The A-level exam results are out in the UK. Over 350,000 teenagers have been placed on undergraduate courses, according to UCAS, the organization that manages applications to UK full-time higher education courses. And while they jump for joy, excited at the prospect of going to university, some social commentators and education critics are harrumphing.
They feel that despite their success, these exam-savvy youngsters are woefully ill-prepared for the real world. And that the ones who go to university are simply entering outdated institutions that don’t prepare them for the world of work.
Most university courses aren’t vocational. Yet, the debts that mount up throughout a course (an average of £50,000) are forcing students to create a “personal brand” and a portfolio of work before they leave – so that they have a chance of competing in a crowded marketplace once they graduate.
In the past, students were only expected to step-up their writing, thinking and analytical skills while at university. Now, they’re expected to take Instagram-worthy internships and use social media to network their way to success. They’re expected to document their skills and capabilities across a range of social media so that they can effectively secure work opportunities.
A report from the Department of Education showed that in 2017, graduates and postgraduates had higher employment rates than non-graduates. And that the average, working-age graduate earned £10,000 more than the average non-graduate.
So good, so far. But this emphasis on securing work is contributing to a hole in their university life. This manifests as poorer quality memorizing and writing skills on the essays they write throughout their course. And the writing they do in the business world. This is not new. And it’s not down to youngsters spending more time on Snapchat than perusing the abridged works of Shakespeare. But it’s a skill gap that doesn’t seem to be closing.
Many arrive at university after years of teachers “teaching to the test”. Students haven’t necessarily been given the opportunity to think for themselves. At least, not in an academic sense. Their teachers have been judged on results throughout their teaching careers. So, their primary task hasn’t been to help students to write fluently, or accurately. In fact, while 26.4% of exams scored an A or A*, just 1.8% of English language exams were graded A*. Overall, the teachers have done their jobs, which has been to get their pupils to pass. And the overall pass rate for 2018 sits at 97.6%.
But when school leavers get to university, many will find themselves in a quandary. It’s likely that they’ll feel a pressure “to get their money’s worth”. Yet, they’ll also be faced with a barrage of new concepts and theories. And they may not have the writing skills to communicate them effectively. Ironically, this can hamper their chances in the job market.
A Royal Literary Fund report called “Writing Matters” labeled the writing skills of students “shocking” and “inadequate”. What’s more, an academic survey cited in this report found that 90% of lecturers said it was necessary to teach writing skills to students. Yet, university is structured so that the teaching of writing skills is not embedded into courses. It’s a veritable chicken-and-egg situation.
In any case, qualifications alone don’t sell themselves anymore. So, students need to see themselves as a package, not as a vessel for their exam results. They need to hone their soft skills – their ability to think well, write well, be emotionally intelligent and communicate with themselves and others. Employers want to hire people who are creative, resourceful and resilient.
So, as students crack open the prosecco and celebrate their results – I say we provide them a break. Going to university is a massive life transition in itself, as is starting work for the first time. It’s easy to forget the days when you couldn’t boil an egg. And it’s easy to forget that it’s the system itself that isn’t teaching students the writing and communication skills they need to truly succeed in life and work.
Taking an exam is the final step to earning an ISA certification. Upon paying the exam fee, the application process is complete, and you have acknowledged that you meet the requirements listed below in numbers 1–3.
All ISA certification exams are closed book and have multiple choice questions. The CCST Specialist—Level 2 certification exam is three hours long and all other certification exams are four hours long. See the information below for the number of questions in each exam.
Exam | Questions |
Certified Automation Professional® (CAP ®) | 175 |
Certified Control System Technician® (CCST®) Level 1 | 150 |
Certified Control System Technician (CCST) Specialist—Level 2 | 125 |
Certified Control System Technician (CCST) Master—Level 3 | 150 |
Submit payment to apply for the chosen certification when you can confirm that you meet the certification requirements to sit for the exam and can test within the deadline of the exam window of your choosing. You will be notified by email with the next steps to schedule your exam.
Register for one of the CCST review courses and apply for certification for no additional fee. The following courses qualify: Level I Review Course (TS00), Level II Review Course (TS02) or Level III Review Course (TS03). You will automatically receive an exam invitation once you start the course. By paying for the review course, you are confirming that you are aware of, have met and can document the requirements for the certification level for which you are applying.
ISA accepts payment for exam fees by check, certified check, money order, PayPal payment, wire transfer in US Dollars, or credit card. Make checks payable to ISA. For wire transfer account information, please contact ISA Customer Service. The following credit cards are accepted: AMEX, Discover card, Master Card, and VISA. Purchase orders are not accepted.
