Let’s talk certification, the sequel

It’s always a summer of sequels at the cinema box office. Whether it is your favorite comic book action film from Marvel, a third Star Trek film, finding Dory’s parents, more Conjuring, an alien resurgence or even more of Jason Bourne, there always seems to be another story to tell. Back on January 13^th, my Let’s Talk Certification blog detailed the announcement and the launch of the Kinaxis Certification Program, with our two original exams, Certified RapidResponse Author Level 1 and Certified RapidResponse Administrator Level 1. We rolled those out at KinectED, our annual knowledge sharing event for Kinaxis employees and partners. There was a lot of interest, a lot of studying, and a whole lot more of exams being delivered. My version of a sequel is to update our readers on how we have evolved since January.

Here are some of the candidates taking the exam back in January

We started at a count of 1, with our own Senior Solution Consultant, Graeme Walker, receiving the first Kinaxis Certification.

It is now six months later, and the program has had great adoption, steady growth, and a broad expansion. We have a total of four exams, with the two newest being Certified RapidResponse Contributor Level 1 and our first high stakes proctored exam, Certified RapidResponse Author Level 2. Since the launch, we’ve certified over 215 individuals, and handed out over 375 credentials to our candidates. We’ve certified people across the globe, from many different customers and partners. We also have certified a large contingent from within Kinaxis, demonstrating their superior knowledge of RapidResponse. As the base of RapidResponse users, consultants, support people and Center of Excellence staff grows, so does the interest in the program. Information about the program is readily available. There is full explanation on the Kinaxis website in the Certification section. We have expanded our presence in the Supply Chain Expert Community with a dedicated page for certification. From that page you can see some statistics and certification facts, access and download the exam study guides and references, and watch a few videos. There is even a video to explain how to add your Kinaxis certifications to your Community profile, so you can show off your mastery to others. We have a certification portal, CertMetrics, which enables you to perform many activities:

• Download your certificate and logo
• Post your certification to your LinkedIn profile with one click
• Get and send a transcript of your credentials
• Set your opt-in choices

Access to CertMetrics is granted when you achieve your first credential. An automatic email is sent 1-2 business days after completion of your exam.

With our first Level 2 exam, now the program includes testing with Pearson VUE, at any of their 5000+ worldwide locations. All level 2 exams and above will be delivered in proctored environments at Pearson VUE testing centers. Watch for us at Kinexions `16, where we will be offering certification testing from 8am – 5pm Monday through Wednesday and 8am – 4pm on Thursday. All exams will be available at a 25% discount during the event. I would love to hear your comments about our program. Please email me directly with your feedback or questions, or send it to our certification inbox certification@kinaxis.com.