Foote says the rising demand for non-certified IT skills coincides with a push by companies to the more technical operations involving data centers, networks, servers and help desks.

"A lot of the pure tech jobs have been leaving the companies, as CIOs hire somebody else like a managed service provider for the pure tech infrastructure support," Foote says. "Companies are paying for skills that are valuable to the business. They want IT people that have the potential for earning revenue for the company or ferreting out new products or services."

Foote says managed service providers and are paying lower wages for employees with IT certifications because so many of them are available for hire.

"The market has a glut of people with IT certifications. They can hire people and retain people without paying bonuses or premiums," Foote said. "Consulting firms are hard nosed; they are trying to protect their margins."

When corporate IT departments evaluate potential employees these days, they are favoring business skills over technical skills, Foote said.