Agile Certified Practitioner

Quantumstate

OK I've completed my training, I've paid for the exam, and now it is time to schedule my PMI-ACP exam.

For those of you who don't know, there is a special federal program called WIA (Workforce Investment Act) which has alot of support here in WA, and as a bonus my local WIA counselor specifically handles veterens. In WA, workforce services (and other parts of the social safety net) are still intact, unlike in other states.

WIA paid for my Agile and Scrum classes, plus the exams, as I'm unemployed. (~$5,000) Only caveat is that the course provider must be registered as a WIA provider, and of course you must be signed up for WIA in advance. Funds aren't always there, especially maybe on Feb 1, so hurry up!

One more thing: if you are a vet, YES you do still get medical care. Apply for it at the local VA hospital, clinic, or at HealthEVets. (Thank God for the VA) This will get you past the insurance requirement of the Affordable Heathcare Act. If you have other medical insurance, they must pay first, and then the VA.

On to schedule the exam.

jlhct

I scheduled my exam for next month - Good luck!!

Quantumstate

Yeah, I failed the exam.

Tools & Techniques - Moderately Proficient
Knowledge & Skills - Below Proficient

That's the last time I'm doing that. I haven't been able to get a job as a PM after nine months of trying anyway, with my MBA, PMP, CSM, and lots of experience. Probably the ACP wouldn't have helped much. If you look around the internet it's mostly Indians (in India) who have the ACP.

I think a large part of this failure was the crappy 27 hour classes I took at Smart Path, LLC for this exam. They prepared me for only a handful of the questions; the rest I had to infer or guess at. In the class there was a mock final exam, and no one in the class made over a 62%. What a waste of time and money.

At this point I am pretty sick of trying for a PM job. Shouldn't have been a problem here in Seattle, but it's looking impossible now, at least for me. Maybe I'll try to make a go in real estate.

jlhct

I'm sorry to hear you didn't pass. I'm currently using Mike Griffith's book. I'm not sure if it would be at your local library or not - just in case you decide to take it again.

I'm also interested in real estate so that doesn't sounds like a bad backup plan to me!

mikelau13

I passed the ACP exam in my first attempt using the Mike Griffith's book, but please notice that I have read that book 3 times.

I found that PMI-ACP is very unique comparing with exams of few other similar areas such that SCM, PMP, ITIL, MOF etc. The PMI-ACP is teaching you the technique to tailor the process; while most others will teach you WHAT is the process.


These days, it is not easy to get a PM job just because you know PM (I am just saying, of course I don't think you are that type of people), you need some side-kick background, such that either you are very knowledgeable on healthcare, or you have strong software or financial background etc. I have worked with few PMs who know only PM but nothing else, these people are very counter-productive, and I believe many companies have also learned it.

N2IT

Mike these people are counter productive. It is critical to know the business vertical IMO. I've also found that the BA role and the PM role are becoming one.

I manage software development projects, however I also gather requirements, code SQL and the app. However these are usually just proof of concepts and the "real" developer will refactor the code and build the end game solution.

Someone who stares at a GANTT chart all day isn't really adding value from what I have seen.