Fees are nonrefundable. It is your responsibility as the applicant to thoroughly review the requirements of the certification for which you are applying. No refunds will be made for applicants who do not appear for testing on the appropriate exam date. There are no group discounts for certification application fees.
After you pay your exam fee to complete the application process, you will receive an exam invitation (Notice to Schedule Exam) email from candidatesupport@meazurelearning.com 15 days before the beginning of your assigned exam window with steps to schedule the exam. Follow the instructions in the email to schedule your exam—online or at a test center—through the online exam scheduling system. You can get more information about your exam window deadline by accessing the “My Credentials” tab in your ISA account.
If you have not received your exam invitation within that time frame, please check your spam or junk folder for an email from candidatesupport@meazurelearning.com, as some server firewalls may block the receipt of the email. If you still are unable to find your exam invitation, please email certifications@isa.org for assistance.
See further related details on the Exam Procedures page.
If you are applying for CAP or CCST certification, you have a twelve-month exam window. You may take the exam at a Exam Center or online during one of three exam windows (see chart below). Each exam window will have a deadline for applications to be submitted. Eligible candidates will only be able to take the exam during the following exam windows.
Exam Window | Application Submission Deadline |
---|---|
2023 Window 3: 1 November 2023 – 31 October 2024 |
15 September 2023 |
2024 Window 1: 1 March 2024 – 28 February 2025 |
15 January 2024 |
2024 Window 2: 1 July 2025 – 30 June 2025 |
15 May 2024 |
2024 Window 3: 1 November 2025 – 31 October 2025 |
15 September 2024 |
Review Course Testing: If you have attended a review course (paid for by you or sponsored by a company), you will receive your exam invitation near the end of your review course and have a twelve (12) month exam eligibility period based on the date of your review course.
After passing the CAP or CCST certification exam, you will earn a digital badge. To access, manage, and/or share your secure digital badge, use your email address and password to enter your BadgeCert portfolio. If it is the first time accessing your portfolio, click “Request new password?” on their login page to create your password. More information about using your digital badge can be found here.
If you feel you were wrongly denied certification, either original or renewal, from the CAP or CCST programs, then you have the right to appeal. Review the Grievances Appeal Process.
Harrow's GCSE students appear to have done better than ever in this year's examinations.
Harrow's GCSE students appear to have done better than ever in this year's examinations.
Provisional figures show that 56.7 per cent of students received five or more A* to C grades compared to 55.1 per cent last year.
Cllr Archie Foulds, portfolio holder for education, said: 'Once again our pupils, supported by their teachers and other school staff, have achieved some excellent and well deserved results.'
Upon paying the exam fee, the application process is complete, and you have acknowledged that you meet the requirements listed above in numbers 1–3.
Your next steps are outlined as follows: Further details can be found at the links below:Exam | Member Price | Non-Member Price |
Certified Automation Professional® (CAP®) | 373 USD | 467 USD |
Certified Control System Technician® (CCST®) Level 1 | 331 USD | 415 USD |
Certified Control System Technician (CCST) Specialist—Level 2 | 315 USD | 397 USD |
Certified Control System Technician (CCST) Master—Level 3 | 331 USD | 415 USD |
If you have paid for or your company has arranged for you to take a CCST review course, the application fee is included in the course price. View list of available CCST review courses here.
ISA accepts payment via check, certified check, money order, PayPal payment, wire transfer in US Dollars, or credit card. Purchase orders are not accepted. All application fees are non-refundable.
All ISA certification exams are closed book and have multiple-choice questions. The CCST Specialist – Level 2 certification exam is three hours long, and all other certification exams are four hours long. Please see the information below for the number of questions in each exam.
Exam | Questions |
Certified Automation Professional® (CAP®) | 175 |
Certified Control System Technician® (CCST®) Level 1 | 150 |
Certified Control System Technician (CCST) Specialist—Level 2 | 125 |
Certified Control System Technician (CCST) Master—Level 3 | 150 |
You will receive your exam invitation (Notice to Schedule Exam) email 15 days before your assigned exam window begins. View the application deadlines below.
Exam Window | Application Submission Deadline |
---|---|
2023 Window 3: 1 November 2023 – 31 October 2024 |
15 September 2023 |
2024 Window 1: 1 March 2024 – 28 February 2025 |
15 January 2024 |
2024 Window 2: 1 July 2024 – 30 June 2025 |
15 May 2024 |
2024 Window 3: 1 November 2024 – 31 October 2025 |
15 September 2024 |
If you have attended any CCST review course, you will not be placed into an exam window. You will receive your exam invitation near the end of your review course and have a 12-month exam window in which to take the exam.
