Canonical to roll out independent Ubuntu Certified Prof. certification for Ubuntu

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Canonical to roll out independent Ubuntu Certified Professional certification for Ubuntu


New Long Term Support release gets 100% Ubuntu-focused training and exam from project sponsor

London, 22 April 2010: Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, today announced that it will provide its own fully-independent certification for junior-level system administrators to help them with Ubuntu deployments in their office environments. The e-learning course version will be available shortly after the Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (Long Term Support) release on 29 April 2010 with students able to study in the classroom from June 2010 and the new exam available from October 2010.

The Ubuntu Certified Professional course was previously attached to the Linux Professional Institute's LPIC-1 programme, with students required to complete LPI plus Canonical exams in order to become certified. Over its four year lifespan the certification has proven to be popular with many students, and there was consistent demand for an 'Ubuntu-only' certification with examination specific to the distribution. Hence, the decision by Canonical to certify the course itself.

"We are really excited to support the Ubuntu 10.04 LTS release with a fresh course and certification programme," said Billy Cina, Director of Training at Canonical. "Having delivered hundreds of courses over the last four years, we listened to the requests from training partners and students for more Ubuntu-specific content. We have responded and are confident that the change will benefit students globally. This will also enable us to move from a multiple-choice- to a 'Live labs'-type exam which is entirely web-based, testing students' ability and Ubuntu skills far more effectively."

The Ubuntu Certified Professional course is designed for system administrators required to deploy Ubuntu into an office environment, a trend that is expected to accelerate with the release of Ubuntu 10.04 LTS. Students are not required to have any previous Linux experience but IT/system administration experience is a must. The course lasts for five days in a classroom or self-paced via e-learning. The exams will last 60-90 minutes and be delivered at Ubuntu Training Partner facilities or anywhere with a secure broadband connection.
Pricing and Availability

Global pricing is yet to be finalised but it is expected that the RRP will be $300 - $350. Students interested in certifying before the new exam is launched are encouraged to follow the current curriculum and exam objectives.

Canonical is looking for students to assist in the development stage by testing the exam. Those interested in participating who possess a sound command of English and a broadband connection, should provide their details here: https://forms.canonical.com/ucp-livelabs/

More details about the new course and exam objectives will be available here in May 2010: http://www.ubuntu.com/training

Current LPI certified UCP courses are available here now:
http://www.ubuntu.com/training/certificationcourses/ucp