Also, sometimes companies will force employees to get certified for many reasons. My own company was recently looking to renew their Gold Partnership with Micro

Also, sometimes companies will force employees to get certified for many reasons. My own company was recently looking to renew their Gold Partnership with Microsoft and so they were looking for victims to get Microsoft certified, because, apparently, that's the requirement for partnership. As for why companies need such partnership: it speaks well to managerial types, therefore helps win contracts.