Jump Start exam in PearsonVUE

[markLopez9]

Hi everyone,

I'm attempting a career shift into IT, particularly in the security domain, and I came across this thing called Jump Start in Check Point. It's good that it's free, but I just wanted to see if it's something worth looking at from a 'job qualification' standpoint since I have a limited budget at this time.

I saw in PearsonVUE that Exams 156-411 and 156-412 cost $49 each (which is within my budget) and are un-proctored exams  according to @Danny 's reply in that post (and I'm not sure if un-proctored is a good thing). Now according to @Vanessa_Johnson 's confirmation on this post about digital badges , none are issued for the Jump Start exams, which also made me ask the same question @Vladimir  did on that same post: what's the point of the paid exam? Interestingly though, I found an Accredited badge for Jump Start (earning criteria via Cybrary.it) and a Participation badge for Jump Start Maestro (earning criteria via Cybrary.it and/or Udemy) in Check Point's Acclaim badges.

So my questions are:

1. If the badges I found are being issued, how do we earn them? Is it by (a) paying for and passing the exams in PearsonVUE, or (b) just taking and completing the courses in Cybrary.it and/or Udemy?
2. Though badges are nice to have, it's more important for me that prospective employers are able to validate the qualification if I brag about it in a CV. The PearsonVUE exam report printout does not always provide a validation code (CompTIA's results do but LPI's do not). So if the badges are non-existent, how can the results be verified from a third-person point-of-view?

I know it was mentioned somewhere that Jump Start is not a core certification, but I think we can align it closer to something like LPI Linux Essentials which serve as demonstration of having 'fundamental knowledge' of something. So before I lose $49 for each exam, I would like to know if they can really add value. Free training and a paid exam would be pretty useless if career-shifters like me could not showcase it in a way prospective employers could verify themselves, right?

Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Danny]

LPI doesn't any issue any Acclaim badges anymore. Neither for LPI Linux Essentials nor LPIC-1/2/3. So doesn't Check Point for Jump Start Badges anymore.

[markLopez9]

Hi @Danny ,

Thanks for replying. At least the badge part is answered: they were issued once upon a time but not anymore. For LPI, I agree that they don't issue badges, but that's at the moment. I emailed them about it and they said something is in the works but just got delayed because of the global pandemic.

So since the badges are non-existent now, I guess my second question stands: if I take the exam and (assuming I pass) tell prospective employers about it, how (and where) can they verify the results? Is there like a page in the Check Point website where achievements of individuals can be looked up?

[Danny]

You can download a PDF certificate for every exam you pass. Just host it on your website and let your prospective employers know about it. Example
Also I'm building up a badges guide from where you can download original badge graphics. Just add them to your CV. The badges on Acclaim have several glitches you can easily overcome this way.

[markLopez9]

Good to know it includes a PDF certificate. At least there's proof of achievement. 😊

By any chance, would you know if that PDF certificate includes a verification URL which prospective employers can click if I give them a soft copy instead?

[Danny]

The PDFs don't have a verification URL.