If you have not received your exam invitation within the allotted time frame, please check your spam or junk folder for an email from candidatesupport@meazurelearning.com. If you still need help locating your exam invitation, please email certifications@isa.org for assistance. In certain instances, you may need to provide an alternate email address, as some server firewalls may block the receipt of the exam invitation email.
Please log into your ISA account, then access the “My Credentials” tab to view your credential status and/or pay your recertification fee. If you have issues logging into your ISA account or completing your payment process, please contact one of our customer service representatives at info@isa.org or +1 919-549-8411 for assistance. For additional information, visit the Recertification page.
Recertification Fees | Member Price | Non-Member Price | |
Certified Automation Professional® (CAP ®) | By PDPs (no exam) | 270 USD | 340 USD |
By Exam | 336 USD | 420 USD | |
Certified Control System Technician® (CCST) (all levels) |
By PDPs (no exam) | 210 USD | 265 USD |
By Exam | 300 USD | 375 USD |
You will receive your digital badge via email after passing an exam or renewing a certification or certificate. If you did not receive it, please look in your spam and junk folders for an email from isa_badges@isa.org. If you still need help locating your digital badge, please email certifications@isa.org for assistance.
To access, manage, and/or share your secure digital badge, use your email address and password to enter your BadgeCert portfolio.
If it is your first time accessing your portfolio or you have forgotten your password, click “Request new password?” on their login page to create your password. More information about using your digital badge can be found here.
Please email certifications@isa.org for assistance if you have not received your digital badge within:
What first began as an agricultural research project at North Carolina State University eventually grew into a full-fledged software and services company by 1976. SAS has gone on to develop a solid customer base in the banking and pharmaceutical industries as well as in academia and at numerous agencies at all levels of government. Today, SAS is a leader in business analytics, data warehousing and data mining.
SAS has been recognized as one of the best places to work by organizations like Fortune and the Great Place to Work Institute. Coming in at No. 37, SAS made its 21st appearance in Fortune’s list of 100 best companies to work for in 2017 and No. 23 in Fortune’s list of top 100 best workplaces for millennials in 2018. Indeed, the company’s low turnover rate (4 percent in 2016) is an indicator of its commitment to its employees and, indirectly, to its customers as well.
Of the top 100 Fortune Global 500 companies, 96 are SAS customers. SAS customers span the globe with more than 83,000 instances installed in 144 countries.
SAS has awarded more than 100,000 certifications since the program’s introduction in 1999, according to Brightcove. Today, the SAS Global Certification Program offers 23 credentials across seven categories:
SAS certifications, along with required exams and costs, are described in more detail in the following sections. Although experience levels aren’t specifically indicated for each certification, a good rule of thumb is a minimum of eight months of experience on the base SAS system for Base Programmers and two to three years of relevant, hands-on experience for all other certifications before candidates tackle their respective exams.
All exams are administered by Pearson VUE or through a SAS-sponsored certification exam session (typically in conjunction with a training course). SAS also offers online proctored exams for all certification credentials through their partnership with Pearson VUE. Note that all certifications covered below are based on SAS 9.4.
Foundation Tools credentials aim at SAS professionals whose workdays revolve around writing and managing SAS programs. The company currently offers three Foundation Tools certifications:
Certification | Required Exam(s) | Exam Cost* |
---|---|---|
SAS Certified Base Programmer for SAS 9 | SAS Base Programming for SAS 9 exam (A00-211) | $180 |
SAS Certified Advanced Programmer for SAS 9 | SAS Advanced Programming for SAS 9 exam (A00-212)
Must possess SAS Certified Base Programmer for SAS 9 credential |
$180 |
SAS Certified Clinical Trials Programmer Using SAS 9 | Clinical Trials Programming Using SAS 9 exam (A00-280)
OR Clinical Trials Programming Using SAS 9 – Accelerated Version exam (A00-281) Requires the SAS Certified Base Programmer for SAS 9 credential |
$180 each exam |
* SAS offers a 50 percent discount on the cost of all exams to instructors, students, faculty and staff at schools and higher education institutions as well as to SAS employees. See the SAS FAQs for details.
