Linux Foundation Announces New Linux Certification Program

 New program will help expand global talent pool of experienced Linux pros and offer the first fully virtual, performance-based, distribution-flexible certification exam

Chicago, Ill. LINUXCON & CLOUDOPEN, August 20, 2014 – The Linux Foundation, the nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating the growth of Linux and collaborative development, today is announcing a new Linux Foundation Certification Program for both early-career and engineer-level systems administrators.

To celebrate the new program, The Linux Foundation is giving away nearly 1,000 free exams today to attendees at LinuxCon and CloudOpen and is offering exams to the next 500 people for a special introductory price of $50. Regular exam price is $300.

Combined with increased Linux training offerings and a free ‘Introduction to Linux’ Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) introduced earlier this year, The Linux Foundation Certification Program will help expand the talent pool of Linux professionals worldwide. Demand for experienced Linux professionals continues to grow with this year’s Linux Jobs Report showing that managers are prioritizing Linux hires and paying more for this talent. Because Linux runs today’s global technology infrastructure, companies around the world are looking for more Linux professionals yet most hiring managers say that finding Linux talent is difficult.[1]

The new Certification Program exams and designations for Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator (LFCS) and Linux Foundation Certified Engineer (LFCE) will demonstrate that users are technically competent through a groundbreaking, performance-based exam that is available online, from anywhere and at any time.

Key features of the Linux Foundation Certifications include:

• Virtual, available anytime, anywhere in the world: The Linux Foundation has designed a secure, performance-based exam that can be taken with a web browser, microphone, Internet connection and web cam from anywhere in the world, including the student’s own desktop at their convenience. After years of design and development, this cutting-edge exam now opens testing opportunities to people who previously were not able to access testing centers with exams available as early as the next day after registration.

• Performance-based exams: Exam takers will be tested on their ability to solve real problems in the command line rather than be tested on theory or be given multiple choice questions. These new certifications reflect what has become the consensus in the technology industry: what matters most is whether or not the candidate can demonstrate the required skills in a real-world environment while the clock is ticking. The Linux Foundation Certification Exams are designed to confirm this critical requirement.  

• Distribution-flexible: The Linux ecosystem is defined by choice, so exam takers will be able to choose to take their tests with one of three Linux distributions: CentOS, openSUSE or Ubuntu. This will also allow employers to hire professionals who have proven competence in the distributions and technologies most important to their businesses. The Linux Foundation tests will provide an option for distributions not well covered in the certification market today and also augment existing certification programs focused on one distribution by demonstrating distribution flexibility and knowledge for those companies with heterogeneous Linux environments. 

These unique features are designed to ensure that anyone in the world with the latest, most relevant Linux skills can access the program and become certified regardless of distribution. By demonstrating their ongoing commitment to keeping up with the dynamic Linux environment through ongoing professional education, Linux Foundation Certificate holders will be distinguished in the marketplace.

The Linux Foundation Certification Program and exams have been informed by a committee of industry experts and a deep analysis of what skills are required of today’s Linux professionals. Candidates who earn a Linux Foundation Certification will represent the best of the best and demonstrate in-depth technical know-how well above and beyond the average professional. Certification from the Linux Foundation is expected to be widely respected and highly sought-after.  

“Our mission is to address the demand for Linux that the industry is currently experiencing. We are making our training program and Linux certification more accessible to users worldwide, since talent isn’t confined to one geography or one distribution,” said Jim Zemlin, executive director at The Linux Foundation. “Our new Certification Program will enable employers to easily identify Linux talent when hiring and uncover the best of the best. We think Linux professionals worldwide will want to proudly showcase their skills through these certifications and that these certificates will become a hallmark of quality throughout our industry.”

The LFCS and LFCE exams cost $300 each and can be taken anywhere, anytime. Certification holders will receive a graphical mark designating their completion of the exam that can be displayed on resumes, LinkedIn profiles, websites and more. The Linux Foundation also plans on helping successful candidates market themselves at its LinuxCon and CloudOpen conferences worldwide and on Linux.com, among other venues.

For more information and to sign up for an exam, please visit: http://training.linuxfoundation.org/certification. For special discounts and promotions, please follow http://www.twitter.com/lf_training

Supporting Comments

Canonical/Ubuntu

“The Linux Foundation’s certification program will open new doors for Linux professionals who need a way to demonstrate their know-how and put them ahead of the rest,” said Mark Shuttleworth, founder, Ubuntu. “The timing is perfect for this, as demand for Linux talent is on the rise and we need ways to expand the pool of qualified candidates to support Linux.”

