Top Agile Certifications for Global Career Success

FAQs

• What is Agile Certification?

  Agile certification helps an individual to demonstrate a certain level of knowledge and understanding of the Agile framework and how to apply it in a real-world setting. Several organizations offer Agile certifications, each with its own specific requirements and process for certification.

• What are the top Agile certifications?

  Some of the top Agile certifications are:

  • Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)
  • Certified Product Owner (CPO)
  • PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)
  • Certified Agile Leadership (CAL I and II)
    

• How do I become agile certified?

  To become agile certified , you will need to meet the specific requirements and pass the certification exam for the particular Agile certification you are pursuing. This often involves completing a certain amount of Agile training or education in methodologies of Agile, as well as having practical experience working on Agile teams.

• Is Agile certification worth it?

  Whether or not Agile certification is worth it will depend on your personal goals and circumstances. For some individuals, Agile certification can be a valuable addition to their resume and can demonstrate a commitment to professional development. For others, practical experience and skills may be more important than certification. It's a good idea to consider your own needs and career goals before deciding whether or not to pursue Agile certification.

• How long does Agile certification last?

  The length of time that an Agile certification is valid for will depend on the specific certification and the issuing organization. Some Agile certifications are valid for a set number of years, while others have no expiration date. To maintain an Agile certification, you may need to meet certain requirements, such as completing a certain amount of continuing education or professional development.

• Can I get a job with just an Agile certification?

  Obtaining an Agile certification will not only add value to your resume but also help you get jobs offering higher salaries than the non-certified ones.

• Is Agile certification required to work in an Agile environment?

  Since Agile certifications are in high demand these days, it is always recommended for prospective Agile professionals to work hard to get Agile certified. It will not only help them to showcase their in-depth Agile skills and knowledge but also help them to manage projects effectively and grab the attention of top Agile recruiters.

• Is there an Agile certification for beginners?

  Yes, beginners can too go for an agile certification. Some of the top Agile certifications for beginners are:

  • Scrum Alliance – Certified Scrum Master
  • Scrum.Org – Professional Scrum Master
  • Project Management Institute – Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)

• How much does Agile certification cost?

  On average, the cost of an Agile certification ranges between $1,175 and $1,800.

• Is Agile certification recognized internationally?

  Most of the Agile certifications available in the market are internationally recognized. Some of the top Agile certifications that most prospective Agile professionals seek are:

  • Agile Programme Management (AgilePgM)
  • Professional Scrum Master (PSM)
  • Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO)
  • SAFe Agilist
  • SAFe Scrum Master
  • Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)
  • ICAgile Agile Fundamentals (ICP)
  • ICAgile Business Agility Foundations (ICP-BAF)
  • PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)

• Can I get Agile certified online?

  Yes, all Agile certifications can be availed both online and offline mode.

• Is there an Agile certification exam?

  After completing Agile training, you must appear for an online Agile certification exam and clear it to get certified in Agile.

• How can I prepare for the Agile certification exam?

  The study material and references for the Agile certification exam are provided by the respective certification granting bodies. Professionals seeking an Agile certification must dedicate at least 10-12 weeks to studying the preparation material provided and then practice sample papers for adequate preparation.

• Is Agile certification only for project managers?

  Professionals belonging to the software development field can benefit hugely from Agile certification. This certification is ideal for scrum masters, project managers, software developers, software architects, product owners, team leads, and QA managers.

• Can I get Agile certified if I have no prior experience with Agile?

  Yes, you can get Agile certified even with no prior experience. However, it will be highly beneficial for you if you have some understanding of the principles and have a working knowledge of Agile.

• Can I get Agile certified without attending a training course?

  In no way is it possible to earn an Agile certification without attending an Agile training course. This is because an Agile training course prepares you to understand the core values of Agile and Scrum and qualify for the Agile certification with ease.

• How long does it take to get Agile certified?

  It takes 1-2 years to get Agile certified, depending on your preparation level and your performance in the Agile certification exam.

• What is the average salary for agile professionals?

  On average, Agile professionals earn around $95,906 annually.

• What are the best beginner courses in agile?

  Some of the best Agile courses for beginners are as follows:

  • Agile Scrum Foundation
  • Certified Scrum Developer (CSD®)
  • ICAgile Certified Agile Testing (ICP-TST)
  • Introduction to TKP (Team Kanban Practitioner)
  • Kanban Management Professional (KMP)-1 Kanban System Design

• What are the best intermediate courses for agile?

