CompTIA Certification Renewal Policy

veritas_libertas

tpatt100 wrote: »

I can see them maybe doing this to address the Government requirements for IT certs and CompTIA's issue of never having to renew. I remember my last job telling us that the way it was written it would seem to suggest that you had to retake the Security+ because the Government was looking at the date taken and going three years from that. So to maintain compliance you would have to recertify to get another three years.

If this is the case I think its a decent idea. Otherwise the continuing education does not seem like that big of a deal to me to be honest. I think they are trying to establish a career certification route rather than being labeled a "newbie test and forget" certification.

It also provides value for the certification holder, it tells the employer that this person is staying up/has to stay up with the technology he is being certified in. Overall I don't think it is a bad thing. I am going to be calling CompTIA to make sure I understand how this whole continuing educational credits thing works. I will post what I find out.

They also have to do this to keep in compliance:

The renewal policy also is required for these three certifications to maintain their accreditation and compliance with internationally accepted standards for assessing personnel certification programs (ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024). CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+ and CompTIA Security+ certifications earned the ISO 17024 accreditation from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 2008. ISO requires that individuals have a way to renew the currency of their certification on a regular basis. In CompTIA’s case, renewal will occur every three years.

Slowhand

TheShadow wrote: »

Slowhand it is the new guy I tell you. That is why they brought him in with that bogus story about Venator (sp) wanting an early retirement after him saying he expected to be there for quite a while longer. First you get rid of the old Don and then you bring in the new guy.

"Roco I don't want anything to happen to my brother as long as my mother is alive".
"Yes Godfather"

I don't doubt that's the case, not one bit. Still, you have to figure that it's a pretty low-blow for CompTIA to demand that their current cert-holders begin renewing after being told the certs were good for a lifetime, when even Microsoft isn't screwing old MCSE's and MCPD's out of having their certs on transcript forever even after a big shakeup in certification-policy.

I don't know which is worse: feeling like I've been duped because my former lifetime-certs are now having to be renewed, or that I've been going around defending CompTIA for all these years by telling people that the price of the exams is offset by reputation and the lack of an expiration date.

veritas_libertas

Just got off the phone with CompTIA, and was told that you don't have to do a yearly $50 fee. You will only have to pay the year you renew it which makes it less than $17 a year to keep your CompTIA certifications renewed. What really caught my attention is when she told me you could use work experience, and college classes as continuing education credits. For me none of this seem ridiculous. My Security+ covers my Network+ so I am not to worried about the cost. I was told we should all be receiving e-mails tomorrow explaining more about all of this.

GiddyG

I suppose it's different for those of us who have to have the likes of Sec+ or Net+ for your jobs; however, for me I took A+ and Net+ (and I was considering Sec+ too) to both test my knowledge and learn a little more about the topics covered. The added incentive for taking what were (and still are) expensive exams when compared to Cisco and MS was the fact that they were designated as 'for life'. I feel somewhat cheated that CompTIA have now moved the goalposts. I'm 46 and I've held them for 2 to 3 years. I was hoping to live another 30 at least (don't drink, don't smoke). Think they'll give me a refund of 27/30ths of the cost price?

RouteThisWay

So.. if I get my Security+ does this renew my less CompTIA certs (Net+/A+)?

And work experience may be the route I look into for renewal then.

The cost of CompTIA certs vs the reward is just not there. Just going to plug away at my Cisco certs and hopefully outgrow my CompTIA certs by the time they expire.

I earned my A+ in 2007 and my Net+ in 2008, so according to the chart listed here: Renewal Policy FAQs I have until Dec 31, 2011 until my A+ expires, and Dec 31 2012 until my Net+ expires. So between then, I need to either earn credits.. or take my Sec+?

A bit confused on how Sec+ renews both Net+ and A+. Is it like Cisco, where by passing a higher lvl cert, it renews less certs?

veritas_libertas

RouteThisWay wrote: »

A bit confused on how Sec+ renews both Net+ and A+. Is it like Cisco, where by passing a higher lvl cert, it renews less certs?

That seems to be exactly the idea. Anything other than Network+, Security+, and A+ does not expire. If you go and take your Security+ this year it would renew all your CompTIA certifications for another three years the way I interpret it. I am sure we will understand better when we get the e-mail from them.

RouteThisWay

veritas_libertas wrote: »

That seems to be exactly the idea. Anything other than Network+, Security+, and A+ does not expire. If you go and take your Security+ this year it would renew all your CompTIA certifications for another three years the way I interpret it. I am sure we will understand better when we get the e-mail from them.

Might be a good enough motivation to go get my Sec+ before my certs start expiring at the end of next year

Hyper-Me

yearly maintenance fees?

I retract my previous statement.

No ENTRY LEVEL certifiation is worth jumping through these hoops.

Here's hoping CompTIA goes bankrupt and shuts down.

veritas_libertas

Hyper-Me wrote: »

yearly maintenance fees?

I retract my previous statement.

No ENTRY LEVEL certifiation is worth jumping through these hoops.

