CompTIA has announced the worldwide release of a new CompTIA Linux+ certification exam, the market’s only job-focused Linux certification covering the latest foundational skills demanded by hiring managers.

The new CompTIA Linux+ exam validates the skills technology professionals need to secure the enterprise, power the cloud and keep today’s tech systems running.

“As organisations opt for Linux-based solutions to automate and orchestrate critical processes to scale and improve operations,” says Teresa Sears, vice-president for certification product management at CompTIA. “This creates a demand for technology professionals with the ability and skill to manage, secure, optimize and troubleshoot enterprise-level Linux systems. We are addressing this demand through greater emphasis in the new exam on how Linux powers the cloud.”

The exam covers tasks associated with all major distributions of Linux, including configuration and management of Linux systems; operation of on premise and cloud-based distributions; containerization and automation; and scripting. With these skills established as a foundation, CompTIA Linux+ certified professionals are prepared for advanced vendor- and distributor-specific knowledge.

US employers posted more than 570 000 job openings requiring Linux skills in the 12 months between June 2021 and May 2022, according to CompTIA’s analysis of data from Emsi Burning Glass. About one-half of the positions advertised were in the in the 0-2 years or 3-5 years of experience range.

Employers that rely on CompTIA Linux+ for their technology staffs include organizations in aerospace and defense, aviation, government, health care, insurance, IT consulting, technology and other industries.

CompTIA Linux+ stands apart from other credentials because it is job-focused and addresses the foundational skills sought by hiring managers. Unlike other certifications, the CompTIA Linux+ exam includes performance-based and multiple-choice questions to identify the employees who can do the job.

“For the individual IT pro, becoming CompTIA Linux+ certified opens doors to new career pathways in areas such as cybersecurity, the cloud and DevOps, all of which rely on Linux,” Sears says.

CompTIA also announced that a comprehensive selection of learning content for the new CompTIA Linux+ exam is also available. These resources include:

  • CompTIA CertMaster Learn, a comprehensive, self-paced eLearning environment that uses videos, assessment and performance-based questions to prepare candidates for the CompTIA certification exam.
  • CompTIA CertMaster Labs, which help learners gain hands-on experience configuring a wide range of technologies in a self-paced, pre-configured browser-based environment in order to prepare for practical aspects of CompTIA certification exams.
  • CompTIA CertMaster Practice, an adaptive knowledge assessment tool that determines what a learner has already mastered and what they still need to learn to improve confidence and increase retention before a CompTIA certification exam.
  • Books and other Official CompTIA Content designed to help the learner learn and master the material for their certification exam. Self-paced CompTIA study guides are clearly written, structured and flexible so the learner can study at any pace.