct and the benefits available to its members. It has received awards such as the Professionalism award in 2002. By working partners such as Microsoft, Interop, and National Seminars, I believe that growth in this professional body is guaranteed.


References
Network and System Professionals Association (NaSPA). http://naspa.com
Network Professional Association (NPA). http://www.npa.org/public/about.cfm