  Upon completion of a basic level degree in Agile, professionals can look for the following best intermediate courses for agile:

  • Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)
  • Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO)
  • Leading SAFe Agilist Certification Training
  • SAFe Product Owner/Product Manager (POPM) Certification Training
  • SAFe Scrum Master (SSM)
  • PMI-ACP Certification
  • Agile Scrum Master
  • Professional Scrum Master
  • ICP-ACC (ICAgile Certified Agile Coaching) course

• What are the advanced level agile certification courses?

  Some of the best advanced-level Agile certification courses are:

  • Advanced Certified ScrumMaster (A-CSM?) certification
  • Advanced Certified Scrum Product Owner® course
  • Advanced Certified Scrum Developer
  • Certified Agile Leadership II (CAL II): Advanced Education and Validated Practice
    

• What does the agile job market forecast look like?

  In the present job market, Agile professionals are in great demand and seem to be so in the future too because as per the available data from LinkedIn, Agile has found a place in the top 15 positions and is supposed to be one of the most in-demand job skills in the future. Furthermore, as per the current statistics, the Agile market is expected to reach 30 billion USD with an 18% growth rate by the end of 2026.

• What are the top job titles in the fields of agile?

  The top job titles in the field of Agile are:

  • Product Owner
  • Team Lead
  • Development Team Members
  • Stakeholders
  • Technical Project Manager
  • Scrum Master
  • Program Manager
  • Product Owners
  • Project Lead
  • Product Lead Developer

• What is the recommended path for professionals pursuing an agile career?

  Professionals interested in pursuing a career in agile can follow the steps given below:

  • Start reading extensively about Agile, listen to podcasts and get hold of the basics
  • Look for an Agile community where you can meet professionals interested in Agile and learn from them.
  • Try imbibing agile values in your current job
  • Seek training in agile through an agile certification course

• What are the top industries with a high demand for agile professionals?

  The top industries having a high demand for agile professionals are:

  • Financial services
  • Product Development
  • Construction
  • Advertising and marketing
  • Consulting
  • Government offices
  • Disrupters

• What is Agile?

  Agile is primarily an iterative process leading to project management and software development that facilitates teams to deliver value to their customers faster without any hassle. An agile team handles a project through small and constant developments.

• Which companies hire the most agile professionals?

  Companies hiring the maximum number of Agile professionals are:

  • Xoriant Corporation
  • Cognizant
  • SolutionsIQ
  • Tech Mahindra Limited
  • Mindtree Limited
  • Salesforce.com
  • Celerity
  • Wipro
  • Capgemini
  • Infosys
  • HCL Technologies

• What are the best beginner courses in Agile?

  Some of the best Agile courses for beginners are as follows:

  • Agile Scrum Foundation - Learn the basics of Agile scrum with an EXIN-accredited Agile scrum foundation course. You will get to practice project development and deliveries, apportioning stages of them into incremental pieces. After course completion, you will be able to develop high-quality products.
  • Certified Scrum Developer (CSD®) - This is a certification virtual training course conducted/hosted/delivered by Scrum Alliance. Professionals who complete this course will master the ability to serve as effective developers for scrum teams.
  • Kanban Management Professional (KMP)-1 Kanban System Design - Become KMP professional by mastering the Kanban System Design. This course provides in-depth training practices of Kanban methodologies.

• What are the best intermediate courses for Agile?

  Simplilearn offers several intermediate-level courses on Agile methodologies, including:

  • SAFe Product Owner - This Agile scrum certification focuses on understanding the role of a Scrum Master in the SAFe enterprise. It is a two-day virtual training, and get prepared for the SAFe® Scrum Master exam for your certification.
  • Leading SAFe® 5.1 Training with SAFe Agilist Certification - SAFe® certification and training is an industry lead global program that helps you learn how to lead large-scale Agile projects. You will learn useful, reliable and consistent techniques to process SAFe®.
  • Professional Scrum Product Owner (PSPO) Certification Training - This PSPO certification course allows you to master scrum skills. Unlock new career possibilities by signing up for Simplilearn's Agile and Scrum course for product owners!