The Advanced Analytics credentials are designed for SAS professionals who gather, manipulate and analyze big data using SAS tools, run reports and make business recommendations based on complex models. The certifications in this category include:
Certification | Required Exam(s) | Exam Cost |
---|---|---|
SAS Certified Data Scientist Using SAS 9 | No exam is required. Credential is awarded to candidates who possess the following two certifications:
SAS Certified Big Data Professional Using SAS 9 (2 exams, $180 each, $360 total) SAS Certified Advanced Analytics Professional Using SAS 9 (3 exams, $610 total) |
$970 |
SAS Certified Advanced Analytics Professional Using SAS 9 | Predictive Modeling Using SAS Enterprise Miner 13 (Candidates with SAS Certified Predictive Modeler Using SAS Enterprise Miner 7, 13 or 14 do not need to take this exam.), $250
SAS Advanced Predictive Modeling (A00-225), $180 SAS Text Analytics, Time Series, Experimentation and Optimization (A00-226), $180 |
$610 |
SAS Certified Predictive Modeler Using SAS Enterprise Miner 14 | Predictive Modeling using SAS Enterprise Miner 14 exam | $250 |
SAS Certified Statistical Business Analyst Using SAS 9: Regression and Modeling | SAS Statistical Business Analysis Using SAS 9: Regression and Modeling exam (A00-240) | $180 |
The Business Intelligence and Analytics credentials are designed for IT professionals who create interfaces and reports for SAS 9 or who use SAS Visual Analytics routinely. For the following certifications, there are no credential prerequisites required to take these exams, though a thorough knowledge of a number of related skills and techniques is required. The three certifications in this category are:
Certification | Required Exam(s) | Exam Cost |
---|---|---|
SAS Certified BI Content Developer for SAS 9 | SAS BI Content Development for SAS 9 exam (A00-270) | $180 |
SAS Certified Visual Business Analyst: Exploration and Design Using SAS Visual Analytics | SAS Visual Analytics 7.4 Exploration and Design exam (A00-277) | $180 |
SAS Certified Visual Modeler Using SAS Visual Statistics 7.4 | SAS Interactive Model Building and Exploration Using SAS Visual Statistics 7.4 exam (A00-272) | $180 |
Professionals whose workdays (or career aspirations) revolve more around managing data and platforms rather than deep statistics, analysis and modeling will gravitate to data management credentials. For the following certifications, there are no credential prerequisites required to take these exams, though a thorough knowledge of a number of related skills and techniques is required. The three certifications in this category are:
Certification | Required Exam(s) | Exam Cost |
---|---|---|
SAS Certified Big Data Professional Using SAS 9 | SAS Big Data Preparation, Statistics, and Visual Exploration exam (A00-220)
SAS Big Data Programming and Loading exam (A00-221) |
$180 each, $360 total |
SAS Certified Data Integration Developer for SAS 9 | SAS Data Integration Development for SAS 9 exam (A00-260) | $180 |
SAS Certified Data Quality Steward for SAS 9 | SAS Data Quality using DataFlux Data Management Studio exam (A00-262) | $180 |
The administration category has a single credential – the SAS Certified Platform Administrator for SAS 9 – designed for professionals responsible for supporting the SAS Business Analytics platform from installation through day-to-day maintenance. Candidates must know how to set up folders, manage user accounts, monitor system performance, apply security techniques, perform backups and complete other administrative tasks. The certification exam features 70 multiple-choice questions, a 110-minute time limit, and candidates must answer at least 70 percent of the questions correctly to pass the exam.
Certification | Required Exam(s) | Exam Cost |
---|---|---|
SAS Certified Platform Administrator for SAS 9 | SAS Platform Administration for SAS 9 exam (A00-250) | $180 |
SAS JMP is data analysis and visualization software that allows users to explore, mine and share data analyses in a graphical format. The JMP credential includes two exams:
Both of these certification exams feature 50 to 60 multiple-choice and short-answer questions, a 150-minute time limit, and candidates must achieve a score of at least 725 points from the possible point range of 200 to 1,000 points. Find out more about scaled scores via the exam FAQ.
Certification | Required Exam(s) | Exam Cost |
---|---|---|
JMP Certified Specialist: JMP Scripting Using JMP 14 | JMP Scripting Using JMP 14 exam (A00-908) | $180 |
JMP Certified Specialist: Design and Analysis of Experiments Using JMP 14 | Design and Analysis of Experiments Using JMP 14 (A00-909) | $180 |
SAS offers credential programs for certified SAS resellers, VARs, and consultants though its partner program. There are six partner credentials available to SAS partners:
Access to the Partner credentialing portal is restricted to authorized SAS partners only. As a result, some details of the partner exam process are hidden from public view. If you work for a SAS partner, ask your company SAS liaison or your SAS sales team for more details about partner certifications.
SAS offers links to SAS classroom and eLearning courses, sample exam questions and full practice exams. Refer to the exam Preparation tab for each certification on the SAS Certification website. Candidates can purchase certification packages that include training courses, preparation materials and exam vouchers with typical discounts of 35 to 40 percent.
SAS training can be pricey, depending on factors such as delivery method and class length.
Individual courses range from lows around $1,100 to highs of $4,000. Candidates should be sure to check out the SAS Discounts web page for information on current discount programs, best value deals, veteran’s discounts and more before enrolling.
