IBM Offers Free IT Training
It seems highly likely that, if you could gather up everyone in the IT training and certification community for quick straw poll, then you would find that "free" is one of the most stirring and beloved words in the vocabulary of nearly every IT worker. Training and certification are ongoing endeavors for many if not most certified IT professionals, and all of that learning can carry a hefty price tag. At the end of last week, a post to the IBM Training and Skills Blog announced the launch of a new site to host free IT training courses. The URL is instructive: https://www.ibm.com/training/free. Could it be any simpler? These are courses in hot topics like cloud computing and robotic process automation. If you like to keep tabs on no-cost training resources, then you definitely need to bookmark this page.
Microsoft Offers Free Certification Renewal
Another ongoing activity in the IT certification realm that can be pricey is recertification. Most IT credentials come with an expiration date, forcing cash-strapped individuals to choose between letting a valued credential – often representing months or even years of hard work – slide off one's resume, or ponying up to cover further training and exam costs. A post to the Microsoft Learn Blog reminds viewers of a key Microsoft Learn policy: If you take action before your Microsoft certification expires, then there's no charge for renewal. You read that right. All you have to do is connect your Microsoft Learn profile to your Microsoft certification profile. There are free refresher courses available, or you can go straight to the free online assessment step. Just be sure to start the process well in advance of you certification expiration date, so that there's plenty of time to prepare for and pass your online assessment.
Oracle Offers Free Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Training and Certification
While we're on the subject, it feels like a good time to hark back to a major announcement from Oracle University that popped up in September. Oracle is aiming to close the cloud computing skills gap by offering free training and certification to anyone with an interest in Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI). This is the brass ring, people. Don't even pause to ask yourself whether you really want to learn about cloud computing – and if you're in IT for the long haul, then you definitely do – just get over there and get started. There was no timeline placed on the availability of free training, but free certification is only on the table through the end of December. Time to cash in!
(ISC)2 Offers Cybersecurity Scholarships for Women
Here's a slightly different kind of free: free money. At the end of November, cybersecurity professional association (ISC)2 opened a window for applicants to chase more than $100,000 worth of cybersecurity education scholarships. The IT realm as a whole stands to benefit immensely and in a variety of ways from recruiting more women to IT jobs. That starts with skills and knowledge acquisition, and one way to cover the cost of such learning and training is to snatch up some of the moolah that (ISC)2 just happens to have sitting around. Women can apply for scholarships ranging in value from $1,000 to $5,000 at least through the end of February 2022. A couple of the types of scholarships available have a slightly longer application period that runs through March 7.
CompTIA Seeks Testers for Beta Version of New Linux+ Exam
IT industry association CompTIA isn't offering anything for free this month, but they do have the next best thing available: a fat discount. The venerable Linux+ certification exam is up for renewal, with the new Linux+ set to be rolled out in June 2022. Right now, however, CompTIA needs seasoned or aspiring Linux users to test their certification mettle by taking the new exam during its beta phase of development. If you participate during the beta phase, then you can take the new Linux+ exam for the greatly reduced rate of just $50 before the exam is available to the general public. (Standard exam pricing is $329, so you can save a pretty penny.) This is a great opportunity for anyone with a career interest in Linux.
That's all for this edition of Certification Watch. Please keep your certification news and tips coming to the GoCertify News Editor.
