In this decade where traditional methods for Project Development are on the verge of being obsolete, organisations are in dire need of Agile. Call for Agile experts has expanded in the IT business and is spreading to multiple areas of businesses also. This request triggers the requirement for certifications which enlisting organisations can manage an account with.
These certifications range from the entry level to the advanced levels and are benefiting the software professionals in more ways than one. In the recent times, there has also been a need to upgrade Agile practices in organisations, and this, exactly, has given rise to the demand for scaled Agile. This has spurred the software professionals to take up Leading SAFe® certifications to enhance their career.
This article will discuss the top Leading SAFe® 4.5 certifications and their career benefits.
Benefits of the certification
Generally speaking, certification will help you to get the following benefits-
- Better foresight
- Better salary
- Better integrity
- Keeping pace with the current market approach
Top 6 SAFe® 4.5 certifications
1. Leading SAFe® 4.5 training (SAFe® Agilist)
SAFe® Agilist(SA) certification will help you to empower your organisation’s success. SA certification will allow you not only to execute and deliver value through Agile Release Trains but also to lead a Lean-Agile transformation in scaled organisations. This certification will also let you build a continuous delivery pipeline even in a DevOps culture. Also, the course exhibits the power of coordinating with the larger solutions and promoting a Lean portfolio culture within the enterprise.
Learning Objectives:
As a SAFe® Agilist (SA), you should be able to-
- Exhibit how the combination of Lean, Agile, and Product Development shapes the SAFe® foundation.
- Apply SAFe® principles to scale Lean and Agile development in the organization
- Find out and apply a Lean-Agile Mindset and principles accordingly
- Consistently discover, incorporate, deploy, and deliver value
- Engage with a Lean portfolio
- Harmonising for the development of the larger solutions
- Improve Lean-Agile leadership skills
- Bolster a Lean-Agile transfiguration in the enterprise
- Finish the SA training and lead to the certification exam
What will attendees get?
- 2-Day Instructor-Led Classroom Training
- 16 PDUs and 16 SEUs
- Courseware authored by Scaled Agile, Inc
- One year membership with Scaled Agile
- Free downloadable reference materials from Scaled Agile Framework
The course is for:
- Executives and Leaders, Managers, Directors, CIOs, and VPs
- Development, QA, and Infrastructure Management
- Program and Project Managers
- Product and Product Line Management
- Portfolio Managers, PMO, and Process Leads
- Enterprise, System, and Solution Architects
Prerequisites:
The course is free for the desired attendees. But, following prerequisites are needed to attend the SAFe® Agilist (SA) exam-
- 5+ years’ experience in software development, testing, business analysis, product, or project management
- Experience in Scrum
Exam Details:
- Time-span: Candidates have 90 minutes (1.5 hours), commencement of the exam
- Number of Questions: 45
- Passing Score: 34 out of 45 (76% passing score)
Certification:
On clearing the certification exam, the candidates will receive-
- SAFe® 4.5 Agilist certificate
- 1-year membership with the SAFe® Community Platform, which includes access to the SA Community of Practice
- A variety of learning resources to support you during your SAFe® journey
2. SAFe 4.5 for teams (SP)
Today, SAFe® 4.5 certified practitioners are in huge demand for their ability to scale the Agile methodology within the enterprise. This course makes the team aware of the Scrum principles, Lean thinking tools, roles, and processes. New teams or Scrum teams seeking for the Agile adoption and scaling within the organization, will find this course much helpful.
Learning Objectives:
As a SAFe® Practitioner (SP), you should be able to-
- Demonstrate SAFe® Agile principles to the team
- Manage Agile teams on Agile Release Train
- Plan sprint iterations
- Implement iterations and deliver value
- Develop your team
- Coordinate with other teams on the train
What will attendees get?
