I wouldn’t be surprised if that were true. My coworker and I both got a certification last year. I received a promotion shortly after that, but he didn’t get his until much later. He was thinking it might have to do with me having a bachelor’s while he only has an associates degree. I hope that wasn’t it, but I wouldn’t be surprised. Some corpo stooge having to be convinced the technically senior co-worker with tons of tribal knowledge is fit for a step-up promo….sheesh.