No less venerated a thinker than the legendary King Solomon of Biblical story and song (literally) is alleged to have declared a definitive end to the age of human innovation all the waaaay back in the 900s B.C. It's a lofty pronouncement to have made so early on in the course of human development, but the evidence of his views is right there in the Bible.

As the king himself observed in the first chapter of Ecclesiastes, "The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun." King Solomon apologists are no doubt ready with all of the various "That's not what he meant" defenses, but guys: It's right there in the Bible!

There are, of course, plenty of new things under the sun, more of which are discovered each year by imaginative thinkers and tireless innovators all around the world. There are even new things under the sun of IT certification, which actually is the whole reason we're even discussing this topic in the first place.

That's right, it's time for the annual Innovation Award, bestowed each year by the IT Certification Council (ITCC) in recognition of one of the many innovators who keep expanding the boundaries and enhancing the usefulness of IT certification. The 2018 Innovation Award will be the fourth such prize to festoon the mantelpiece (or possibly the bathroom) of one lucky winner.

That lucky winner could be you, or someone you know, because the ITCC Innovation Award is open to everybody in the IT certification realm. You don't have to belong to some stodgy academy, or drive a fancy car and live in California. The only requirements of the winner are that he or she a) be employed in the IT certification industry, and b) have done something or made something in the past two years to improve IT certification.

What, exactly, that means is at least somewhat open to interpretation. The ITCC, however, offered up some examples in their announcement of the nominating period for the award. For example, a nominee might have done something to:

• Increase the security of a certification test
• Develop or improve a method for evaluating IT competencies
• Improve the convenience of, or market access to, a certification program
• Enhance the respect for, and/or demand for, certified professionals

Once you've identified a worthy individual, all you need to do is write up a brief statement (1,000 words or less) that addresses the questions in the nominating application. (Don't blow everything in your nomination paperwork: Those selected for final Innovation Award consideration will also be asked to participate in a follow-up presentation and interview.)

The nominating period runs through Friday, Jan. 5, and the award will be presented at the ATP Innovations in Testing Conference Feb. 18-21 in San Antonio. Click here for more information, or to submit a nomination.