Best ITSM Certification Paths For Beginners And Pros

IT Service Management (ITSM) certifications are a practical way to validate and expand your knowledge of how IT services are delivered and improved across an organization. Whether you're just starting out or looking to formalize years of experience, certifications help align your work with widely adopted practices.

As Marcus Bause notes, organizations are no longer working within just one framework. Instead, they adopt and tailor several, depending on their structure and goals. The same applies to ITSM certifications — choosing the right one depends on the role, maturity level, and service approach.

In this article, we’ll walk through the most recognized ITSM training programs available today, explain what each one covers, and help you understand which options fit different professional needs.

What is an ITSM certification?

An ITSM certification shows that you’ve been formally trained in how to manage IT services in an organized, consistent way. But before getting into what it means to be certified, it helps to get clear on what ITSM is.

IT Service Management (ITSM) refers to the processes and practices used to design, deliver, maintain, and improve how IT teams support business operations. That includes everything from responding to incidents and service requests to managing software updates, changes, assets, and compliance requirements. Instead of handling IT tasks ad hoc, ITSM promotes a structured approach where services are planned and tracked across their lifecycle.

Certification programs offer structured training in these practices. Depending on the provider, you may study operational processes, request workflows, service level management, configuration data, governance models, and more. The goal is to help IT professionals align technical operations with business priorities using a shared methodology that’s easy to apply in real scenarios.

Top ITSM certifications

Several organizations offer certifications in IT service management. Below is a list of widely recognized options, along with basic details on who they're for, what they focus on, and how long they typically take to complete.

ITIL® Foundation

ITIL Foundation is often the first certification people pursue when getting into ITSM. It's the initial and broader certification for ITIL , which is one of the most widely used models for managing IT services. The course outlines the service lifecycle, key terms (like incident, problem, change, SLA), and how Service Management adds value to an organization. It also explains how ITSM roles interact, how workflows are structured, and how continual improvement fits into daily operations.

This certification is suitable for IT professionals in service desk, support, operations, and infrastructure roles. Many companies use ITIL-based practices, so even if your organization doesn't follow the framework in full, the terminology and structure are likely to match what you see in real environments.

• Issuer: PeopleCert
• Training time: Typically 2–3 days, plus exam prep
• Format: Self-paced, instructor-led, or hybrid
• Exam: 60 minutes, multiple-choice

ITIL® Managing Professional (MP)

For professionals already familiar with ITIL, the Managing Professional (MP) track goes deeper into the practical application of ITSM across the entire service value chain. It consists of four modules: Create, Deliver and Support; Drive Stakeholder Value; High-Velocity IT; and Direct, Plan and Improve. These cover areas such as designing service architectures, managing user experience, working in agile environments, and improving governance practices.

This path is ideal for ITSM managers, service owners, and technical leads responsible for day-to-day operations and service design. The certification assumes some previous experience and builds toward a more strategic understanding of how IT services support organizational outcomes.

• Issuer: PeopleCert
• Training time: Roughly 12–16 days across four modules
• Format: Modular (must complete all four for full MP status)
• Prerequisite: ITIL Foundation or ITIL 4 equivalent

Other ITIL certifications

• ITIL 4 Strategic Leader (SL).
• ITIL 4 Specialist: Create, Deliver and Support.
• ITIL 4 Specialist: Drive Stakeholder Value.
• ITIL 4 Specialist: High-Velocity IT.
• ITIL 4 Strategist: Direct, Plan, and Improve.
• ITIL 4 Master (for advanced professionals with experience in ITSM implementation).

"What’s next? You do not have to expect that we get a new ITIL version in the next one or three years. So, we have ITIL 4 and it’s delivering what we need right now. We are working on, together with the practice guides, courses. All practice guides are completely renewed and reworked."

Markus Bause - VP of Product at PeopleCert
Episode 50 of Ticket Volume

ISO/IEC 20000 Practitioner

The ISO/IEC 20000 Practitioner certification focuses on the implementation and management of Service Management systems based on the international ISO/IEC 20000 standard. The training covers process integration, documentation, measurement, and continual improvement using the standard’s structure. Unlike ITIL, which is a best-practice framework, ISO 20000 sets formal requirements that organizations can certify against, making it particularly useful in regulated industries or for service providers working under contract.

Professionals in compliance, service quality, and audit-focused roles benefit most from this certification. It’s also helpful for consultants working on ITSM maturity assessments or helping companies prepare for ISO certification.

• Issuer: APMG International (or other accredited certification bodies)
• Training time: 3–5 days
• Format: Instructor-led or online
• Prerequisite: Often requires prior ITSM knowledge or ISO Foundation

CompTIA A+

CompTIA offers vendor-neutral certifications that cover both foundational IT knowledge and more specific topics related to service support and infrastructure operations. CompTIA A+ is an entry-level certification that validates core technical support skills.

It covers endpoint management, basic troubleshooting, hardware configuration, and operating system support. While it isn’t strictly focused on ITSM, it’s often a starting point for IT professionals who later move into service desk or operations roles.

• Issuer: CompTIA
• Training time: ~8–12 weeks of study
• Format: Two exams (Core 1 and Core 2)
• Target audience: Early-career IT professionals

Other CompTIA certifications

• CompTIA Security+
• CompTIA Server+
• CompTIA Network+
• CompTIA Project+
• CompTIA Cloud+

COBIT® 2019 Foundation

COBIT (Control Objectives for Information and Related Technologies) is a governance and management framework developed by ISACA. While not focused solely on service operations like ITIL, COBIT provides detailed guidance on aligning IT processes with business objectives, managing risk, and ensuring accountability. The Foundation certification introduces the COBIT principles, governance system components, and implementation lifecycle.