Dell

“Linux certification that is based on performance and is easily accessible will be key to increasing the number of qualified Linux professionals,” said Mark Cathcart, Senior Distinguished Engineer, Dell. “The Linux Foundation’s approach to this market need is smart and thoughtful and they have the proven ability to deliver.”

Dice

“Certifications inspire employer confidence that professionals who are willing to invest the time and effort are passionate about their craft,” said Shravan Goli, President, Dice. “With the focus on performance and accessibility, the new program will advance the art of Linux learning and help build a talented pool of Linux professionals.”

HP

“There is a need for a truly global Linux certification program that can enable Linux professionals anywhere to demonstrate their know-how,” said Eileen Evans, Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Cloud Computing and Open Source, HP. “The Linux Foundation Certification Program promises to deliver on this need, and we look forward to reaping the benefits of an increase in qualified Linux professionals in the market.” 

Huawei

“The new Linux Foundation Certification Program is truly innovative. With attention to performance and accessibility, this program should have a huge impact on the number of skilled professionals supporting Linux,” said Dr. Peixin Hou, Chief Architect on Open Software and System, Huawei.

IBM
“The Linux Foundation Certification Program will help prepare Linux system administrators to have the technical depth of expertise required today in the enterprise.  This approach to training and certification will give professionals the skills needed by employers like us and our many clients who rely on Linux,” said Jim Wasko, Director, IBM Linux Technology Center.

Insight Global

“Linux professionals with a strong certification are often more likely to be considered for open positions than their non-certified counterparts,” said Brantley Smith, Account Manager, Insight Global. “The Linux Foundation’s convenient, distribution-neutral certification program will bring more Linux talent into the marketplace and make it easier for employers to assess the skill level of those in the market.”

“In fact, I have used The Linux Foundation to validate the skills of our internal IT team, ensuring that we have the capabilities we need to drive our business-critical applications,” said Christopher Vogel, COO/CIO, Insight Global.

openSUSE

“The Linux Foundation is helping expand the talent pool of Linux professionals in a variety of ways. The Linux Foundation Certification Program adds to existing programs to ensure we as a community can meet this rising demand,” said Andy Wafaa, openSUSE Board Member.

Oracle

“As Linux continues to be a driving force for supporting applications across the data center and into the cloud, the need for Linux professionals continues to grow,” said Wim Coekaerts, senior vice president, Linux and Virtualization Engineering, Oracle. “The Linux Foundation Certification Program can provide an easy entry point for IT professionals who need to learn how to manage Linux systems.”

RightScale

“Linux is among the key building blocks of the cloud,” said Tim Miller, vice president of engineering at RightScale. “We think it is great that the Linux Foundation is helping ensure that people working with Linux in the cloud have the background and skill sets to continue to drive cloud adoption.”

ROSA

“The Linux Foundation’s Certification will be accessible to a global community of Linux professionals and can become the common standard for “Linux expertise” like The Linux Foundation’s LSB does for the common Linux interfaces,” said Vladimir Rubanov, President and CTO, ROSA.

Samsung

“Linux professionals are in high demand across multiple areas of technology,” said Ibrahim Haddad, Head of Open Source Innovation Group at Samsung Research America, Samsung. “The Linux Foundation’s smart, in-depth approach to the providing Linux certification will help meet this demand with qualified programmers and engineers.”

SUSE

“The need for trained and experienced Linux engineers and administrators affects every Linux enterprise user and distributor,” said Alan Clark, Director, SUSE. “The introduction of additional quality training and certification will only enhance the growth, development and adoption of Linux and the ability of enterprises to take advantage of its many and varied features and strengths.”

Yahoo!

“Linux provides a stable foundation for Yahoo’s systems, helping us run one of the largest cloud infrastructures in the world. Skilled Linux professionals are key to our success,” said Sven Dummer, Director OS & UNIX System Infrastructure, Yahoo. “The Linux Foundation Certification Program focuses on the latest technologies. The annual requirements to maintain certification will help bring more qualified talent into the marketplace, and support Linux professionals in keeping their expertise up to date.”

About The Linux Foundation

The Linux Foundation is a nonprofit consortium dedicated to fostering the growth of Linux and collaborative software development. Founded in 2000, the organization sponsors the work of Linux creator Linus Torvalds and promotes, protects and advances the Linux operating system and collaborative software development by marshaling the resources of its members and the open source community. The Linux Foundation provides a neutral forum for collaboration and education by hosting Collaborative Projects, Linux conferences including LinuxCon, and generating original research and content that advances the understanding of Linux and collaborative software development. More information can be found at www.linuxfoundation.org.

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Media Contacts

Jennifer Cloer

The Linux Foundation

Jennifer@linuxfoundation.org

503-867-2304

Dan Brown

The Linux Foundation

dbrown@linuxfoundation.org

415-420-7880