I was speaking with some ITIL Experts last week and they asked me if there is any value in someone getting V3 certified since ITIL 4 releases in 2019. Here is my answer. Take a look and let me know your thoughts.

First off, great question. There is a lot of confusion over the ITIL 4 release as many of the details are still under wraps. From a 10,000 foot look we all know that we live in a world of updates and change does not happen overnight. Companies have infrastructures and processes and systems in place and they don’t throw them away when a new version is released. And most new versions include key elements of the current version, so the baby is not being thrown out with the bath water.

ITIL V3 Is Alive & Well

Right now, ITIL is V3.  V3 is alive and well and will be maintained until at least June 2020.  The ITIL 4 Foundation is being released Q1 2019 – or sometime in the next 4 months. The remainder of the ITIL 4 courses are scheduled to be released sometime June 2019 to December 2019.

Migration Game Plan

If I were new to ITIL and had funds for exams, I would get V3 Foundation and ITIL 4 Foundation Certified.  ITIL V3 Foundation is required for many positions and I don’t see that requirement going away for the next 12 months minimum. ITIL 4 Foundation is new and takes ITIL to the next level and if I wanted to be fully prepared to help my company transition from ITIL V3 to ITIL 4 or have certifications that helped me stand out, get promoted or get a new job, then I would get ITIL 4 Foundation Certified too. If I was already ITIL V3 Foundation Certified, I would get ITIL 4 Foundation Certified for the same reasons.

For the more advanced V3 certificate holders I would come up to speed on ITIL 4 by reading the book when it is released or taking a class. In my opinion there is no need for advanced certificate holders to get the ITIL 4 Foundation certificate. Advanced ITIL 3 Certificate holders (17 V3 credits or more) will be able to take the ITIL 4 Managing Professional transition course when it is released second half of 2019 and achieve the new ITIL 4 Managing Professional Certification.  This enables individuals with 17 or more ITIL V3 credits to take 1 course instead of 4 to become ITIL 4 Managing Professional Certified. If you are on your way to 17 credits in ITIL V3, keep going as it will allow you accelerated access to the ITIL 4 Managing Professional Certification.

I hope this article has been informative. If you have any questions, we are here to help.

 

1. The sale begins today so you don’t have to interrupt Thanksgiving to SAVE BIG.

2. You don’t have to wait outside in the cold and get pushed and shoved by thousands of people to get this deal.

3. When your boss comes in and asks you what ITIL is all about, you will know the answer.

4. When ITIL 4 is released the price will be 4x more expensive because it is new and training companies will not need to discount.

5. ITIL credentials look great on your resume and help with raises and promotions.

AND – Click Here to secure your ITIL 4 Foundation Voucher during during the Black Friday 2018 Sale!

This Month ONLY – October 2018 ALL ITIL Exam Vouchers are $100 off the PeopleCert List Price.

• ITIL Foundation: List Price $349/SALE Price $249
• ITIL Practitioner: List Price $469/SALE Price $369
• ITIL Intermediate: List Price $399/SALE Price $299
• ITIL MALC: List Price $399/SALE Price $299

ITIL Exam Voucher Valid for 1 Year
You have 1 year after the date of purchase to use your ITIL Exam Voucher. If you are planning to take ITIL exams in the next 12 months, then now is the time to purchase your exam vouchers.

How to Purchase and SAVE!

• CLICK HERE to purchase your ITIL Foundation Exam Voucher
• CLICK HERE to request all over Exam Vouchers
• CLICK HERE to purchase vouchers for your team

Buy as many as you need today and Save $100 to $1000 or MORE!

ITIL Exam Background

As of January 1, 2018, AXELOS made PeopleCert the only ITIL Exam Institute in the world.  Prior to this date there were several including PeopleCert, EXIN and APMG.  So, this means that you can only take your ITIL Exams from PeopleCert.

PeopleCert in turn accredits training organizations and exam providers who in turn are allowed to sell ITIL exam vouchers.  So, when it comes to purchasing ITIL exams you can purchase them from PeopleCert directly or you can purchase them from an accredited training organization (ATO) or an accredited exam organization (AEO).  Each operates under the rules and regulations of PeopleCert and are able to sell ITIL exams under the guidelines set for them by PeopleCert.

Step 1: When you are ready to buy your ITIL exam voucher, look for ITIL ATO or AEO as they almost always will offer you a lower price than the Exam Institute.  Exam institutes typically have resellers that offer their exams, so you will find that the resellers usually offer better prices.

