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Are you looking to change your career? Entry-level certification could help!

Are you considering a career change?

How do you demonstrate your commitment and desire to succeed in your new field? That's where certification comes in!

Entry-level certification provides a number of benefits for individuals starting their careers or looking to enter a new field. Here are some of the key benefits of entry-level certification:

  1. Demonstrates knowledge and skills: Entry-level certification shows that you have acquired specific knowledge and skills in your field. This can be particularly valuable for individuals who are just starting their careers and may need more work experience to demonstrate their abilities.
  2. Increases employability: Entry-level certification can increase your chances of being hired by employers who require or prefer candidates with certification. It can also make you a more competitive candidate and help you stand out from other applicants.
  3. Validates job readiness: Entry-level certification programs often include practical skills assessments or job simulations, which can help validate your readiness for entry-level positions. This can give employers confidence in your abilities and help you transition into your new career more smoothly.
  4. Enhances career advancement opportunities: Entry-level certification can be a stepping stone to higher-level certifications and more advanced career opportunities. It can also provide a solid foundation of knowledge and skills to help you excel in your career.
  5. Increases earning potential: Entry-level certification can lead to higher earning potential, particularly in fields where employers highly value certification.

Career Changer Certifications

We offer career-changer certifications in finance, HR, IT, and project management. We designed each of our certification prep programs for career changers to help you gain the knowledge and skills you need to succeed in your new career. These certifications are widely recognized by employers and are valuable assets for job seekers. Employers often look for entry-level certification holders when hiring as certification demonstrates a candidate has acquired a level of KPIs lending validation to an applicant. More information on these programs is located below.

Finance: Securities Industry Professional (SIE)

Governed by: FINRA

SIE Job Title Examples: Financial Agent, Relationship Banker, Sales Representative, Financial Services Apprenticeship, Financial Customer Service Professional

Salary Range: $20 - $33 / hour with a national average of $25/hour*

The SIE certification is considered the first step in establishing a career in the Securities Industry. FINRA requires the SIE certification as a prerequisite to their other certifications. This certification proves a candidate’s knowledge of basic securities industry information, including concepts fundamental to working in the industry, such as types of products and their risks; the structure of the securities industry markets, regulatory agencies and their functions; and prohibited practices.

Exam at A Glance 

  • Eligibility Requirements: 18 years of age or older
  • Number of Questions: 75
  • Format: Multiple Choice
  • Duration: 1 hour + 45 minutes
  • Passing Score: 70
  • Cost: $80
  • Certification Retirement: 4 years

More information at: https://www.finra.org/registration-exams-ce/qualification-exams/securities-industry-essentials-exam

Click here to learn about UD’s SIE program.

*According to ZipRecruiter

Human Resources: Associate Professional in HR (aPHR)

Governed by: HRCI

aPHR Jobs Title Examples: HR Specialist, HR Generalist, HR Coordinator, HR Assistant

Salary Range: $15-$48/hour; national average $26/hour*

The aPHR certification is the first HR certification designed for people just beginning in HR or for non-HR managers who oversee people. This certification proves a candidate’s knowledge of compliance and risk management, employee relations, talent acquisition, compensation and benefits, and learning and development.

Exam at A Glance 

  • Eligibility Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
  • Number of Questions: 90 – 25 of the 90 questions are “pretest” questions which are unscored and used to evaluate the validity of future exam questions.
  • Format: Multiple Choice
  • Duration: 1 hour + 45 minutes
  • Passing Score: 500 (exam scores range from 100 – 700)
  • Cost: $300 exam fee + $100 application fee
  • Certification Retirement: 3 years after testing
  • Recertification: To maintain your aPHR certification, you must earn 45 recertification credits over the 3-year timespan.

More information at: https://www.hrci.org/certifications/individual-certifications/aphr

Click here to learn about UD’s aPHR program.

*According to ZipRecruiter

Information Technology: CompTIA certifications in Security+, Network+, Cloud+, and more

Governed by: CompTIA

IT Jobs Title Examples: IT Support Specialist, IT Specialist, Cloud Specialist, Security Specialist, IT Help Desk Agent, Level 1 System Administrator, Associate Network Engineer, Junior Systems Administrator

Salary Range: $21,500 - $71,000 annually with a national average of $48,297/year*

The CompTIA A+, Network+, Cloud+, and Security+ certifications are great entry-level certifications that allow you to stand out from your peers looking to launch a career in IT. These certifications provide solid foundational knowledge in a specialized area, validating your knowledge and understanding of information technology.

Exam at A Glance 

  • Eligibility Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent
  • Number of Questions: varies by specific exam, usually no more than 90 questions
  • Format: Multiple choice, drag and drop activities, performance-based items. The multiple-choice questions are single- and multiple-response. Performance-based items test your ability to solve problems in a simulated environment.
  • Duration: 1 hour + 30 minutes
  • Passing Score: 720-750 depending on the specific exam; exam scores range from 100 – 900
  • Cost: varies by exam
  • Certification Retirement: 3 years
  • Recertification: 20-75 continuing education units; varies by certification

More information at: https://www.comptia.org

Click here to learn about UD’s partnership program with United Training for CompTIA certification.

*According to ZipRecruiter

Project Management: Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)

Governed by: PMI

CAPM Job Title Examples: Project Coordinator, Junior Project Manager, Associate Project Manager, IT Project Coordinator, Program Delivery Coordinator, Project Consultant

Salary Range: $34-$51/hour; national average $36/hour*

The Certified Associate of Project Management (CAPM) is a globally recognized credential that opens the door to opportunities at every stage of your career in project management. This certification proves a candidate’s knowledge of the fundamentals of project management, the role of the project manager, project integration management, and project management structure. As well as validating understanding of a project's scope, schedule, cost, quality, resource management, project procurement, communication, stakeholder management, and risk management.

Exam at A Glance 

  • Eligibility Requirements: High school diploma or equivalent + 23 hours of PMI-approved project management education
  • Number of Questions: 150; Included in the 150 questions are 15 pretest questions that are not graded and used as a test set for future exams.
  • Format: Multiple Choice
  • Duration: 3 hours
  • Passing Score: 500 (exam scores range from 100 – 700)
  • Cost: $300 for non-PMI members or $225 for PMI members
  • Certification Retirement: 3 years
  • Recertification: 15 professional development units (PDU) within the 3-year cycle

More information at: https://www.pmi.org/certifications/become-a-project-manager/capm

Click here to learn about UD’s Project Management Essentials program.

*According to ZipRecruiter

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