The SAS Training and Books webpage provides links to certification prep books, training courses, eLearning opportunities (SAS onDemand) and the SAS Global Academic Program. SAS also offers sample exam questions and training software may be accessed through the SAS University Edition.
Many colleges and universities, such as Philadelphia University, Florida State University and the University of Missouri, to name just a few, also offer SAS certificate programs to their undergraduate and graduate students. If you’re in (or thinking of going to) getting SAS certified as part of your degree program, it pays to check out your SAS certification options before choosing an institution of higher learning.
Ed Tittel
Ed is a 30-year-plus veteran of the computing industry, who has worked as a programmer, a technical manager, a classroom instructor, a network consultant and a technical evangelist for companies that include Burroughs, Schlumberger, Novell, IBM/Tivoli and NetQoS. He has written for numerous publications, including Tom’s IT Pro, and is the author of more than 100 computing books on information security, web markup languages and development tools, and Windows operating systems.
Earl Follis
Earl is also a 30-year veteran of the computer industry, who worked in IT training, marketing, technical evangelism and market analysis in the areas of networking and systems technology and management. Ed and Earl met in the late 1980s when Ed hired Earl as a trainer at an Austin-area networking company that’s now part of HP. The two of them have written numerous books together on NetWare, Windows Server and other topics. Earl is also a regular writer for the computer trade press with many e-books, white papers and articles to his credit.
Red Hat Inc. provides open source software solutions to more than 90% of the Fortune 500 companies, including internet service providers, airlines, healthcare companies and commercial banks. The company has been around for more than two decades and is well known for its Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) distribution. Red Hat provides a fully open technology stack, which you can alter to suit your needs – you’re not locked into the vendor’s vision of the software or stack components. Red Hat’s portfolio of products and services also include JBoss middleware, cross-platform virtualization, cloud computing (CloudForms and OpenStack) and much more.
Red Hat offers numerous professional certifications based on its software products, including operating systems, virtualization, storage and cloud-based solutions.
The Red Hat certification program aims at system administrators, engineers, architects, enterprise developers, and application administrators, as well as cloud and virtualization administrators, who use RHEL in their IT infrastructures. The certification program aims to ensure that candidates are proficient in RHEL by requiring them to pass performance-based certification exams. Whereas many certification exams ask multiple choice or fill-in-the-blank questions about specific technologies, Red Hat requires you to perform and complete real-world tasks using Red Hat technologies to pass its exams.
Red Hat traditionally offered certification exams only upon completion of a training course. Now you can take a Red Hat exam on your own schedule, outside of training, if you like. Each exam session is performed on a secured system in a professionally proctored testing center. These centers are located in select cities throughout the United States, Europe and Asia.
Once you earn a Red Hat certification, you become a Red Hat Certified Professional. This gives you access to Red Hat Certification Central, which allows you to connect with potential employers, join the Red Hat community, create study groups and collaborate on projects. In addition, you can explore Red Hat’s training options and easily schedule individual exam sessions. Discounts on recertification exams are offered there as well.
The largest group of Red Hat certifications is geared toward system administrators, engineers and architects. Some of the most popular and sought-after Red Hat certifications reside in this category, such as the Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA), Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) and Red Hat Certified Architect (RHCA).
The RHCA is probably Red Hat’s most versatile credential. In 2018, Red Hat implemented several changes to the RHCA program. The most notable change is that Red Hat now offers two separate RHCA credentials: the Red Hat Certified Architect in Enterprise Applications and the Red Hat Certified Architect in Infrastructure. Over the past year, Red Hat has retired a great many of its credentials, as you can see from the long list of “Retired Certifications” on the company’s All Certifications page. Candidates who have previously passed certification exams that are now retired may still be able to apply those retired certifications to current certification tracks. Check the certification overview page for each certification to find more details.
The RHCSA certification is designed for experienced Red Hat administrators and is required by some organizations to meet U.S. Department of Defense Directive 8570. It’s also a prerequisite credential for the Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE).
Red Hat recommends three training classes to prepare for the RHCSA certification. The Windows admin classes are Red Hat System Administration I (RH124) and Red Hat System Administration II (RH134). Candidates may also take a Linux/UNIX admin class – RHCSA Rapid Track Course RH199 – to prepare for the RHCSA exam.
To obtain RHCSA certification, candidates must pass the 2.5 hour RHCSA exam (EX200).
The RHCE certification is geared toward experienced senior system administrators and fulfills requirements of U.S. Department of Defense Directive 8570.