Step 2: To find an exam reseller do a Google search. If the deals you see are too good to be true, like get certified for $29, then it is too good to be true. There are no ITIL exams anywhere in the world that you can purchase for $29.

For example, here is the 2018 List Price for ITIL Exams:

• ITIL Foundation – $349
• ITIL Intermediate Track Courses & MALC – $399
• ITIL Practitioner – $469

Step 3: Make sure that the organization selling you the exam is authorized to do so. That means they need to be an ITIL ATO or an AEO.

Remember – ITIL Exam Vouchers are valid for use for 1 year from the date of purchase. So, if you know you are taking your exam within 365 days, you can buy your exam voucher now and know that you have 365 days to use it. And, PeopleCert will let you extend the voucher for 6 months for a small fee as long as you contact them before the 1 year from date of purchase is up.

To check out GogoTraining’s current ITIL Foundation Exam Deal, Click Here. To get prices on ITIL Practitioner, Intermediate or MALC exams, Contact US.

Good News!  AXELOS and PeopleCert have just announced that your current ITIL certifications will remain valid following the ITIL 4 Update.  Other than that bit of news, there is nothing more to report.  Throughout the rest of the year AXELOS will be sharing what they are doing and getting feedback.  A major announcement is expected from AXELOS in August 2018.  The bottom line:

• If you hold current ITIL Certifications – your certificates will remain valid
• If you are needing to get trained – go ahead as all certificates will remain valid

We will update you as more news is released.

If you have specific questions, send them to customerservice@gogotraining.com or call us at 877.546.4446.

What is ITIL?

ITIL is an acronym for the Information Technology Infrastructure Library that was created in the 1980s by the UK Government’s Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency. The agency understood that a set of standardized service management practices was necessary to align service management delivery from one agency to another. What started out as a set of recommendations grew into ITIL V1. ITIL has had several versions with V1 arriving in late 80s, V2 in late 90s, V3 in 2007 and then ITIL 2011. ITIL is currently undergoing another revision to include how ITIL relates to other frameworks and standards including Agile, DevOps, Lean, ISO 20000 and more.

Who Uses ITIL Today?

The figures vary. In Europe it is suggested that up to 70% of European business leaders consider ITIL a must have in their organizations . Outside of the UK the number of organizations that have adopted and adapted ITIL is estimated to be around 33%.

Why Do Organizations Adopt ITIL?

When organizations adopt and adapt ITIL, they ensure that their services are delivered according to well defined best practices that allows them to increase customer satisfaction and better manage their processes and reduce costs.

ITIL Certification Salaries

No doubt certifications assist in higher paying jobs and raises. Most report that holding an ITIL Foundation Certification can jump your salary $5,000 to as much as $13,000. The 2016 Global Knowledge IT Skills and Salary Report shares that the average salary for ITIL-certified professionals ranges from $92,000 to $105,842 and that more than 90 percent of respondents to their survey reported their average salary with an ITIL Foundation certificate exceeded $98,000.

How to Get ITIL Certifications

#1 – ITIL Foundation

You start with the Foundation Certification. It is a TON of information. There is no requirement to take an accredited course to pass the exam, however it is HIGHLY recommended. The exam is 100% on the content in the course. When you take an Accredited ITIL Foundation course then you know for sure you are getting all the info you need to pass. Courses are available live at training organization location, live online and On-Demand to give you ultimate flexibility.

#2 – What Next After ITIL Foundation?

After ITIL Foundation Certification you can go on to become ITIL Practitioner Certified or move into the ITIL Intermediate courses.

ROUTE 1 = ITIL Practitioner

This is a relatively new certification that was released about 2 years ago and it is the only course out of 12 that actually shows students how to adopt and adapt ITIL. ITIL Practitioner like ITIL Foundation has no formal training requirement, however, it has the lowest pass rate of all 12 exams. There is a great deal of knowledge and practical experience required to pass this exam and we do not recommend students take this exam without having (1) taken the ITIL Practitioner course and (2) taken at least one of the ITIL Intermediate courses. The exam requires you to adopt and adapt what you learned. It is not repeating concepts. It is the most expensive ITIL exam retailing at $469 from PeopleCert.