This certification is best suited for professionals in IT governance, compliance, or strategy roles. It also complements certifications like ITIL or ISO/IEC 20000, especially in organizations with formal governance structures or audit requirements.

• Issuer: ISACA
• Training time: 2–3 days
• Format: Self-paced or instructor-led
• Exam: 75 minutes, multiple-choice
• Prerequisite: None

VeriSM™ Foundation

VeriSM is positioned as a modern, flexible alternative to more rigid ITSM frameworks. It presents Service Management as a layer that supports all digital teams, not just IT. The VeriSM foundation course introduces the VeriSM model, service culture, organizational context, and value streams, with an emphasis on integration and responsiveness.

The certification is designed for IT professionals, digital teams, and cross-functional managers looking for a lightweight approach to service management that fits into modern delivery models.

• Issuer: IFDC (International Foundation for Digital Competences)
• Training time: 2–3 days
• Format: Online or in-person
• Exam: 1 hour, multiple-choice
• Prerequisite: None

HDI Support Center Analyst (HDI-SCA)

The HDI-SCA certification focuses on frontline support. It’s tailored for service desk agents, analysts, and technicians responsible for day-to-day user interactions. Training covers customer service skills, incident handling, call management, escalation procedures, and ticket documentation, all framed within a Service Management context.

HDI-SCA is valuable for IT professionals in support environments that emphasize quality of service, fast response, and measurable performance. It helps organizations set a standard for onboarding new analysts and aligning team behavior with ITSM practices.

• Issuer: HDI (Help Desk Institute)
• Training time: 2 days
• Format: Instructor-led or online
• Exam: 65 minutes, multiple-choice
• Prerequisite: None

HDI Support Center Manager (HDI-SCM)

The HDI Support Center Manager certification is designed for supervisors and team leads overseeing IT support operations. It includes topics like staff development, forecasting, quality assurance, metrics, and continuous improvement. While it doesn’t go as deep into frameworks like ITIL or ISO, it offers a practical perspective on service leadership and how to improve performance using structured methods.

This certification is particularly useful for managers looking to formalize how they lead teams, define KPIs, and plan service capacity.

• Issuer: HDI
• Training time: 3–4 days
• Format: Instructor-led or online
• Exam: Online, multiple-choice
• Prerequisite: Experience managing service or support teams.

Other HDI certifications

• HDI Desktop Support Technician
• HDI Technical Support Professional
• HDI Support Center Director
• HDI KCS Principles

SIAM™ Foundation (Service Integration and Management)

SIAM is a newer approach aimed at organizations working with multiple service providers. The Foundation certification explains how to manage and integrate third-party vendors into a cohesive service delivery model. It introduces the SIAM layers (customer, service integrator, service providers), governance mechanisms, and process alignment.

This certification is relevant for professionals in vendor management, service architecture, and IT outsourcing. It’s particularly helpful in large enterprises or public-sector environments with distributed suppliers and shared services.

• Issuer: EXIN or BCS
• Training time: 2–3 days
• Format: Online or instructor-led
• Exam: 60 minutes, multiple-choice
• Prerequisite: No formal prerequisites, but ITSM knowledge is recommended.

What are the best ITSM certifications for beginners?

If you’re just starting out, ITIL Foundation and VeriSM Foundation are the most accessible. These programs use basic terminology and real-world examples, making them easy to follow without previous formal training.

ITIL Foundation is particularly common because many organizations adopt ITIL practices in some form. It’s also a prerequisite for more advanced certifications within the same framework, which gives you room to grow later.

VeriSM Foundation is another entry-level option, but with more emphasis on how Service Management integrates with digital workflows — something relevant for IT teams supporting remote work, SaaS adoption, or hybrid infrastructure.

Benefits of obtaining an ITSM certification

Getting certified in ITSM can support both individual career growth and organizational maturity. For individuals, certifications often lead to new roles, internal promotions, or the ability to take on leadership positions. On the company side, certified professionals can help apply a consistent structure to service delivery, especially useful during audits or when scaling IT operations.

Here are some other practical advantages:

• Improved service quality: Certified professionals are trained to apply ITSM processes in a way that reduces downtime and improves service availability.
  
  
• Standardized knowledge: Teams that use a common ITSM framework find it easier to coordinate and measure their work.
  
  
• Better tool usage: Certifications often include real-world scenarios that improve your ability to configure and apply ITSM software effectively.
  
  
• Support for compliance: Frameworks like ISO/IEC 20000 provide guidance on aligning services with international standards, which helps with external audits or regulatory reporting.

These benefits go beyond individual performance, they also reflect how certification fits into broader professional development. As Sean McClean explains, certification works best when paired with real experience and active participation in a professional community:

"When I talk about certification preparedness, one of the things I try to help people with is to not just study for the certification on their own, but to get involved in a community and practice the certification together. This way, they are killing two birds with one stone - they are getting the certification and also getting to know a network of people. This sounds a lot like experience, and it reminds me of the importance of being active in a community. I think certification only stands as a support for the other two - experience and community involvement."

Sean McClean
Episode 47 of Ticket Volume

How much does it cost to get certified in ITSM?

The cost of ITSM certification varies depending on the provider, the format (self-paced vs. instructor-led), and the level of the course. Here’s a breakdown of typical costs:

Costs can vary depending on location and training provider. Some employers reimburse certification fees or include them as part of professional development budgets, especially when tied to tool implementation or IT service audits.