The Web Analytics Association (WAA) has announced its certification program (finally!). Certification applications will become available in April 2010, with exams starting sometime after that. Also computer based testing will be available starting in August 2010.
I am really excited that the WAA certification program is finally becoming available. I’ve been debating about which certification to get (Omniture? Google Analytics? …) .. but a more general exam to test and certify your overall skills as an analyst is really the way I’ve wanted to go. I can perform a website analysis no matter which tool I use and an exam like this would, literally, certify that fact.
There are many benefits to certification, including:
- Public recognition of professional achievement
- Credentials that demonstrates expertise in web analytics
- Improved likelihood of employment and advancement within the field
WAA has also provided online the Knowledge Required for Certification, which is still open to discussion until June, 2010. If you’re interested in becoming certified, or understanding what a certified analyst will have to know, I’d highly recommend reading this. I love the fact that reading or taking courses will not be required to sit for the exam – some of the vendor certifications do require you to sit through courses before you can take their exams, which I find a bit prohibiting.
I think the knowledge for certification should be freely available to anyone who is interested in becoming certified in a particular field. Taking the exams should not necessarily be free to take, but should also not be cost prohibitive either. I think having a centralized body, like the WAA administering a certification exam like this will really be a benefit to this field.
I’ll camp out to be first in line to apply to take the computer based tests as soon as they become available!