Route 2 = The ITIL Intermediate Path

This is the second option and the more common path following ITIL Foundation Certification. AND – YOU MUST hold an ITIL Foundation certificate to take these exams. To take any of these exams you MUST have taken an Accredited Course and hold a Certificate of Completion. The Intermediate series is made up of 9 courses split into a Lifecycle track and a Capability track. You can stick with one path or mix and match from the both.

i. Intermediate Service Lifecycle Courses – Managers take this path

1. Service Strategy
2. Service Transition
3. Service Design
4. Service Operation
5. Continual Service Improvement

ii. Intermediate Capability Courses – The people who do the work/implement ITIL take this path

1. Service Offerings and Agreements
2. Planning, Protection and Optimization
3. Release, Control and Validation
4. Operational Support and Analysis

#3 – Becoming an ITIL Expert

After Foundation and completing 17 credits in one of these paths or a combination of courses (some people like to mix and match), then the student has enough points to take the Managing Across the Lifecycle course (MALC) which allows them to sit for the MALC exam. You need a minimum of 17 credits to take MALC.

a. Foundation is 2 credits
b. Lifecycle course are 3 each
c. Capability are 4 each
d. MALC is 5

#4 – PeopleCert Certification Exam

Once you have prepared for an exam and hold the required Certificate of Completion for the Intermediate and MALC courses, then you are ready to purchase and take your exam. The official exam provider for all ITIL exams as of January 1, 2018 is PeopleCert. You can purchase your ITIL Exams from PeopleCert directly or from an Authorized Exam Organization. Exams can be taken at exam centers and Online so you can take them from the comfort of your home or office.

We hope this article on ITIL Certification has been informative and helpful. If you have any questions, we are here to help. You can reach us by phone at, 877.546.4446 or via email at, customerservice@gogotraining.com

When it comes to the ITIL Foundation exam, students–especially those with experience–often think that they can take the sample exams and then sit for the exam and pass.  While that may be true for some, it is not true for everyone.  The ITIL Foundation course establishes the basis upon which all advanced ITIL courses and certifications are built.  It is full of facts and details which you need to master in order to pass the exam.  Sample Exams are just that, sample exams.  They are not the actual test.  They are created by AXELOS and distributed by PeopleCert for students to test their knowledge.  They do not guarantee success.  In order to guarantee success you have to study.  Master the facts.  Know them.  And be able to apply them in the exam.

While it is true that ITIL Foundation has the highest pass rate of all the ITIL Exams, in the 92 to 94% range, 6 to 8% of the people who take the exam will not pass.  While 6 to 8% seems like a small number, take a look at some eye opening statistics:

• Over 200,000 people take the exam each year
• 12,000 to 16,000 people who take the exam will fail.
• Failure costs $4 to $5.58 million dollars a year ($349/voucher)

How to Pass Your ITIL Foundation Exam the First Time

No one ever likes to hear this, but the answer is you MUST study.   For Foundation taking an accredited course is not required, but it is highly recommended.  Why?  Because you know that you are learning everything you need to know.  Accredited Training Providers cannot offer courses that have not been reviewed and approved.

If you are taking a live course, come prepared.  Do some advance study and then be ready with questions for the instructor.  Make the very best use of their time.  If you are taking a self-paced course, repeat and rewind until you master the concepts.  Do all the course exercises and take the sample exams.  Remember – Sample Exams are just that, a sample.  They were created by AXELOS and are the official exam samples.  You can search the internet for other materials to learn and test your knowledge, but ultimately, you must know the content to pass the exam.

Important Self-Paced Course Features

• Make sure the course is accredited
• Make sure you can watch the course as many times as needed
• Make sure you have access to the instructor to ask questions
• Make sure the provider includes a Training Plan
• Make sure the instructor gives you Exam Tips

If you have questions on exam prices, need to get more ITIL Training  or would like to purchase exam vouchers, contact us customerservice@gogotraining.com or call us at 877.546.4446.

Group Discounts on courses and exams are available for groups of 5 or more.  If you have a group to train, contact us at customerservice@gogotraining.com or by phone at 877.546.4446.

Since our last update on ITIL Exam Prices PeopleCert has finalized their 2018 prices as follows:

• ITIL Foundation Exams went from $233 to $349
• ITIL Intermediate Exams and MALC went from $330 to $399
• ITIL Practitioner Exams went from $356 to $496

 How to Save on your ITIL Exam Fees

All GogoTraining Members receive 10% off their ITIL Exam Fees and exams may be purchase on the site.  In addition, larger discounts are available when exam vouchers are purchase in bulk.  If you have questions on exam prices, need to get more ITIL Training  or would like to purchase exam vouchers, contact us customerservice@gogotraining.com or call us at 877.546.4446.

