Software testing certifications are professional certifications that demonstrate an individual's proficiency and expertise in software testing practices, methodologies, and tools. These certifications are offered by various organizations and institutions and are recognized globally by employers and industry peers.
Certification programs typically involve rigorous training, testing, and evaluation processes, and often require candidates to demonstrate practical experience in the field of software testing.
Some of the benefits of obtaining a software testing certification include:
Improved career prospects and job opportunities.
Increased credibility and recognition among peers and employers.
Enhanced knowledge and skills in software testing.
Higher earning potential and better salary negotiations.
Increased chances of promotion and career advancement.
However, it is important to note that certifications are not a guarantee of job success, and practical experience is also important in the field of software testing.
Top 10 Software Testing Certifications
ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) certification
The International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) certification is a globally recognized certification for software testers. The ISTQB is an international organization that develops and promotes software testing standards and best practices. The certification program is designed to provide a common understanding of software testing concepts and practices and to establish a standard language for communication among software testers and their stakeholders.
The ISTQB certification program has three levels:
Foundation Level: This level covers the basics of software testing and is intended for those who are new to the field of software testing.
Advanced Level: This level is designed for experienced testers who wish to enhance their knowledge and skills in specific areas of software testing, such as test management, test automation, and security testing.
Expert Level: This level is for experienced testers who have achieved a high level of expertise in the field of software testing and wish to demonstrate their knowledge and skills to the highest level.
The ISTQB certification program is based on a comprehensive syllabus and requires candidates to pass a rigorous exam to obtain the certification.
The certification is recognized by organizations and employers around the world and is a valuable asset for software testers looking to advance their careers.
CSTE (Certified Software Tester) certification
The Certified Software Tester (CSTE) certification is a professional certification for software testers offered by the Quality Assurance Institute (QAI). The CSTE certification program is designed to test a candidate's knowledge and skills in all aspects of software testing, including test planning, design, execution, and analysis.
The CSTE certification program has four domains:
Test Planning, Design, and Analysis: This domain covers the principles and techniques of test planning, test design, and test analysis.
Test Implementation and Execution: This domain covers the principles and techniques of test implementation, test execution, and defect management.
Test Management: This domain covers the principles and techniques of test management, including test estimation, metrics, and reporting.
Standards and Ethics: This domain covers the standards and ethics related to software testing, including industry standards and professional ethics.
To obtain the CSTE certification, candidates must pass a four-hour exam that covers all four domains of the certification program. Candidates must also have at least four years of experience in the field of software testing.
CSQA (Certified Software Quality Analyst) certification
The Certified Software Quality Analyst (CSQA) certification is a professional certification for software quality analysts offered by the Quality Assurance Institute (QAI). The CSQA certification program is designed to test a candidate's knowledge and skills in all aspects of software quality assurance, including quality planning, process improvement, and product evaluation.
The CSQA certification program has seven domains:
Quality Principles and Concepts: This domain covers the principles and concepts of software quality, including quality assurance and quality control.
Quality Leadership: This domain covers the leadership principles and techniques related to software quality management.
Quality Baselines: This domain covers the development and maintenance of quality baselines, including quality plans, process improvement plans, and quality standards.
Quality Assurance: This domain covers the principles and techniques of quality assurance, including process reviews, audits, and assessments.
Quality Control Practices: This domain covers the practices of quality control, including software testing, defect management, and release management.
Metrics and Measurement: This domain covers the principles and techniques of software quality metrics and measurement, including the collection, analysis, and reporting of quality data.
Standards and Regulations: This domain covers software quality standards and regulations, including industry standards and regulatory requirements.
To obtain the CSQA certification, candidates must pass a four-hour exam that covers all seven domains of the certification program. Candidates must also have at least four years of experience in the field of software quality assurance.
The Certified Manager of Software Testing (CMST)
The Certified Manager of Software Testing (CMST) certification is a professional certification for managers of software testing offered by the Quality Assurance Institute (QAI). The CMST certification program is designed to test a candidate's knowledge and skills in managing software testing processes and teams.
The CMST certification program has four domains:
Management Principles and Techniques: This domain covers the principles and techniques of software testing management, including project management, resource management, and risk management.
Test Management Processes: This domain covers the processes involved in managing software testing, including test planning, design, execution, and evaluation.
Testing Metrics and Analysis: This domain covers the metrics and analysis techniques used in software testing management, including test coverage, defect density, and test effectiveness.
Quality Management and Standards: This domain covers the quality management principles and standards related to software testing, including ISO standards, industry best practices, and regulatory requirements.
To obtain the CMST certification, candidates must pass a four-hour exam that covers all four domains of the certification program. Candidates must also have at least five years of experience in the field of software testing management.
The Certified Associate in Software Quality (CASQ)
The Certified Associate in Software Quality (CASQ) certification is a professional certification for individuals who are starting their career in software quality, offered by the Quality Assurance Institute (QAI).
The CASQ certification program is designed to test a candidate's understanding of the principles and techniques of software quality assurance.
The CASQ certification program has four domains:
Quality Principles and Concepts: This domain covers the principles and concepts of software quality, including quality assurance and quality control.
Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC): This domain covers the principles and techniques of the software development life cycle, including requirements management, design, coding, testing, and maintenance.
Quality Assurance: This domain covers the principles and techniques of quality assurance, including process reviews, audits, and assessments.