  These are some of the best intermediate courses for Agile at Simplilearn; you can also check our website for more information and other related courses.

• What are the advanced level Agile certification courses?

  Simplilearn offers some of the best Agile certification courses for experienced Agile professionals. Here is the list of top Agile certifications for your career -

  • Certified ScrumMaster® (CSM) Certification Training Course : This Agile certification course will help you prepare for the Scrum Master certification through 2-day CSM training.
  • ASM Certification Training Course : This course covers the principles and practices of Agile project management, including Scrum, Kanban, and Lean.
  • CSPO Certification Training : This course covers the role and responsibilities of the Product Owner in an Agile environment, including product backlog management and stakeholder engagement.
  • PMI-ACP Certification : This course empowers you to become a skilled Agile professional with knowledge of a broad range of Agile methodologies. ACP is PMI’s fastest-growing certification, and recently the PMI-ACP exam has been updated with the addition of the Agile Practice Guide.

• What does the Agile job market forecast look like?

  The Agile job market is expected to continue growing in the coming years, driven by the increasing demand for Agile methodologies in software development and project management. The need for Agile professionals, such as Scrum Masters, Agile Coaches, and Product Owners, is expected to remain high, especially in technology-driven industries. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of Agile practices, leading to further job opportunities in this field.

• What are the top job titles in the field of Agile?

  The top job titles in the Agile field are:

  • Scrum Master
  • Agile Coach
  • Product Owner
  • Agile Project Manager
  • Agile Consultant
  • Agile Developer
  • Agile Tester
  • Agile Business Analyst
  • Agile Product Manager
  • Agile Technical Lead

  You can enroll for Agile certification courses to get your desired job role!

• What is the recommended path for professionals pursuing an Agile career?

  To pursue an Agile career, the recommended path is as follows:

  • Gain a solid understanding of Agile principles and methodologies, such as Scrum and Kanban.
  • Get certified in Agile practices, such as Scrum Master or Product Owner.
  • Gain practical experience by participating in Agile projects and continuously learning and evolving practices.
  • Network with other professionals in the Agile community to stay current on best practices.
  • Consider pursuing advanced Agile certifications or continuing education to demonstrate expertise.

• What are the major Agile roles?

  The best Agile roles are subjective and can vary based on the specific Agile methodology and the needs of the project or organization. However, these are the commonly recognized essential roles in Agile:

  • Product Owner: responsible for defining and prioritizing the product backlog.
  • Scrum Master: facilitates the Agile process and removes obstacles for the development team.
  • Development Team: responsible for delivering functional and high-quality increments of the product.
  • Stakeholder(s): includes anyone who is impacted by the product being developed, such as customers, end-users, and business sponsors.

  All of these roles play a crucial part in ensuring the success of an Agile project and each role must be fulfilled effectively for the process to work well.

• Who is eligible for Agile certification?

  Agile certification is typically available to anyone interested in obtaining it, regardless of their profession or job role. However, there are some requirements that individuals need to meet to be eligible for certification, such as:

  • Experience working in an Agile environment: most Agile certification programs require candidates to have hands-on experience working in Agile teams, using Agile methodologies and practices.
  • Training: some certification programs require candidates to complete a certain amount of training or attend workshops before they can take the certification exam.
  • Exam: most Agile certifications require candidates to pass a written or practical exam to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of Agile principles and practices.

  It's essential to check with the specific certification program for their eligibility requirements.

• Does the Scrum certificate expire?

  Yes, Scrum certificates do expire. The expiration date depends on the certification type and the issuing organization. Some common certifications, such as Scrum Master or Product Owner, have a two-year validity period, while others, like Professional Scrum Master, may be valid for three years.

• Is coding required for Agile?

  No, coding is not required for Agile. Agile is a project management framework for software development that values collaboration, flexibility, and delivering working software incrementally. Although coding is a critical part of software development, Agile can be applied to various projects, including those that don't involve coding. Agile principles focus on how to manage and deliver a project effectively, not on a specific set of technical skills.

• Is coding required for Agile?

  No, coding is not required for Agile. Agile is a project management framework for software development that values collaboration, flexibility, and delivering working software incrementally. Although coding is a critical part of software development, Agile can be applied to various projects, including those that don't involve coding. Agile principles focus on how to manage and deliver a project effectively, not on a specific set of technical skills.