- 16 PDUs and 16 SEUs
- Freely downloadable e-book
- 100 Days’ Free Access to Agile and Scrum e-training
The course is for:
- Team members who want to apply Lean and Agile principles
- All team members of an Agile Release Train (ART) preparing for the launch
Prerequisites:
The course is free for all attendees. But, following prerequisites are needed to attend the SAFe® Practitioner (SP) exam-
- Familiar with Agile principles
- Aware of Scrum, Kanban, and XP
- Experience in software and hardware development processes
Exam Details:
- Time-span: Candidates have 90 minutes (1.5 hours), once the exam has commenced
- Number of Questions: 45
- Passing Score: 35 out of 45 (78% passing score)
Certification:
On clearing the certification exam, the candidates will receive-
- SAFe® 4.5 Practitioner (SP) certificate
3. SAFe 4.5 Product Owner/Product Manager (POPM)
The SAFe® 4.5 POPM certification is intended to make Product Owners/Product Managers aware of the SAFe® principles, Lean-Agile tools, Agile development practices and SAFe® framework.
Learning Objectives:
As a SAFe® 4.5 (POPM), you should be able to-
- Implement SAFe® practices in the Lean enterprise
- Attach SAFe® Lean-Agile principles and values to the PO/PM roles
- Combine with Lean Portfolio Management
- Implement the Program Increment and deliver continuous value
- Create a PM/PM’s role action plan
What will attendees get?
- Training from a certified industry expert
- Downloadable courseware
- 16 PDUs from PMI ® (PMI-ACP® / PMP® recertification)
- 15 SEUs for CSP
- Attendee workbook
- Make you ready to attend the SAFe® 4 Product Owner/Product Manager (POPM) exam
- One-year membership to the SAFe® Community Platform
- Course completion certificate
The course is for:
- Product Managers, Product Line Managers, Product Owners, Business Owners, and Business Analysts
- Solution Managers, Portfolio Managers, Program Managers, PMO personnel, and Process Leads
- Enterprise, Solution, and System Architects
Prerequisites:
The course is free to the desired attendees. But, following prerequisites are needed to attend the SAFe® 4.5 POPM exam.
- Leading SAFe® course attendees
- Working experience in the SAFe® environment
- Experience with Lean, Agile, or other relevant methods
Exam Details:
- Time-span: Candidates have 90 minutes (1.5 hours), once the exam has commenced
- Number of Questions: 45
- Passing Score: 35 out of 45 (78% passing score)
Certification:
On clearing the certification exam, the candidates will receive-
- SAFe® 4.5 Product Owner/Product Manager (POPM) certificate
4. SAFe® 4.5 Advanced Scrum Master (SASM) course
The SAFe® 4.5 Advanced Scrum Master (SASM) certification equips the candidates with the skills that can be applied to lead high-performance Agile teams. Also, candidates will learn to apply DevOps practices and Kanban techniques and managing the interactions between the teams, stakeholders, and the Product Managers.
Learning Objectives:
As an SASM certified professional, you should be able to-
- Apply SAFe® principles in a multi-team environment
- Build a high-performing team and enable continuous improvement
- Understand Agile and Scrum anti-patterns
- Facilitate program planning, implementation, and value delivery
- Support learning through participation in Communities of Practice and innovation cycles
What will attendees get?
- 16 PDUs and 16 SEUs
- Freely downloadable e-book
- Course completion certificate
- Attendee workbook
- One-year membership to the SAFe® Community Platform
The course is for:
- Existing Scrum Masters
- Team leaders, project managers, and an Agile Team facilitator in a SAFe®
- Agile coaches
- Engineering and development managers executing Agile
- Agile Program Managers
- Prospective SAFe® Release Train Engineers
Prerequisites:
The course is free for the attendees. But, having at least one or more of the following certifications is recommended to attend the SAFe® 4.5 ASM exam-
- SAFe® 4 Scrum Master (SSM) certification
- Certified Scrum Master (CSM) certification
- Professional Scrum Master (PSM) certification
Exam Details:
- Time-span: Candidates have 120 minutes, once the exam has commenced
- Number of Questions: 60
- Passing Score: 42 out of 60 (70% passing score)
Certification:
On clearing the certification exam, the candidates will receive-
- SAFe® 4.5 Advanced Scrum Master (SASM) certificate
5. SAFe® 4.5 Scrum Master with SSM certification training
SAFe® 4.5 Scrum Master(SSM) certification will make you well-versed with the main components of the Scaled Agile Framework and allow you to lead high-performing Agile teams. This course will help you to improve quality of the products reducing time-to-market.
