ITIL or the Information Technology Infrastructure Library is a globally acknowledged framework for managing IT service delivery across the world. It offers a set of best practices that ensures the alignment of IT services with business needs. Companies use ITIL to identify, plan, and deliver supporting IT services to their core business functions. Some of the top companies using ITIL include the Walt Disney Company, Muller Dairy, Caterpillar, Microsoft, Honda, Sony, and Visa.
ITIL has seen vast adoption since it has presented a full lifecycle approach. However, North American organizations adopted a limited set of IT Service Management processes that basically focused on service operation and service transition. Dallas, a city in Texas, is home to a myriad of tech companies and startups, like 5 Miles, Alkami, Alto, Door.com, NectarOM. North Texas, in fact, took the top spot for metros seeking talent in core IT positions. Taking ITIL training in Dallas can help you achieve ambitious roles in tech companies if you are really interested in a career in IT Service Management.
ITIL Foundation Certification
ITIL Certification is a way to demonstrate your ability in implementing the ITIL framework in your organization and speaking the common language that IT professionals across the world understand. ITIL Certification is maintained by AXELOS, a joint venture set up in 2014 by the Government of the UK and Capita. The body also maintains the ITIL frameworks and accredits training and exam institutes. The credentials are highly recommended for professionals having mid-level to senior-level management designations.
The ITIL v3 certification scheme consists of five certification levels, namely:
- Foundation
- Practitioner
- Intermediate
- Expert
- Master
But, ITIL is currently evolving from ITIL v3 to ITIL 4. The ITIL 4 certification scheme is aligned with ITIL v3 and has been further streamlined to offer clear paths for ITIL practitioners to continue their journey.
The ITIL 4 scheme consists of four certification levels:
- Foundation
- ITIL 4 Managing Professional
- ITIL 4 Strategic Leader
- Master
The first ITIL 4 certifications made available by AXELOS are ITIL 4 Foundation and ITIL 4 Managing Professional. The other two certifications are yet to be released. So, professionals who were thinking of pursuing the ITIL v3 Foundation certification should now focus on the new ITIL 4 Foundation credential.
AXELOS launched the ITIL 4 Foundation certification on 28 February 2019. It has been designed as an introduction to ITIL 4 for professionals who wish to get a basic knowledge of the ITIL framework. It allows learners to know how IT service management can be enhanced using ITIL and to work in an organization that has adopted ITIL.
To achieve this certification, one needs to pass the ITIL Foundation certification. It consists of 40 multiple-choice questions (closed book) that need to be solved in 60 minutes. The passing score of the exam is 65% (achieving 26 marks out of 40). There are no prerequisites to take the exam, anyone with an interest in the subject matter can apply.
Professionals who achieve the ITIL 4 Foundation certification have a clear understanding of the guiding principles of ITIL 4, key concepts of Agile, DevOps, and Lean and how they deliver business value. They also know about the four dimensions of Service Management and the holistic approach to the facilitation of co-creation of value with customers in the form of products and services.
After achieving this certification, you then go on to try for the next levels mentioned above.
Should You Take up ITIL Foundation Training?
As per AXELOS, there are two ways to prepare for the ITIL Foundation exam. One is through self-study and the other is through a training program. Training is delivered by AXELOS’ Accredited Training Organizations across countries and you may find a one near to you by visiting the AXELOS website and entering your location details.
One such accredited training institute is Simplilearn. The ITIL 4 Foundation certification training offered by Simplilearn gives 19 Personal Development Units (PDUs) for self-paced learning and 22 PDUs for online classroom training.
Its course material is upgraded to ITIL 4 and provides you a thorough understanding of ITIL key concepts, principles, process models, service level management, ITIL best practices, and more. So, without having second thoughts, prepare for the ITIL Foundation certification today and become a highly paid professional.