Group Discounts on courses and exams are available for groups of 5 or more.  If you have a group to train, contact us at customerservice@gogotraining.com or by phone at 877.546.4446

As many of you know PEOPLECERT was chosen by AXELOS to be the only Accredited ITIL Exam Institute as of January 1, 2018.  This means that effective January 1, 2018 the only organization that is authorized to provide ITIL Exams will be PEOPLECERT.  In preparation for this changeover GogoTraining became a PEOPLECERT Accredited Training Organization earlier this year.

2018 ITIL Exam Price Increase

We were recently informed that PEOPLECERT is increasing exam prices as of January 1, 2018.  Exam vouchers purchased in 2017 will not be valid for use in 2018.

Here is what we know so far:

• The Foundations exams are going from $233 to $295
• Intermediate exams and MALC expected to go from $330 to $345
• Practitioner is expected to go from $356 to $395

If you have questions on exam prices, need to get more ITIL Training  or would like to purchase exam vouchers, contact us customerservice@gogotraining.com or call us at877.546.4446.

Group Discounts on courses and exams are available for groups of 5 or more.  If you have a group to train, contact us at customerservice@gogotraining.com or by phone at877.546.4446

The best performing professionals in the IT industry are passionate about learning. Technology is changing rapidly and it is difficult to keep up with the pace of that change. Also, the rapid changes in environment necessitate change in people. Continuous education is imperative to bring the necessary change.  Top performers understand the need for consistent learning and this is what enables them to have a successful career in IT industry.

Satya Nadella, in his first email to employees after becoming the CEO at Microsoft, wrote,“Many who know me say I am also defined by my curiosity and thirst for learning. I buy more books than I can finish. I sign up for more online courses than I can complete. I fundamentally believe that if you are not learning new things, you stop doing great and useful things. So family, curiosity and hunger for knowledge all define me.” This powerful statement summarizes the usefulness of acquiring new skills and certifications.

ITIL certification is one such certification.  IT professionals who want to advance their career must pursue ITIL certification.  Being ITIL certified results inhigher salaries and career advancement.   In this article we will take you through various aspects of ITIL certifications to help you better understand the opportunities that lie ahead once you get ITIL certified.

What is ITIL?

A few decades ago, Information Technology was complex and expensive and only skilled professionals understood it. People with great technical expertise used to be part of IT departments and they were the ones who consulted businesses on the IT system and components. Unfortunately, very few of them had a sound understanding of what businesses really needed. This wasn’t the only problem. Large IT organizations were merely managing technology rather than providing services.

The development of the ITIL framework led to the standardization of IT processes. This was the time when IT companies shifted their focus on providing services to their customers rather than just managing technology. ITIL laid a strong emphasis on standardization of processes which helped IT companies in two ways:

1. Improving the quality of services
2. Reducing the cost of service delivery

It also reduced the dependencies of the advice of the IT professionals in the business and commercial matters and it bridged the gap between technology and business considerably. IT companies became more efficient and effective whenever they adopted ITIL processes. For example

• Implementing incident management helped in resolving incidents quickly at low costs (they needed fewer resources to resolve incidents)
• Introducing capacity management that meant that the IT infrastructure was less expensive and more responsive to business demand

A brief History of ITIL

Before explaining details of ITIL certifications, let us have a look at a brief history of ITIL:

ITIL Certifications Overview and Credit System

ITIL credit system follows a modular system where you receive credits on completion of each module. The credits earned become qualifying criteria for next module.

ITIL Foundation – ITIL foundation deals with key concepts, elements and terminology of ITIL services lifecycle management. The first level of ITIL certification with 40 multiple choice question. There is no prerequisite to undertake this certification. It awards 2 credits to successful candidates. No prerequisites are required to take this examination.

ITIL Practitioner – ITIL Practitioner comes after Foundation and is designed to help people implement what they learned in Foundation.  ITIL Practitioner training classes are full on workshops that help students implement what they learned in Foundation. It awards 3 credits to successful candidates however it is not a prerequisite to take ITIL Intermediate or other advance level exams.

ITIL Intermediate – The eligibility criteriafor ITILintermediate level requires candidates to have passed ITIL Foundation and complete an accredited training course.Candidates are awarded 15 or 16 credits upon successful completion of ITIL Intermediate exams. There are two elements in intermediate level, Service Lifecycle examinations and Service Capability examinations.