Learning Objectives:
As a SAFe® 4.5 Scrum Master with SSM certification training, you should be able to-
- Discuss Scrum practices in a SAFe® implementing enterprise
- Facilitate Scrum events
- Facilitate effective Iteration execution
- Assist DevOps implementation
- Support effective Program Increment execution
- Support continuous improvement
- Train Agile teams to maximize business results
- Assist DevOps implementation
What will attendees get?
- Prepare and support to clear the exam
- 16 PDUs and 16 SEUs (under the category C)
- Course completion certificate
The course is for:
- New Scrum Masters
- Present Scrum Masters, who wish to assume new roles in the SAFe® enterprise
- Team Leads who want to understand the Scrum Master role
- SAFe® Release Train Engineers (RTEs) who want to coach for the role of the Scrum Masters
Prerequisites:
The course is free for the attendees. But, following prerequisites are a must to take the SAFe® 4.5 SSM exam-
- Familiarity with Agile principles
- Should be aware of Scrum, Kanban, and eXtreme Programming (XP)
- Work experience in software and hardware development processes
Exam Details:
- Time-span: Candidates have 90 minutes (1.5 hours), once the exam has commenced
- Number of Questions: 45
- Passing Score: 33 out of 45 (73% passing score)
Certification:
On clearing the certification exam, the candidates will receive-
- SAFe® 4.5 Scrum Master (SSM) certificate
6. SAFe® 4.5 Release Train Engineer (RTE) certification course
SAFe® 4.5 RTE course will educate you on building the high-performing ART and understanding the role of the RTE in a Lean-Agile transformation. Also, the attendees will learn to mentor the Agile leaders, teams and the Scrum Masters and how to prepare, plan and execute a Program Increment (PI).
Learning Objectives:
As a SAFe® 4.5 Scrum Master with SSM certification training, you should be able to-
- Apply Lean-Agile principles and tools to execute and deliver value
- Fostering continuous improvement
- Construct a high-performing ART as a servant leader and coach
- Preparing an action plan to continue the learning journey
What will attendees get?
- Preparation and support for the SAFe® 4.5 Release Train Engineer (RTE) exam
- Course completion certificate
- One-year membership to the SAFe® Community Platform
The course is for:
- RTEs and Solution Train Engineers (STEs)
- Program and project managers
- Scrum Masters
- Leaders and managers
- Agile coaches
- SAFe® Program Consultants (SPCs)
Prerequisites:
Following are the prerequisites required to attend the exam-
- Should have at least one current SAFe® certification
- Have launched or participated in at least one ART and one PI
Exam Details:
- Time-span: Candidates have 120 minutes to complete the exam
- Number of Questions: 60
- Passing Score: 40 out of 45 (67% passing score)
- Each retake attempt costs $250
Certification:
On clearing the certification exam, the candidates will receive-
- SAFe® 4.5 RTE certificate
Note:
- For all the courses, the registration fee includes the first exam attempt if the exam is taken within 30 days of course completion. Each retake attempt costs $50.
- After any of these SAFe® 4.5 certifications, you will get a Digital badge to promote your accomplishment online.
Summing It Up
Today, the SAFe® 4.5 certification is considered as a standard for Lean-Agile endeavours. Over 70% of the US Fortune 100 companies are utilising SAFe and the call for the SAFe® certified experts is rising at an exponential rate. The competitors that are searching for the more prominent vocation ahead, can go for the Leading SAFe® 4.5 certifications, as many employers seek candidates with credentials that convey their capability to work inside a SAFe® environment (verified through a SAFe® certification).