Microsoft on Tuesday rolled out its three-tiered certification program for IT professionals and developers, with the intent of aligning credentials to specific job roles and the company"s technology road map.

The program differs from previous efforts in that it focuses on technologies and job roles as opposed to lumping jobs and technology skills into the same credential, said Al Valvano, director at Microsoft Learning certifications. The Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer certification, for example, operated under this format.

"The new program is much more modular and much more targeted, so what we do is we break apart that large certification into smaller chunks," to allow for specific technology focuses, Valvano said.

New certifications include Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist, Microsoft Certified IT Professional or Professional Developer and Microsoft Certified Architect. The Certified Technology Specialist is a job role-based certification whereas the IT Professional and Professional Developer certifications are more advanced, akin to having a Master"s Degree in specific areas, Valvano explained. The Certified Architect designation requires knowledge of business along with IT skills for architecting a business solution.

The program features curriculum intended to enhance technical knowledge and skills, a certification framework to demonstrate unique skills and a benchmark for managers to make recruiting and staffing decisions.