- neut ral ▁industry ▁cons ort ium , ▁offers ▁IT ▁Arch itect ▁Cert ification ▁to ▁cert ify ▁skills ▁and ▁experience ▁in ▁the ▁IT ▁architecture ▁community . ▁ ▁The ▁Program ▁ ▁The ▁program ▁is ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁proven ▁best ▁practices ▁in ▁the ▁industry ▁and ▁sets ▁an ▁independent , ▁industry - wide ▁standard ▁for ▁IT ▁Arch itect s ... ▁ ▁Under ▁the ▁program , ▁pract icing ▁IT ▁Arch itect s ▁can ▁achieve ▁the ▁cert ification ▁based ▁on ▁demonstr ating ▁substantial ▁skills , ▁experience ▁and ▁success ▁in ▁design ing ▁solutions ▁across ▁the ▁whole ▁lif ecycle . ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁cert ifying ▁individuals ▁directly , ▁the ▁program ▁also ▁provides ▁acc red itation ▁of ▁third - party ▁IT ▁architect ▁cert ification ▁programs . ▁ ▁The ▁skill ▁and ▁experience ▁requirements ▁for ▁both ▁the ▁Direct ▁Cert ification ▁and ▁the ▁Acc red ited ▁programs ▁are ▁the ▁same . ▁The ▁first ▁acc red ited ▁program ▁( IB M ' s ) ▁was ▁announced ▁in ▁January ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁In ▁addition , ▁a ▁franch ise ▁option ▁is ▁available ▁to ▁professional ▁soci eties ▁and ▁other ▁el ig ible ▁organizations . ▁Acc ent ure ▁started ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁with ▁a ▁similar ▁Master ▁Technology ▁Arch itect ▁Cert ification ▁Program ▁to ▁qual ify ▁and ▁recognize ▁profession als ▁not ▁just ▁on ▁expert ise ▁but ▁also ▁on ▁experience ▁and ▁track ▁record ▁ ▁Cert ification ▁levels ▁Cert ification ▁is ▁available ▁at ▁two ▁levels : ▁Master ▁Cert ified ▁IT ▁Arch itect ▁( c andid ates ▁must ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁perform ▁independently ▁and ▁take ▁responsibility ▁for