Service Lifecycle examinations includes

• Service Strategy
• Service Design
• Service Transition
• Service Operations
• Continual Service Improvement

Service capability examinations include

• Planning Protection & Optimization
• Release Control & Validation
• Operational Support & Analysis and
• Service Offerings and Agreements

ITIL Managing Across the Lifecycle – You must pass ITIL Foundation and ITIL intermediate level exam and earn a total of 17 credits to be eligible for ITIL Managing Across the Lifecycle (MALC) exam. You will earn5 credits on successful completion of MALC exam.

ITIL Expert Level – You should have earned 22 credits from ITIL Foundation exam, ITIL intermediate level exam and MALC exam to be eligible for ITIL expert level exam.

ITIL Master Qualification – You must be ITIL expert level qualified to appear for ITIL master qualification. To achieve this qualification, you must “explain and justify how you selected and individually applied a range of knowledge, principles, methods and techniques from ITIL and supporting management techniques, to achieve desired business outcomes in one or more practical assignments. (Source: www.exin.com)”

Benefits of ITIL certifications for Individuals

ITIL certifications will definitely boost your career and salary prospects. According to various surveys, ITIL certification is one of the top 20 most sought after certifications (in IT industry) in the world. According to an “Indeed” survey, professionals with ITIL certifications earn 38% higher salary as compared to their non-certified peers. Here is a trend of salaries of ITIL certified individuals over past few years:

(Source: Indeed.com)

Job Titles For ITIL Professionals

The job titles or designations entirely depend on level of ITIL certifications as well as years of experience in IT industry. After completing ITIL Foundation exam successfully you may enter industry as a Business Analyst or Solution Engineer. At middle and senior level you may become Change Management Manager, Service Delivery Manager, Program Manager – IT, Director – Information Technology, etc.

Advantages of ITIL implementation for Organizations

Most of the major IT companies have implemented ITIL. An ITIL implementation report from Gartner says, “clients have identified improved customer satisfaction with IT services, better communications and information flows between IT staff and customers, and reduced costs in developing procedures and practices within an enterprise”. According to a Forrester survey, more than 80% of businesses thought that “ITIL had improved their organizational productivity and service quality significantly”.

If implemented correctly, organizations can derive the following benefits in the medium to long term

• Improved quality of the services
• Reduction in cost of delivery IT services
• Creating values for their customers and meeting business requirements
• Achieving excellence in whatever they do – Continuously improving the processes
• Improved coordination with clients and partners
• Easy to scale the business
• Focus on SLAs (Service Level Agreements)

Cost of ITIL Certification

Here is a list of pricing for EXIN ITIL Exam cost and passing criteria

You can save some bucks on your ITIL examination fee. Contact us on customerservice@gogotraining.com and we will arrange a coupon code for you.

Cost of ITIL Training Program

The cost of ITIL certification courses differs from institute to institute. It depends on the experience of the instructors, their competencies and track record. While selecting a training institute, you mustn’t focus entirely on the cost. It is necessary that you strike the right balance between the cost and other above mentioned factors. GogoTraining offers an excellent combination when it comes to cost and the experiences and skills of the trainers.

You can check out the cost of training program here: https://gogotraining.com/training/libraries/17/itil/

If you want to know more details or have any queries, just send an email at customerservice@gogotraining.com for current discount and offers on ITIL training programs.

Advantages of our Online ITIL Training Courses

• Instructor Led Training Program
• Experienced Instructors with 20+ years industry experience
• Access to Instructors for support and queries
• Self-paced learning – You can learn at any time as per your convenience
• Cost effective as compared to classroom programs.

You can take advantage of these benefits and much more from the online courses at GogoTraining. We ensure that our students get the necessary support and incubation that will allow them to not just complete the certification courses in a convenient manner but groom them as efficient ITIL professionals with the required competencies and skills.

How to choose right training provider for ITIL Certification?

The first thing is to ensure that you enroll only to an Accredited Training Service Provider and Examination Institute.

There are a number of Accredited Training Organizations (ATOs)those that have been fully accredited by an approved Examination Institute and provide ITIL certification courses, both online and in person.

• Check their track record
• Instructor’s experience
• Course Details
• Pass Percentage

GogoTraining is an Accredited ITIL Training Organization. Accredited by Axelos and EXIN in ITIL Foundation through MALC and will be releasing the ITIL Practitioner course Summer 2016.  Course authors have been working in teaching in the field for over 20 years and are considered top in their field.  GogoTraining has the necessary accreditation and we have helped numerous ITIL aspirants to realize their potential of becoming successful ITIL professionals.

Still have a query? We are here to help.  If you want to know more details,  have any questions, or would like to find out about current discount offers on ITIL Training Programs contact customerservice@gogotraining.com.