Tosca tester
8 best certifications for software testers
Today’s world is characterised by an information revolution in which information is easily available to everyone. There are many applications and software that need to be tested and quality assured. Quality assurance (QA) is an attractive career field. One effective way to gain practical expertise in quality management is through quality assurance certificates. Certification is also a great way to increase your skills, knowledge and value in the job market.
What are QA certificates (quality assurance certificates)?
Quality Assurance Certificates are a way to get training and prepare to work in quality assurance related positions in various industries, e.g. as a QA tester. You can take a variety of quality certification courses, from basic to more specialist and specific ones.
Why are quality assurance certificates important?
Obtaining certification in software QA testing is essential not only for personal knowledge, but also for maintaining consistent quality in the industry (read the article Quality Management in Software Development and Testing). In software development, the QA team is an important part of the process to ensure that the product is usable and maintains a quality standard. Earning a certificate will enhance your CV or resume while expanding your knowledge and the boundaries of your personal understanding.
The benefits of obtaining a software quality assurance certificate include:
- filling the gaps in your expertise,
- refreshing basic knowledge,
- it will help you to differentiate yourself from other jobseekers,
- serves as preparation for a more advanced position,
- demonstrated ability to lead a team.
Good QA training helps in strategic thinking and long-term sustainability of quality. When choosing a certification, make sure your experience matches the level of the course. There are educational institutions, such as ASQ or ISTBQ, where you can research the available certifications, but always do your research to choose the best one for your particular field of work.
Types of quality assurance certificates available
Quality assurance professionals work in almost every industry, some certifications are industry specific. Examples of some of the industries in which you may find QA certificates:
- Software,
- Hospitality,
- Customer service,
- Agriculture and farming,
- Healthcare,
- Information technology,
- Medical facilities,
- Food safety,
- Automotive industry,
- Production.
The 8 best certifications for QA tester
Quality assurance certificates vary. Each country has different standards for different products. It’s important to find a certification that standardises your industry and also meets the requirements of the country you live in. Quality assurance certification is available in person or online, so there are plenty of options to fit your schedule.
1. Certified Test Engineer (CSTE certification)
This software quality assurance certification is intended to establish and maintain the standards required for an initial software quality assurance qualification that demonstrates competency in the fundamentals of QA in the IT profession. The CSTE certification provides good career progression and demonstrates the ability to advise management. The certification is designed for those who are new to the industry and want to expand their resume and experience.
Applicants must have one of the following conditions:
- 4-year degree from an accredited college + 2 years of experience,
- 3-year degree from an accredited college + 3 years of work experience,
- 2-year degree from an accredited college + 4 years of experience,
- 6 years of experience in the field,
and have worked in the field for 18 months prior to the application.
The fee for the CSTE ranges from $350 to $420 and includes access to a PDF file to help prepare for the exam and the exam itself. You must achieve 70% to pass the exam.
2. Certified Software Quality Analyst (CSQA)
This basic certificate is more advanced than the CSTE. It includes both quality control and quality assurance. The course is taken after someone has achieved CSTE and moved on in their quality assurance role.
Applicants must meet one of the following conditions:
- 4-year degree from an accredited college + 2 years of experience,
- 3-year degree from an accredited college + 3 years of work experience,
- 2-year degree from an accredited college + 4 years of experience,
- 6 years of experience in the field,
and have worked in the field for 18 months prior to the application.
The fee for the CSTE ranges from $350 to $420 and includes access to a PDF file of the software quality book to help prepare for the exam. This fee includes the exam itself. A passing score of 70% is required to pass the exam.
3. Certified Associate in Software Testing (CAST)
This certification demonstrates a basic level of understanding of QA testing and the technical features of IT software, and demonstrates the ability to use the techniques learned in the course itself. It is a good QA training for beginners.
Candidates must meet one of three prerequisites:
- A 3-year or 4-year degree from an accredited college,
- A 2-year degree from an accredited college and 1-3 years of work experience,
- 3 years in the field.
The fee for the CAST course is $100 and includes the exam itself as well as a PDF file for the Software Testing Body of Knowledge for CAST, which is useful for preparing for the exam. You must achieve 70% to pass the exam.
4. Certified Manager of Software Quality (CMSQ)
Obtaining this certificate demonstrates that the person is professionally competent in software quality assurance principles, skills and abilities and has good management skills to lead a QA team.
Candidates must:
- have CSQA (recommended),
- currently working in the field of certification,
- be prepared to pass the manager-level exam.
They must also have one of the 3 prerequisites:
- Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college + 4 years of QA experience,
- university degree + 6 years of experience,
- 8 years of experience.
The fee is $450 and includes the exam and a PDF file of relevant reading material. You must achieve 70% to pass the exam.
5. ISTQB certificate (International Software Testing Qualifications Board)
ISTQB is a software testing qualification body that certifies individuals internationally as an ISTQB tester and is internationally recognized as the standard for software testing qualifications. It has a universal curriculum, national councils and is globally recognized. You can work at basic, advanced or senior level.
