ISTQB

The Information Systems Examinations Board (ISEB) is an international recognised certification body for IT-professionals. An ISEB certificate is recognition of certain skills in many area's of the IT profession. ISEB has also developed a certification program for test professionals. In November 2002 the International Software Testing Qualification Board (ISTQB) was founded with the aim of further internationalisation and harmonisation of test certification programs. Currently there is worldwide harmonised and recognised Foundation certification model.

Improve Quality Services is a fully accredited ISTQB (ISEB) training provider that offers public, in-house and online courses. We were the first in the Netherlands to offer a Foundation training over seven years ago. In November 2002 we started our first practitioner training. By now we have about a dozen fully accredited trainers in our company.

The ISTQB test certification scheme has three levels:

The foundation certificate is aimed at testers (both system and acceptance), test consultants, test managers, quality managers and developers, and everybody who has an interest in structured testing. The foundation certificate shows that somebody knows the principles and elements of structured testing and can use them. There are several courses and a formal exam available for the Foundation level. 

The advanced level, formerly known as Practitioner is for experienced test professionals. This certificate shows that the holder possesses detailed knowledge of several test subjects, and has the skills to use them in practice. The requirements for this level can be found in the Practitioner syllabus. For this level there are also courses available and a formal exam.

The expert certificate is aimed at the very experienced test professionals: the specialists in the field of test techniques, test tools and test management. The expert certificate is awarded to those who have both a detailed knowledge about structured testing and extended practical experience. 

Goals
The goals of the certification program are:

• Recognition of testing as a necessary and professional software engineering discipline in the IT industry;
• Give experienced testers a way to make their skills visible to employers, customers and colleagues;
• Promote consistent and thorough test practices in all software engineering disciplines;
• Allow companies to have testers certified, hire certified testers or hire them, creating;
• The possibility for testers to differentiate themselves from others by having an industry wide recognised certificate.

For more information on the certification program: http://www.bntqb.nl.