What Agile Certifications Should You Follow in 2019?

There are great potentials in the field of IT, especially for those professionals who pursue a certification path. Whatever area of interest you have in the industry, it is highly recommended that you go through a certification program to enhance your knowledge and skills and validate your expertise and experience in your field. Agile and Scrum have become one of the leading credentials in the industry and many organizations are in high need of professionals with these certifications. This demand is expected to continue in 2019. Thus, if you are looking to exploring the world of agile certificates in 2019, we have highlighted the top certifications you should consider in a new year.

PMI-ACP: Agile Certified Practitioner

The Agile methodology provides the professionals with the capability for improved productivity. Agile practices entail meeting the customers’ demands, risk mitigation, continuous improvement, and new requirements. The individuals with this credential understand the difference between tradition and Agile project development methodologies. They are also conversant with how the method of Agile can fit perfectly into software development projects. They also have the knowledge of project cycle from Concept, Initiate, Deliver, and Deploy stages. Earning this PMI certification can land you a job role with an average earning power of $111,000 per annum. To write the exam, you are expected to have at least a 2,000-hour general project experience and a 1,500-hour experience working with agile methodologies or on agile project team. You also need to have 21 contact hours of training in the practices of agile. The certification test is made up of 120 questions, and you are required to pass the exam before you can earn the certification. To maintain your credential, you have to renew it every three years with 30 PDUs (professional development units).

Certified Scrum Master – CSM

The Certified Scrum Master is a facilitator of an agile project. He manages processes, removes obstacles, and makes sure that the project team adhere strictly to the Scrum practices and values that are diligently followed in the organization. The professionals with the CSM certificate are proficient in the processes and techniques of the Scrum methodology. Earning this credential will stand you out in the market place. You can expect to make an average of $106,938 per annum. Before you write the certification exam, you are expected to go through two days training for CST and at least five days of formal training from the Scrum Alliance Registered Education Provider (REP) for CSD.

Professional Scrum Master – PSM

The Professional Scrum Master has the basic knowledge and skills of Scrum. He also has the understanding of the mechanisms and practical approaches in Scrum. The professionals aiming to earn this certification must possess some critical skills, including conflict resolution, team motivation, team dynamics, and improved estimation and planning. With this credential, you can earn $100,500 averagely per year. Before writing the exam, you are expected to understand the fundamental roles, aspects, attributes, and leadership features, as well as the general foundation of Scrum. You should be able to apply the Scrum framework for real projects and be able to handle various situations that can arise in the course of a project. There is no formal prerequisite for the PSM certificate, but you should have ample knowledge of Scrum.

Certified Scrum Developer – CSD

The Certified Scrum Developer credential is designed for the programmers who build software in a Scrum environment. The individuals pursuing this certification must be conversant with the Scrum techniques and tools required to design and build software. Earning this credential gives you the opportunity to get on an average $71,750 per annum in your job role. To earn the certification, you need to go through a five-day formal training offered by a Registered Education Provider of Scrum Alliance. If you already have the CSM certificate, you can skip the training and take it up from the third day. This is because the first two days of training has already been done at the CSM level. After earning your certification, you have to renew it by paying the annual subscription fee regularly.

Professional Scrum Product Owner – PSPO

The Professional Scrum Product Owner is a crucial role in the Scrum team. This professional takes up the responsibility to lead and manage a project to a successful end. He collaborates with team and stakeholders in the Scrum meeting and manages the business targets. There is no prerequisite for writing the certification exam. However, to ease the preparation for the test, you can take up a training course to learn the content coverage of the exam. The exam is made up of 80 questions and the students are expected to score at least 85% to pass it. The professionals with the PSPO certificate can expect to earn an average salary of $102,000 per annum.

SAFe Agilist – SA

The SAFe Agilist credential is designed to help organization succeed. The professionals with this certification are able to execute project and deliver value through the Agile Release Trains – ARTs. In addition to this, they will also be able to lead a Lean Agile transformation in different scaled organizations. The certificate is designed to help the students develop continuous delivery pipeline and DevOps culture. Those who earn the Leading SAFe Agilist credential can expect to earn an average salary $68,667 per annum. To earn the certification, you need to go through the course and also take the exam. The candidates taking the test are expected to have not less than a five-year experience working in software development, business analysis, testing, and project or product management. The individuals must also have experience working with Agile and Scrum. The course contents to be studied before attempting the exam include Scaling Agile and Scrum methodologies. The certification test consists of 45 questions and you have to score at least 75% of the total questions in order to earn your certificate.

Certified Agile Coaching – ICAgile

The Certified Agile Coaching creates awareness and provides focused guidance for business goals. They also serve as teachers, mentors, guides, planners, and conflict resolvers to the Agile team. An Agile Coach also facilitates agile practices and supports the agile team to achieve the project goals. He fosters a new culture of Agile Lean thinking to usher in the organizational change and change in work behavior. To earn the ICAgile credential, you are required to have a fundamental idea of the Agile methodology. In addition to this, you should have some level of experience working as an Agile Practitioner. The professionals with this certification can earn an average sum of $119,833 yearly.

Certified Agile Project Manager – IAPM

The Certified Agile Project Manager certificate is offered by the International Association of Project Managers (IAPM). This is a global professional association & certification body for project managers across the world. The body aims to promote research, practical and development applications for project management and develop standards and guidelines for beginners and professional project managers. The IAPM certificate is designed for those professionals who have fundamental knowledge and skills of Agile and Agile project management. They also have basic understanding of planning, organizing, and implementing numerous projects and Agile methodology.

Conclusion

The place of Agile in organizations is no longer restricted to a small part of the business. It has taken root in the whole of business process and project management. The professionals in the field of IT are now seeking certifications to validate their knowledge and skills in Agile. The year 2019 is going to witness a high demand for the experts with the knowledge in this realm, and you will do well to position yourself in the right light to be able to take advantage of the opportunities that will be presented. The Agile certifications highlighted above are some of the programs you can pursue to validate your expertise in the IT field.