Today, the job market is defined by skills. Skills are validated by certifications. For this reason, most professions recognize certifications as proof of technical expertise. On the professionals’ side, certifications offer a competitive advantage during recruitment and advancement in their careers. However, the importance of certifications goes way beyond skills validation.
Certifications like PMP (Project Management Certification), CCNA (Networks engineering certification), and the five levels of ITIL certifications (Information Technology Infrastructure Library Certification) starting with the ITIL Foundation Certification, among others are today more preferred by industry players than before.
- It is a way to advance one’s profession
Certifications offer a growth and development platform. One advantage that certifications offer is the fact that they are acquired over a short time. This gives individuals unlimited opportunities to explore different career paths as they discover new skills that they are passionate about. Secondly, as they advance, they also grow in perfection and competence, which is what businesses need to be efficient and provide the quality needed by clients.
- It is how to update skills and remain relevant
Job roles are characterized by change thanks to the advancing technology. The result, demand for new skills, a change in processes and regulations, as well as some skills becoming obsolete. Clearly, there is no end to acquiring knowledge, and certifications are a good platform for acquiring and building knowledge on new in-demand skills.
- They complement (rather than replace) educational qualifications.
Certifications are skills-specific. After obtaining a bachelor’s or master’s degree, one needs to go a step ahead to acquire the practical skills needed to exhale in executing specific tasks. Such skills may not be found in furthering one’s education. Certifications provide the link between academic qualifications and the specialized skills that the job market demands.
- It is a tool that professionals use to show commitment to their profession
Whether you choose to be employed or to be an independent consultant, certifications show that you are committed to upgrading your skills and knowledge on the standards of your professions. Simply put, there are employers, organizations, and opportunities out there looking out for this.
- The money factor
Earning certifications is an investment with returns. You do not only grow in knowledge and skills, but you also set yourself up for better earnings as you will be in a good position to negotiate a good pay package.
The ITIL Certification
This era is marked by notable technological advancements such that business efficiency and growth are pegged on IT, among other important aspects. However, adopting a good IT service management structure means that a business must first understand the standards and practices that regulate information technology in the business world.
ITIL stands for Information Technology Infrastructure Library. ITIL is a set of best practices or the framework upon which effective IT service management (ITSM) processes are based. ITIL is adopted to improve risk management, service delivery, customer relations, and other processes in the entire service management cycle. This way, the business can position itself well for growth and development.
The ITIL certification, therefore, is the certification offered to professionals who wish to learn the best practices of IT service management. ITIL is offered in five levels, each with several modules to cover every aspect of the ITSM lifecycle. These levels, in order from the basic, are:
- ITIL Foundation Certification
- ITIL Practitioner Certification
- ITIL Intermediate Certification
- ITIL Expert Certification
- ITIL Master Certification
Getting the ITIL Certification
First things first, you cannot get any other certification before the ITIL Foundation certification. ITIL Certifications are acquired in order, as shown above.
Secondly, there are two active ITIL versionS. ITIL V 3, which was used from 2011 and is currently being updated to ITIL V4, which was launched in February 2019.
As a beginner, if you opt to pursue the ITIL V3 Certification, your path to certification will look like this:
- ITIL Foundation Certification
- ITIL Practitioner Certification
- ITIL Intermediate Certification
- ITIL Managing Across the Lifecycle (MALC) Certification
- ITIL Expert Certification
- ITIL Master Qualification
Beginners are highly encouraged to pursue the latest ITIL V4 Certification whose path looks like this:
- ITIL Foundation Certification
- ITIL Managing Profesional (MP) Certification
- ITIL Strategic Leader (SL) Certification
- ITIL Master Certification
Still, one can pursue ITIL V3 up to the expert level because the ITIL V4 Master Certification has not yet been rolled out until the year 2020.
It is also important to note that ITIL 4 transition module has been made available to help those pursuing ITIL V3 transition to ITIL V4 smoothly.
Your training options
You will have several options for preparing for the ITIL examinations. Whichever option you choose, be sure it takes you straight to getting the required number of credits to move to the next level. You can opt for
- Self-study. However, you need to be well familiar with ITIL’s practices. Study materials are available on AXELO’s website. The self-study option is only available for the ITIL Foundation and ITIL Practitioner levels. All other levels require one to attend training from accredited training providers before taking the exam.
- Accredited Training Providers. The advantage of pursuing a certification course with a training provider is that one will gain deeper insight and interact with other learners. You will find a list of accredited training providers on Axelo’s site. You may also opt to take training provided by providers approved by the learning partners.
- Learning providers offer different study options, including face-to-face online or in-person training, distance learning, or a combination.
- A good provider should offer flexible learning options, including self-paced learning, online learning, distance learning, and a combination of any of these. This allows you to choose what works best for you.
- ITIL Resources. Apart from the coursework offered by a training provider, you may also choose to invest your time and money in additional study resources, including the ITIL study guide, ITIL practice tests, ITIL publications, books, and white papers. These will help you to prepare not just for the examinations adequately but also for real-life experiences.
How much does the ITIL Certification cost?
Training tuition fees will vary from provider to provider and will also depend on your mode of study. Apart from the training fees, you will also incur some or all of the following costs:
- Exam registration fees which varies based on whether you take the paper-based or online exams
- ITIL study guide purchase
- ITIL Practice tests fees
Choosing the right training provider
As we have already seen and as has been emphasized by Axelos, it is much better and more productive to take training before the examinations. There are several approved training providers and many other training providers approved by the ATPs.
- You want a provider with some good recommendations
- One with experienced tutors
- One who will provide considerable access its study resources
- One that offers exceptional customer service support
Well, the jury is out there, and the onus is on you to select what works best for you. Check out an approved training provider for flexible learning options, top-quality tutors, and well-planned study paths.