Here's hoping CompTIA goes bankrupt and shuts down.

Dude, did you read my earlier post? Every three years...

Ricka182

So what if I got my A+ when the exam was still adaptive format? My certificate doesn't have an expiration or valid through date. Same with Net+. I have zero intention of retaking either of them.... As far as I'm concerned, this should only affect those who earn the certs forward from here. According to them, I need to pony up X $ to say I'm current? I call B.S. They can say whatever they want, I'm A+ and Net+ now and forever.

white96gt

Hyper-Me wrote: »

yearly maintenance fees?

I retract my previous statement.

No ENTRY LEVEL certifiation is worth jumping through these hoops.

Here's hoping CompTIA goes bankrupt and shuts down.

I agree, I just don't get how people can say it will help its value. These certs are your first stepping stone that helps get your foot in the door. It is not like you get your A+ or Network+ and your done with certs and will continue to move up the ladder. Your always working on higher level certs and the higher you go the less and less CompTIA certs matter. If a tech decides to get their A+ and network+ and then does not want to work on gaining higher level certs then that person will not be IT for long. To me there is no reason to update certs like A+ and Network + when your are staying current by working in IT and on higher level certs. CompTIA certs are great for building a basic knowledge, but why would you want to recertify with compTIA every 3 years when it is basic knowledge and you should be above it. The people who like this sounds to me like the ones who love to study and take certs.

apena7

white96gt wrote: »

I agree, I just don't get how people can say it will help its value. These certs are your first stepping stone that helps get your foot in the door. It is not like you get your A+ or Network+ and your done with certs and will continue to move up the ladder. Your always working on higher level certs and the higher you go the less and less CompTIA certs matter. If a tech decides to get their A+ and network+ and then does not want to work on gaining higher level certs then that person will not be IT for long. To me there is no reason to update certs like A+ and Network + when your are staying current by working in IT and on higher level certs. CompTIA certs are great for building a basic knowledge, but why would you want to recertify with compTIA every 3 years when it is basic knowledge and you should be above it.

+1
Most of the people I know who have higher level certs don't even mention CompTIA on their resume...

Norbie

Hyper-Me wrote: »

yearly maintenance fees?

I retract my previous statement.

No ENTRY LEVEL certifiation is worth jumping through these hoops.

Here's hoping CompTIA goes bankrupt and shuts down.

I'm done with them. I thought about going for another CompTIA cert but now I refuse. I now officially hate CompTIA. Their website is down and it took them 4 months to get my certificates and now they pull this crap on me.

They are liars. The ONLY reason I spent the money on these ridiculously priced certifications is because they don't expire....and now they do. I feel like a fool.

janmike

What is the need to renew? All you are doing is reaffirming that you possess skills at entry level. That is the level of all CompTIA certs. Get something at the level at which you work.

Norbie

veritas_libertas wrote: »

That seems to be exactly the idea. Anything other than Network+, Security+, and A+ does not expire.

I have the feeling that eventually they will do this for all CompTIA tests.

janmike

Norbie wrote: »

I have the feeling that eventually they will do this for all CompTIA tests.

I think it's a given. They never came up with an advanced Systems Admin certification as they once considered, but they are staying at entry level certifications, and no matter, it will make them money some way, otherwise they would not be doing it.

It's the same old truth of any business, and CompTIA being a business, their loyalty will only go as far the $bottom $line will permit, and they will suck another dollar out of you.

I can only imagine now, all of the sites that will show up on the Internet, offering CEU's to keep CompTIA certification current, and I doubt that CompTIA will accept them unless they have payed for some sort of qualification certification, or not even new sites, but already online vendors cashing in on the newly created well of potential cash inflow. Well, that is my own imagination, but it's not that far-fetched.

bsm2

Its crap lifetime means lifetime period!

Its all about making more money in fee's

I would have to retake my N003 exam for what?

wireless N, you can keep it
I will save my money I already have a IT job.

dynamik

Are these changes retroactive or only for people who have obtained a cert after January 1st?

qwertyiop

dynamik wrote: »

Are these changes retroactive or only for people who have obtained a cert after January 1st?

I was going to ask the same thing. I dont see myself renewing my comptia certs

Norbie

dynamik wrote: »

Are these changes retroactive or only for people who have obtained a cert after January 1st?

Retroactive

snadam

So If I'm reading this right, I think my Net+ is now officially expired, and Sec+ in June...I wonder how this works with Microsoft's elective credits towards MCSE/MCSA?

Slowhand

dynamik wrote: »

Are these changes retroactive or only for people who have obtained a cert after January 1st?

According to CompTIA, it's retroactive, but my transcript still says my certs never expire. We'll have to see what they do, they might change their minds after there's enough backlash from the existing cert-holders.

RouteThisWay

snadam wrote: »

So If I'm reading this right, I think my Net+ is now officially expired, and Sec+ in June...I wonder how this works with Microsoft's elective credits towards MCSE/MCSA?

No.

If you guys haven't gone to the website, go there.
It details this alot more.

