I totally agree. I did Java certification 10 years back when I was a junior dev. At that time, many people and companies valued that on resume. Over time, people realized certification doesn't add any real value as things/technologies change over time. Nowadays people would doubt your skills if they see Java certification on resume. Also, Certifications are values in consulting market. If you are looking to work in core tech companies, it is better to invest that time learning something else. Also, I would say in those times people had no other way to showing that you have the skillset. We are living in an era where github is your portfolio. Do open source contributions or do side projects. That is a way more valuable skill than Java certification.