To obtain the RHCE certification, you must first become RHCSA certified. The recommended training for the RHCE certification is based on your skill level. Windows admins with minimal Linux experience should take the Red Hat System Administration I and II (RH124 and RH134) courses, along with the Red Hat System Administration III (RH254) course to prepare for the exam.
Linux or UNIX admins with one to three years of experience should take both the RHCSA Rapid Track Course (RH199) and the Red Hat System Administration III (RH254) courses to prepare for the exam. RHCEs looking to recertify, or candidates who’d like the opportunity to engage in a lab-based review before taking the RHCE exam, should take the RHCE Certification lab (RH299). The certification lab is a four-day, instructor-led opportunity to work through all of the labs from the Red Hat System Administration I, II and III courses, along with the Rapid Track course.
To complete the RHCE certification, you must pass the 3.5-hour RHCE exam (EX300), which is currently based on Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.
The RHCA certification is the pinnacle cert in the Red Hat Certification program. Red Hat has changed the RHCA program to be more flexible that previous incarnations of the program, depending on the candidate’s particular areas of interest and expertise. Currently, Red Hat offers two RHCA credentials:
Red Hat recommends certain specific certification combinations to achieve the RHCA in Infrastructure or RHCA in Enterprise Applications. Candidates are free to follow the recommended path or select their own certifications based on their professional interests and requirements.
The RHCA in Enterprise Applications has three recommended certifications combinations: application acceleration, and integration; application automation; or DevOps, containers, and OpenShift. While not required, Red Hat recommends that all candidates obtain the Red Hat Certified Specialist in OpenShift Application Development and Red Hat Certified Specialist in Enterprise Application Server Administrations.
There are four recommended certification combinations for the RHCA in Infrastructure: open hybrid cloud; DevOps, containers, and OpenShift; Red Hat OpenStack Platform; and Linux mastery.
Certification | No. of Req’d Certifications | Qualifying Certifcations List |
---|---|---|
RHCA in Infrastructure | 5 | Complete five certifications from the following (listed by recommended combinations):
Open Hybrid Cloud
DevOps, Containers and OpenShift Red Hat OpenStack Platform Linux Mastery
|
RHCA in Enterprise Applications | 5 | Complete five certifications exams from the following (listed by certification combinations):
Recommended certifications regardless of certification combination:
Application, Acceleration and Integration
Application Automation
DevOps, Containers and OpenShift
|
The number of recommended training courses varies for each RHCA concentration (RHCS means “Red Hat Certified Specialist” in the preceding table). At present only candidates who’ve already taken the retired exams in the DevOps category can earn RHCA: DevOps (hopefully, Red Hat will rectify this situation, or retire the credential). There is also some overlap in training course recommendations as shown in the table below.
Formerly, Red Hat offered certifications geared toward IT professionals familiar with Red Hat virtualization and cloud technologies. In addition to the RHCA: Cloud (mentioned previously in this article), one could find the Red Hat Certified Virtualization Administrator, Red Hat Certified System Administrator in Red Hat OpenStack and the Red Hat Certified Engineer in Red Hat OpenStack. Today, that last item – namely, RHCE in Red Hat OpenStack – is the only remaining member of this category still available.
The Red Hat Certified Engineer in Red Hat OpenStack focuses on IT professionals who possess the skills necessary to install, deploy, and work with Red Hat Ceph Storage, including creation of block devices for Ceph and integration of services with Ceph Storage devices. In addition, Certified Engineers in Red Hat OpenStack can create and manage devices for virtual networks and use the OpenStack Neutron Service. Candidates must possess the Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) in Red Hat OpenStack Platform 8 to qualify for the credential. In addition to the RHCSA exam (EX210), candidates must also pass Red Hat Certified System Engineer in Red Hat OpenStack (EX310), a three-hour performance-based exam. Red Hat recommends that candidates take the Red Hat OpenStack System Administration Red Hat OpenStack Administration I (CL 110), II (CL210) and III (CL310) courses to prepare.
Red Hat offers an extensive training program: in-classroom, online, virtual, remote classroom, onsite team and online learning lab formats are available. Most courses are three to five days in length, depending on delivery format. A remarkably helpful resource is the Red Hat Training Resource Center, which contains links to online tools, references, student guides, a skills assessment and more.
Red Hat now offers the Red Hat Learning Subscription, which gives certification candidates access to a multitude of online, on-demand classes and exam prep videos for an annual subscription fee that varies depending on the specific certification you seek. In addition, Red Hat offers multiple ways for you or your company to save on certification and training costs. Browse the Red Hat Ways to Save page for training bundles and success packs.
You can also find lots of third-party study guidebooks to prepare for certification exams. Just search for “Red Hat Certification” on Amazon and be prepared for a lot of results.