And it also has a chart that shows when your certs expire based on the test version you took/year obtained. I believe the earliest is Dec 31, 2011. So they are giving everyone atleast 2 full years to recertify their entry level certs.

GiddyG

Just checked my CompTIA exam history and it shows Never for each exam, under the Expires heading.

NetworkingStudent

I will still pursue my A+, Network+, and Security+, but Comptia has lost my trust. I need these certifications so that I can gain knowledge and demonstrate to an employer that I am employable. Just like everyone else has said, the selling point for these exams has always been that there has been a presumption that these exams would never expire!! I have never ever seen a job posting asking for a current A+, Network+, Security+ certification, so renewing them every three years seems a little ridiculous to me. Besides I have seen more job postings asking for Microsoft or Cisco certs than Comptia ones.

snadam

RouteThisWay wrote: »

No.

If you guys haven't gone to the website, go there.
It details this alot more.

And it also has a chart that shows when your certs expire based on the test version you took/year obtained. I believe the earliest is Dec 31, 2011. So they are giving everyone atleast 2 full years to recertify their entry level certs.

Actually, I did go to the website yesterday. It wasn't very clear. After some further digging this morning, that How is my cert affected PDF cleared up any questions I had. Why they don't just put that on the page itself is beyond me.

I was basing my expiration dates of these paragraphs.

CompTIA wrote:

The new certification renewal policy is applicable to all individuals who hold CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+ or CompTIA Security+ certifications, regardless of the date they were certified. Other CompTIA certifications are not affected at this time.

Beginning January 1, 2010, a “Valid Through” date appears on all certificates and certificate holder ID cards for individuals who earn CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+ or CompTIA Security+. The date is three years from the date of certification.

janmike

I have emailed CompTIA stating my great displeasure in this new policy shift, that I will never take steps to renew my present certification, and I will not pursue any new certifications. I hope that thousands of others are also doing this.

Also, I will never renew my yearly membership in IT Professional site, and I let them know that too. Besides, there has been nothing new added to that site for a long long time.

I think we have been betrayed--stabbed in the back.

Darril

It took me awhile to digest this. There seems to be more than initially meets the eye. I'm most interested in Security+ so here's what I see related to Security+.

If you certified with the older exam (SY0-101) available before July 31 2009, you will need to retake an exam by December 2011 to stay certified.

• You can take the SY0-201 exam (100 questions, passing score 750, $258 US)
• Or you can take the BR-001 bridge exam (50 questions, passing score 560, $190 US)

If you passed the SY0-201 exam, you can keep the certification valid by submitting continuing education credits.

• If you passed the SY0-201 exam in 2009 (say in December 2009), you have until December 2011 to submit the credits.
• If you passed the SY0-201 exam in 2010 or later, you have three years from the date of your exam.

I thought it was cool that Veritas actually called CompTIA for some answers.

Interestingly, CompTIA says that Microsoft does the same thing, but Microsoft doesn't. When Microsoft first unveiled the MCITP certifications they announced a policy indicating the certifications will expire after three years, but after some noise and complaints, Microsoft changed their mind. Certifications may retire since the technology is no longer valid but my MCSE on NT 4.0 is as valid as my MCSE on Windows Server 2003 and my MCITP on Windows Server 2008. The only difference is that not many people care that I'm an MCSE on NT 4.0.

Darril Gibson
Author: CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead
ISBN-10: 1439236364

RouteThisWay

Darril wrote: »

It took me awhile to digest this. There seems to be more than initially meets the eye. I'm most interested in Security+ so here's what I see related to Security+.

If you certified with the older exam (SY0-101) available before July 31 2009, you will need to retake an exam by December 2011 to stay certified.

• You can take the SY0-201 exam (100 questions, passing score 750, $258 US)
• Or you can take the BR-001 bridge exam (50 questions, passing score 560, $190 US)

If you passed the SY0-201 exam, you can keep the certification valid by submitting continuing education credits.

• If you passed the SY0-201 exam in 2009 (say in December 2009), you have until December 2011 to submit the credits.
• If you passed the SY0-201 exam in 2010 or later, you have three years from the date of your exam.

I thought it was cool that Veritas actually called CompTIA for some answers.

Interestingly, CompTIA says that Microsoft does the same thing, but Microsoft doesn't. When Microsoft first unveiled the MCITP certifications they announced a policy indicating the certifications will expire after three years, but after some noise and complaints, Microsoft changed their mind. Certifications may retire since the technology is no longer valid but my MCSE on NT 4.0 is as valid as my MCSE on Windows Server 2003 and my MCITP on Windows Server 2008. The only difference is that not many people care that I'm an MCSE on NT 4.0.

Darril Gibson
Author: CompTIA Security+: Get Certified Get Ahead
ISBN-10: 1439236364

Anything about Sec+ renewing A+/N+ as well? Or no?

veritas_libertas

RouteThisWay wrote: »

Anything about Sec+ renewing A+/N+ as well? Or no?

I talked to them, and indeed the Security+ updates everything under it.