Training > Changes

Download this document as PDF >

What's New In Tester Certification?


The testing industry is now seeing a number of exciting changes in the training and certification schemes available to testers. This document details SQS’s understanding of these changes and how we at SQS will provide training, support and guidance to delegates wishing to continue following a certified career development path in testing.

There are 3 levels of certification:

  • Level 1 – Foundation
  • Level 2 – Practitioner / Advanced
  • Level 3 – Diploma / Expert

1 The ISEB Practitioner Certificate in Software Testing will be phased out by March 2008
2 To sit the new ISEB Practitioner in Test Analysis or Test Management exams, candidates must first pass the 1 hour 25 multiple choice ISEB Intermediate Certificate exam.

SQS’s Offering

At SQS, training and certification at Foundation level will remain unchanged and we will continue to offer our popular 3 and 4 day Foundation level training courses.

At level 2, we are proud to be the first training provider in the world to offer both the ISEB Intermediate Certificate in Software Testing and the ISEB Practitioner in Test Management. After much consideration, SQS is no longer delivering the old style ISEB Practitioner Certificate in Software Testing that the new split scheme has replaced. Our decision here was based on the fact that the final exam in March 2008 would give you no option to resit should you not score highly enough and you would then have to restart with the new split scheme anyway, incurring more cost and time away from work. In our view it would therefore not be responsible of us to advise you to continue to work towards the old exam.
Separately, we are also looking at how best to introduce new courses for the new ISTQB certification. Importantly, we will be working closely with ISEB and ISTQB to look towards converging the level 2 certifications, as we did with Foundation level.

We will offer the level 3 certifications as and when they become available, neither ISEB nor ISTQB have released any concrete plans though ISEB have stated that development of the syllabus will commence in mid-late 2008. We expect that ISEB’s Diploma could therefore be available.

To help choose your certification path read on for more details of each scheme, or contact our training advisors to discuss your needs.

The Levels Explained


Level 1 - Foundation

The entry level of certification for testers is the Foundation Certificate in Software Testing, based on the ISTQB syllabus. Foundation exams are administered by ISEB in the UK, Ireland and several other countries and by other local examination bodies elsewhere. Training and certification at Foundation level remains unchanged and SQS offers an extensive range of public courses and onsite events at this level.

Level 2 - Practitioner / Advanced

At level 2 there are separate schemes from ISEB and ISTQB. As with Foundation level many in the industry would prefer a single internationally recognised certification for Practitioner and Advanced levels. Discussions are underway between the various bodies and the training providers to look towards converging the ISEB and ISTQB syllabus and/or exams. We do not expect anything to happen on convergence until 2009-10 at the earliest so it is likely that parallel schemes will exist in the interim. As a tester you therefore have a choice of ISEB or ISTQB and both schemes are undergoing change.

ISEB Practitioner


Current syllabus – single exam

As stated above, SQS does not advise that you consider taking the final sitting of the old-style ISEB Practitioner Certificate in Software Testing. ISEB have announced that the last exam session for this level will be in March 2008 but for those candidates who do not pass there will be no opportunity to resit and you would therefore need to start again on the new split scheme. For those who have passed the old style ISEB Practitioner qualification, your certificate will remain valid as an internationally recognised certification and both ISEB and ISTQB have stated that they will regard this as valid for their proposed third level of certification, outlined below. Please see ISEB's portability statement here for more details.

New syllabus – split exams

ISEB is now phasing out the current exam and introducing a new series of three examinations. SQS will offer three separate training courses to prepare delegates for each exam:

  • ISEB Intermediate Certificate in Software Testing, 3 days with the exam taken on day 4 or at an ISEB public exam session. AVAILABLE NOW
  • ISEB Practitioner Certificate in Test Analysis, 3 days leading to an exam taken quarterly at a separate event..expected Q2 2008
  • ISEB Practitioner Certificate in Test Management, 3 days leading to an exam taken quarterly at a separate event. Release due March-April 2008.

 

ISEB’s FAQ document is available to read here.

How does the new syllabus work?

1. You should hold the ISEB Foundation Certificate in Software Testing or have 18 months experience in software testing.

2. You must then pass the 25 multiple choice Intermediate Certificate exam (taken at the end of the ISEB Intermediate Certificate in Software Testing training course). This exam tests your knowledge to K4 on the Blooms Taxonomy scale.

3. After passing the Intermediate Certificate, you then have two years to take the ISEB Practitioner Certificate in Test Analysis, or ISEB Practitioner Certificate in Test Management, or both.
SQS offers training courses for each, leading to a formal written exam taken quarterly in March, July, September or December. The written exams will require the delegate to choose 4 half-hour questions from 6 possible questions and you are tested to K6 on the Blooms Taxonomy scale.

ISTQB Advanced


At level 2, ISTQB plan to  split their qualifications into 3 separate exams:

  • Advanced Level Test Management Professional
  • Advanced Level Domain Testing Professional
  • Advanced Level Technical Testing Professional

 

A draft syllabus has been published and is under review. No date has been given for when the final syllabus will be published and no target exam dates have been released though it is our understanding that this is likely to be well into 2008. The multiple choice exams will only examine to K4 level so will not goto the same depth as the ISEB qualifications.

Level 3 - ISEB Specialist and ISTQB Expert

In due course there will be a third level of certification. Neither ISEB nor ISTQB have made any firm announcements though we understand the current thinking to be different from each organisation:

  • ISEB's vision is for a Diploma level where people broaden their perspective and also take qualifications in other ISEB-supported areas. The ISEB qualification portfolio includes a number of exciting qualifications in areas such as project management, requirements engineering, development and service management.
  • ISTQB's vision is for people to narrow their focus and specialise in more detailed aspects of testing, such as automation or performance testing.

 

SQS will offer training towards these exams and as soon as each organisations outlines their plans we will update you on our position.