Certified Financial Planner (CFP) is a formal recognition of expertise in the areas of financial planning, taxes, insurance, estate planning, and retirement saving.
Owned and awarded by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc., the designation is awarded to individuals who successfully complete the CFP Board's initial exams, then continue ongoing annual education programs to sustain their skills and certification.
CFPs are there to help individuals manage their finances. This can include a variety of needs, such as investment planning, retirement planning, insurance, and education planning. The most important aspect of a CFP is to be a fiduciary of your assets, meaning that they will make decisions with your best interests in mind.
CFPs are all-encompassing, particularly when compared to investment advisors. CFPs will usually start the process by evaluating your current finances, including any cash, assets, investments, or properties, to come up with an estimate of your income and net worth. They also take a look at your liabilities, such as mortgages and student debt.
From this point on they work with you to come up with an individualized financial plan. For example, say you are nearing retirement, the CFP will create a financial plan that can see you through your retirement years. Or perhaps you have a child that will be starting college. The CFP can help create a financial plan to manage that cost.
A CFP is a financial adviser who has earned a certification that indicates in-depth knowledge of financial planning. The requirements to become a CFP are some of the most difficult and stringent in the financial industry.
All CFPs are held to the standard of fiduciary duty. That means they must always put your interests as a client ahead of their own. For example, if they would more money selling one product over another, but the product that made them less money was better for you, that is the product they must recommend.
A CFP's fiduciary duty is clearly laid out by the CFP Board and states "At all times when providing financial advice to a client, a CFP professional must act as a fiduciary, and therefore, act in the best interest of the client."
The board goes on to state that three duties must be met by an adviser with a fiduciary duty. These are (1) duty of loyalty, (2) duty of care, and (3) duty to follow client instructions.
Earning the CFP designation involves meeting requirements in four areas: formal education, performance on the CFP exam, relevant work experience, and demonstrated professional ethics.
The education requirements comprise two major components. The candidate must hold a bachelor's or higher degree from an accredited university or college. Second, the candidate must complete a list of specific courses in financial planning, as specified by the CFP Board.
Much of this second requirement is typically waived if the candidate holds certain accepted financial designations, such as a chartered financial analyst (CFA) or certified public accountant (CPA) designation, or has a higher degree in business, such as a master of business administration (MBA).
As for professional experience, candidates must prove they have at least three years (or 6,000 hours) of full-time professional experience in the industry, or two years (4,000 hours) in an apprenticeship role.
Lastly, candidates and CFP holders must adhere to the CFP Board's standards of professional conduct. They must also regularly disclose information about any involvement in criminal activity, inquiries by government agencies, bankruptcies, customer complaints, or terminations by employers. The CFP Board conducts an extensive background check on all candidates before granting the certification.
Even successful completion of the above steps doesn't ensure receipt of the CFP designation. The CFP Board has final discretion on whether to award the designation to an individual.
The CFP exam includes 170 multiple-choice on more than 100 syllabus related to financial planning. The scope includes professional conduct and regulations, financial planning principles, education planning, risk management, insurance, investments, tax planning, retirement planning, and estate planning.
The various Topic areas are weighted, and the most latest weighting is available on the CFP Board website. Further questions test the candidate's expertise in establishing client-planner relationships and gathering relevant information, and their ability to analyze, develop, communicate, implement, and monitor the recommendations they make to their clients.
Here's some additional information on the administration, costs, and scoring of the CFP exam:
Though a certified financial planner (CPA) and a chartered financial analyst (CFA) may sound similar, they are different certifications with different job functions and clients. A CFP works with individuals, often retail clients, helping them achieve their financial goals. This includes help in investing and retirement planning.
A CFA works with corporations performing investment analysis. CFAs focus on financial reporting, analysis, and portfolio management. They can trade financial products, such as derivatives, and help in mergers and acquisitions. CFA's usually work for investment banks and hedge funds.
If you are just looking to invest money in stocks and bonds, a CFP probably isn't needed.
If you are looking to manage your finances, investment choices, estate planning, and retirement planning, a CFP can help you with all of those needs.
A CFP is a step above a non-designated financial advisor and has demonstrated expertise in financial planning.
How much a CFP costs will depend on your specific needs.
On average, a CFP charges between $1,800 and $2,500 for preparing a full financial plan. You also should expect $4,000 for a flat-fee retainer or $250 per hour for hourly services.
No, CFP and CFA are not the same.
A CFP is a certified financial planner who provides financial planning advice to individuals. This includes help with investing, retirement planning, estate planning, and tax law.
A CFA is a chartered financial analyst who may work for an investment bank or hedge fund and performs financial analysis, modeling, trading, and portfolio management services.