Testing: This domain covers the principles and techniques of software testing, including test planning, design, execution, and analysis.
To obtain the CASQ certification, candidates must pass a two-hour exam that covers all four domains of the certification program. Candidates must also have at least one year of experience in the field of software quality assurance or software testing.
MCP (Microsoft Certified Professional) certification for software testing
The Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP) certification for software testing is a professional certification offered by Microsoft that validates a candidate's expertise in designing and implementing testing solutions using Microsoft technologies.
The MCP certification program for software testing has two paths:
Microsoft Certified: Azure DevOps Engineer Expert - this certification validates a candidate's expertise in designing and implementing testing solutions using Microsoft Azure DevOps.
Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate - this certification validates a candidate's expertise in designing and implementing testing solutions using Microsoft Azure.
To obtain the MCP certification for software testing, candidates must pass one or more exams that are specific to the certification path they have chosen. These exams cover a wide range of topics related to software testing, including test planning, design, execution, and analysis. Candidates must also have practical experience working with Microsoft technologies related to software testing.
HP (Hewlett-Packard) certification for software testing
The Hewlett-Packard (HP) certification for software testing is now called the Micro Focus Software Testing Certification program.
This program offers several certifications for software testing professionals who use Micro Focus products, including:
Micro Focus Certified Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) Quality Center (QC) Administrator: This certification validates a candidate's expertise in installing, configuring, and administering Micro Focus ALM Quality Center.
Micro Focus Certified Unified Functional Testing (UFT) Engineer: This certification validates a candidate's expertise in using Micro Focus UFT for functional testing.
Micro Focus Certified Performance Testing Engineer: This certification validates a candidate's expertise in using Micro Focus LoadRunner for performance testing.
Micro Focus Certified Security Testing Engineer: This certification validates a candidate's expertise in using Micro Focus Fortify for security testing.
To obtain these certifications, candidates must pass one or more exams that are specific to the certification they are seeking. These exams cover a wide range of topics related to software testing using Micro Focus products. Candidates must also have practical experience working with Micro Focus products related to software testing.
SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) 4.0 certification for Agile software testing
The SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) 4.0 certification for Agile software testing is offered by Scaled Agile, Inc. This certification validates a candidate's knowledge of Agile software testing in the context of the SAFe framework. To obtain the SAFe 4.0 certification for Agile software testing, candidates must pass the SAFe 4.0 Agile Software Tester (SAST) exam. The SAST exam covers the following topics:
Agile Testing Mindset: This topic covers the principles and values of Agile testing, including the Agile manifesto and the principles of the SAFe framework.
Agile Testing Practices: This topic covers the practices and techniques used in Agile testing, including test-driven development, behavior-driven development, and acceptance test-driven development.
Agile Testing Strategies: This topic covers the strategies used in Agile testing, including continuous testing, exploratory testing, and risk-based testing.
Agile Testing Techniques: This topic covers the techniques used in Agile testing, including test automation, performance testing, and security testing.
Candidates must also have at least one year of experience in software testing and must complete the two-day SAFe 4.0 Agile Software Testing course before taking the exam.
ASTQB (American Software Testing Qualifications Board) certification
The American Software Testing Qualifications Board (ASTQB) certification is a professional certification for software testing professionals in the United States. The ASTQB is an ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) Member Board, meaning that it adheres to the same standards and syllabus as the ISTQB.
The ASTQB certification program offers several levels of certification for software testing professionals, including:
Certified Tester Foundation Level (CTFL): This certification validates a candidate's basic knowledge of software testing principles and terminology.
Certified Tester Advanced Level (CTAL): This certification validates a candidate's expertise in specific areas of software testing, such as test management, test automation, and security testing.
Certified Tester Expert Level (CTEL): This certification validates a candidate's mastery of software testing principles and their ability to apply them in complex testing environments.
To obtain these certifications, candidates must pass one or more exams that are specific to the certification level they are seeking. These exams cover a wide range of topics related to software testing, including testing techniques, test design, test management, and test automation. Candidates must also have practical experience working in software testing.
ISEB (Information Systems Examination Board) certification for software testing
The Information Systems Examination Board (ISEB) certification for software testing is a professional certification for software testing professionals in the United Kingdom and other countries. The ISEB is now part of the British Computer Society (BCS) and offers certifications under the BCS Professional Certification program.
The BCS Professional Certification program offers several levels of certification for software testing professionals, including:
BCS Foundation Certificate in Software Testing: This certification validates a candidate's basic knowledge of software testing principles and terminology.
BCS Intermediate Certificate in Software Testing: This certification validates a candidate's expertise in specific areas of software testing, such as test management, test analysis, and test design.
BCS Advanced Certificate in Software Testing: This certification validates a candidate's mastery of software testing principles and their ability to apply them in complex testing environments.
BCS Specialist Certificate in Test Automation Engineering: This certification validates a candidate's expertise in test automation, including the design and implementation of automated tests.
To obtain these certifications, candidates must pass one or more exams that are specific to the certification level they are seeking. These exams cover a wide range of topics related to software testing, including testing techniques, test design, test management, and test automation. Candidates must also have practical experience working in software testing.
CONCLUSION
Candidates seeking software testing certifications should carefully consider their goals and career aspirations, as well as the requirements and content of each certification program, before selecting a certification to pursue. With the right certification and experience, software testing professionals can enhance their skills and knowledge, increase their earning potential, and advance their careers.