UNIX certifications

I hoping to start a new job soon where I will be trained up on AIX unix. (I haven't used unix since the university days really)

I want to get the certifications as I go which will be off my own back but I don't know if there are general certifications like the MS / Cisco cert pathways.

Are there known worldwide unix certification pathways available ala MS/Cisco or are they all vendor specific ?

yes, check out COMPTIA, they ofer certs in linux/unix products.

tcc.comptia.org/default.aspx

You have:
LPIC and Linux+ for Linux
SCSA (Solaris) from SUN