A Certification is an excellent way to gain an advantage in a data analytics profession. Certifications assess your knowledge and abilities against industry and vendor benchmarks to demonstrate to employers that you possess the necessary skills. The most excellent method to be noticed is to have strong qualifications in the appropriate sector. There is an extensive range of certification options accessible in the field of data science and analytics, spanning several domains and certifying the proficiency of holders in their talents. INFORMS, i.e., the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences, the major international organization for professionals in operations research and analytics, manages the Certified Analytics Professional (CAP) program, widely considered the most accepted certification in the field. It attempts to set certified analytics professionals apart from their colleagues and to improve professionals’ analytics knowledge and abilities. CAP certification establishes a guideline for firms to identify and develop future analytics experts.
What is the Certified Analytics Professional (CAP) exam, and what does it entail?
The Certified Analytics Professional (CAP) certification is a verified, independent verification of accomplished analytics and data science experts’ crucial technical knowledge and related soft skills, which analytics-oriented enterprises appreciate.
The CAP certification serves as a valuable platform for organizations to better identify and recruit top talent in the highly competitive analytics workforce. The CAP certification is meant to assess a professional’s understanding of seven distinct aspects of the analytics process, including- business problem framing, analytics problem framing, data, methodology, model building, model deployment, and lifecycle management are all topics covered in this course. This certification verifies a complete grasp of the analytics process, from defining business and analytic challenges through data acquisition, methodology, model development, deployment, and model lifecycle management. It necessitates passing the CAP test and abiding by the CAP Code of Ethics. There are 100 questions in the exam, and all of them are multiple-choice. And fortunately, you may pick whatever questions you want to go over again during the exam. The test grade is determined by how well you grasp when to use these principles and the actions required in solving issues of this nature. The number of questions for each subject will get determined by the importance and frequency of the related tasks. The computer-based exam is administered by an impartial and secure testing partner with locations across the world, allowing applicants to schedule the exam at a convenient time and in a test center close by.
You must achieve one of the following requirements to obtain the CAP credential-
A master’s degree in analytics and three years of experience are required. A bachelor’s degree in analytics and five years of experience are required. Seven years of analytics experience plus a bachelor’s or master’s degree in a non-analytics subject
Is the CAP certification worth it?
The CAP certification is a brilliant way to portray your data science expertise and understanding. It’s also an excellent approach to demonstrate that you have the necessary experience for a particular position. It can also assist you immensely advance in your job by providing potential opportunities. This certification differs from others in that it acknowledges officially trained analysts who can effectively use what they’ve learned in practice. In any analytics consulting activity, the CAP emphasizes the significance of adequate business issue conceptualization and soft skills up front. At least one analytics specialist with a CAP certification may be found in 20% of fortune 100 businesses. Employees with the ISC certification may be found in over 200 firms in more than 20 countries. While the test necessitates a thorough examination and application of prior experience and education, the CAP program’s resources and cap certification training enable applicants to prepare thoroughly and advance in their professional careers.
Cost of CAP certification
The CAP certification cost is $695. You will receive a $200 discount if you are an INFORMS member. A year’s membership in INFORMS, on the other hand, costs $195. The significant advantage of joining INFORMS is that you’ll have free access to various relevant professional development sessions.
Conclusion
Any thriving company’s lifeblood is data and big data analytics. Getting the technology right is arduous, but putting together the right team with the necessary capabilities to tackle data projects is even more difficult – a difficulty the increased demand for big data and analytics skills and certifications reflects. Employers increasingly appreciate the importance of a CAP certification and the rigorous criteria for analytics professionals who have earned it.
