The Analytics Certification Board (ACB) recognizes that there have been significant changes within the education and training in analytics. As the leader in credentialing for analytics professionals, the ACB recently approved changes for the eligibility pathway and examination process for the Associate Certified Analytics Professional (aCAP) certification – the stepping stone to the elite Certified Analytics Professional (CAP).
aCAP Eligibility Requirements
What stays the same:
Ethics: Applicants must pledge to adhere to the Code of Ethics for analytics practitioners.
Exam: Applicants for aCAP certification must pass an exam based on analytics practice. The practice parameters are detailed in the Job Task Analysis (JTA). All items in the exam are directly linked to the JTA.
What’s new:
Candidates for aCAP are not required to have formal education in analytics, experience in the field or have soft skills confirmed by third parties.
Rationale for removal of education and no more than three years’ experience in analytics:
The ACB recognizes that there are multiple avenues beyond master’s degree programs in which candidates can gain education and training in analytics. Additionally, there are candidates who would never qualify for the CAP credential due to formal education barriers. By removing the requirement of formal education for the aCAP certification, the ACB recognizes the knowledge and skills of those who are able to pass the exam, regardless of where/how they obtained the knowledge and training.
These changes to the aCAP certification program still support the opportunity for those interested in pursuing the more prestigious CAP credential in the future, while still recognizing their skills today. The ACB is working hard to build a career pathway for all data analytics professionals. This is just one of many growth opportunities the ACB has taken into consideration as they create a more robust certification program within the field of analytics.