New to technology and want to get an IT job that doesn't end in help desk hell or technician torture? You should check into The Linux Foundation Certified IT Associate (LFCA)[1], the new entry-level IT certification offering from the nonprofit, open-source powerhouse The Linux Foundation[2].
To get the LFCA, you must pass an exam made up of 60 multiple-choice questions. It will test your knowledge of fundamental IT concepts for an entry-level IT position in the age of cloud computing. This includes Linux, software application installation and management, hardware installation, use of the shell and basic programming, basic networking functions, and security best practices. The exam is taken remotely with a live proctor monitoring via webcam and screen sharing.
Specifically, you'll be tested on
· Linux Fundamentals (20%)
· System Administration Fundamentals (20%)
· Cloud Computing Fundamentals (20%)
· Security Fundamentals (16%)
· DevOps Fundamentals (16%)
· Supporting Applications and Developers (8%)
To get ready for the exam, there are several free edX[3] Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)[4] you'll find helpful. These free classes include Introduction to Linux[5], Introduction to Cloud Infrastructure Technologies[6], and Introduction to DevOps and Site Reliability Engineering[7].
If you pass the exam, you'll be ready to start finding an entry-level job. And, with this certification under your belt, you can start working toward the intermediate Linux Foundation Certified SysAdmin (LFCS)[8] and advanced Linux Foundation Certified Engineer (LFCE)[9] certifications.
Why bother? Because, as The Linux Foundation's 2020 Open Source Jobs Report[10] found, 93% of hiring managers are having difficulty