No, a CFP is not equivalent to an MBA.
A certified financial planner (CFP) is qualified to advise individuals on financial planning.
The holder of a master of business degree has studied the way businesses operate.
The career paths differ. A CFP works in financial consulting or wealth management. An MBA may be a business manager, portfolio manager, financial analyst, financial strategist, or even an entrepreneur.
The CFP exam requires a lot of preparation and covers a wide range of syllabus in depth. The best way to ensure you pass the CFP exam is by preparing for it well in advance and sticking to a study schedule.
Becoming a CFP takes education and experience, as well as a strong grasp of financial ethics. The test to gain this distinction is comprised of 170 questions and is split into two three-hour sessions.
Even if candidates pass the test and meet all the requirements, the CFP Board still has the final say about whether to award this distinction. Given the stringent requirements, CFPs can be assumed to have an in-depth understanding of financial planning.
Month-long testing windows offer candidates the ability to take the exam on the day and time that is most convenient during a 30-day period.
Test Sites are located across the United States. At the time of scheduling the exam, candidates can select a site based on their zip code.
The normal hours of operation at Test Sites are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but times can vary. When registering, confirm the hours with the site you wish to select.
Candidates are required to bring one (1) form of valid (non-expired), government issued, photo ID to the test site. Additionally, candidates must bring a copy of their Confirmation Notice which is emailed to them at the time of registration.
If you wish to reschedule or cancel a testing appointment within the same exam window, you must contact Meazure Learning (formerly Scantron) at least 2 business days before the scheduled appointment. Canceling or rescheduling a testing appointment more than 2 business days in advance is subject to a $50 fee. Canceling or rescheduling less than 2 business days in advance of an appointment is not permitted.
Please review the procedures and fee schedule on the Certification exam Change Policy page. All change and cancellation requests must be made by submitting the Exam Window Change/Cancellation Form.
ABA will consider waiving fees in case of a medical emergency. Requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Based on the certification, the exam time is either 3 hours or 4 hours:
3-Hour exam (150 questions) - CAFP, CFMP, CISP
4-Hour exam (200 questions) - CERP, CRCM, CTFA
Yes. Questions can be marked and returned to at a later point in the exam, if time permits. Be sure to answer all questions, as only answered questions are scored. To help you navigate the test, please click on one of the links below to preview the exam system prior to your test date:
Yes. Questions can be marked for review and answers changed, if time permits.
Yes. All testing centers are fully accessible and compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In addition, accommodations can be made for LRP exam candidates. You must submit your request for reasonable accommodations, along with supporting documentation with your exam application.
The exam is scored on a "Pass/Fail" system using a predetermined cut off score based on advisory board analysis of the degree of difficulty for each question. Exams are scored based on your personal performance and are not graded on a curve.
All ABA Professional Certification exams use scaled scoring. Scaled scores are recommended by the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing. Many testing programs, including the ACT® and SAT®, use scaled scores.
Exam scores are based on the total number of items answered correctly. The total number of items correct is then converted to a scaled score for reporting purposes. Scaled scores are a mathematical conversion of the number of items that a candidate correctly answers so that there is a consistent scale used across all versions of a test.
All ABA Professional Certification exams are scored on a scale ranging from 200 to 800, with the passing score set at 500.
Each exam contains a small number of randomly embedded questions that are included for statistical research purposes. These questions do not count against candidate scores. This form of piloting questions before they are scored is part of ABA's efforts in continuous quality improvement.
Score results are confidential. You must sign an Exam Score Release Form if you want to authorize a third party to receive your score results.
An instant pass/fail outcome is provided for most computer-based exams at the testing sites. Official score results are delivered via email within 6 weeks after the close of the exam window.
On occasion, ABA holds scores to conduct statistical analysis. This means that for some exams, instant outcomes will NOT be provided at the test sites and all outcomes and score results will be emailed within 6 weeks after the close of the exam window.
All exam fees are listed on each certification's webpage.
Obtaining a CPC, CCA, or CBCS certification implies that an individual has met competencies in the field of medical billing and coding. Certification is invaluable to the student's career goals. Students have an opportunity to make confident, informed decisions about the national certification they prefer.
The Certified Professional Coder (CPC) exam is offered by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC). It is the gold standard entry-level coding certification for physician, or professional fee, coders.
The Certified Coding Associate (CCA) is offered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). It is an entry-level medical coding certification across all settings--physician practices and inpatient hospital.
The Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) is offered by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) and is currently an entry-level medical billing certification for physician practices. In the summer of 2021, the exam will transition to an entry-level billing and coding certification, with the inclusion of ICD-10-CM, CPT, and HCPCS Level II testing.