The basic certificate has no prerequisites other than the recommended 6 months of practical experience. Advanced requires certification at the Foundational level as well as practical experience and Expert requires certification at the Advanced level and additional modules at the Expert level. Seven years of practical experience is also suggested.
The fees for these courses vary from country to country. The cost of the US exams starts at $250 and can increase depending on the level of the exam you take. You can also purchase study materials at various prices. The quality assurance training offered by these courses is designed for future quality assurance managers and for those who want to become certified in this field.
In Slovakia you pay 150€ for the CTFL (Certified Tester Foundation Level) basic certificate. There are also free materials and practical exam examples. You can also pay for the whole course to prepare you for these exams, of course we are talking about higher fees there. The price for the CTFL course starts at 780€ excluding the exam price.
In our last article, we discussed the ISTQB certification in detail. We have also written about how to pass the ISTQB exam the first time. At msg life Slovakia you can get ISTQB certification as a benefit when you join us as IT tester consultant medior or IT tester junior.
6. BrowserStack Test University
BrowserStack is originally a cloud-based provider of web and mobile application testing software. Helps QA teams test websites and applications across devices, browsers, and operating systems. Recently, BrowserStack launched BrowserStack Test University, an online learning platform for quality analysts (QA) and developers. The goal of this platform is to become a place where software development teams can learn everything related to testing.
Test University offers more than 40 courses to help you improve your testing skills. The courses are completely free of charge and consist of interactive video tutorials, lab exercises on common testing scenarios, etc.
Logging in to Test University allows you to:
- sign up for more than 40 courses,
- get a BrowserStack certificate,
- learn to the best of your ability (self-paced),
- get certificates free of charge,
- to gain lifelong validity,
- learn to work with new frameworks and languages.
These are practical courses where you are expected to perform different types of tasks such as discovering challenges, cloning test repositories, performing live tests, etc.
7. International Software Certifications Board (ISCB)
The International Software Certification Board (ISCB) is one of the most widely recognized certification boards in the field of software testing and quality. The main objective of the ICSB is to become the international standard for defining the competence of a professional in the field of software quality or information services. Certification exams for this system are administered daily at Pearson VUE testing centers.
Some of the software testing certificates offered by Software Certifications are:
Certified Associate in Software Testing (CAST): this entry-level QA certificate demonstrates a high level of knowledge in software testing and IT practices.
Prerequisites:
- (3 years or 4 years) from an accredited institution of higher education,
- Diploma (2 years) from an accredited higher education institution and 1 year of IT experience,
- 3 years of IT experience.
Certified Software Tester (CSTE): this QA certificate demonstrates a high level of competency in IT quality control principles and practices.
Prerequisites:
- (4 years) from an accredited institution of higher education and 2 years of IT work experience,
- High school diploma (3 years) from an accredited institution of higher learning and 3 years of IT experience,
- Diploma (2 years) from an accredited higher education institution and 4 years of IT experience
- 6 years of IT experience.
8. Software Testing Certification – Edureka
Edureka is popular for its courses in computer science. It organizes a number of technical certification courses to help stay competitive and relevant with current industry trends. A few of the courses offered by Edureka in the area of testing that focus on basic web and mobile automation frameworks are listed below:
- Selenium Testing Certification Course:This certification course for QA professionals covers the basics of Java (check our article What is Java), Selenium and Selenium Web Driver & locations.
- Mobile App Testing with Appium: This QA certification course teaches the basics of mobile app testing and the fundamentals of Appium.
Do certificates expire?
Some certificates expire and some may be granted as lifetime certificates. The Quality Improvement Associate credential awarded by ASQ does not expire, although for other ASQ credentials you will be required to attend approved training and activities or retake the certification exam. Recertification generally demonstrates that your QA knowledge and skills are up-to-date and shows your commitment to your career. ISTQB certificates are valid worldwide and have unlimited validity, but if we are talking about expert (senior) level modules, these certificates are valid for 5 years and then you need to go for recertification.
Popular career paths for quality assurance certified professionals
Earning QA certifications can help you advance your career in quality assurance. Quality Assurance Technician, Quality Control Analyst and Quality Assurance Engineer are three common career paths in the quality assurance field, particularly with English-speaking employers.
Quality assurance technician
As a Quality Assurance Technician, you would be responsible for testing products at the production stage to make sure they meet the standards set by your company. You would design test plans, participate in product troubleshooting, work as part of a team and report on control results.
Quality assurance analyst
The Quality Assurance Analyst is a level above the Quality Assurance Technician. In general, you are responsible for collecting and analyzing data collected by technicians and reporting it to the Quality Manager. Based on this data, you will solve problems and make recommendations for improvement.
Quality assurance engineer
A quality assurance engineer typically works in the IT industry and is responsible for testing software products during their development. You’ll be looking for bugs and potential problems with the software so you can help resolve them before the software goes to market.
Jobs in software testing and quality assurance at msg life Slovakia
We are currently offering the following positions: junior IT tester, IT tester medior, Tosca Tester, Automated Tester, or Business Process IT consultant.
