PeopleCert announced the launch of a new Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program by which "all candidates with a PeopleCert Global Best Practice certification can choose to renew within three years of their original certification dates". This radically changes the situation for certified professionals since ITIL certifications were perpetual – until now.According to PeopleCert’s website, "Candidates that choose not to renew their certification within 3 years of the award date will still be included on the Successful Candidates Register (SCR) but a note will be added to their record to indicate that their certification is not aligned with current certification requirements".
In this blog post, we will explore what the PeopleCert CPD program is about, which ITIL certifications will need to be renewed and how the process works, and finally, which other ITSM frameworks exist besides ITIL.
What is the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program?
According to the institute, the new program is designed "to help you stay ahead in the busy labor market, through supporting your continuous professional development” and that continuous learning and certifying is the way to stay competitive, demonstrate commitment to upskilling to current and future employees, and elevate the personal brand.
However, the news was not taken lightly by ITSM professionals. Currently certified experts received an email with the news and didn’t hesitate to share their thoughts online. There’s a Reddit thread that has been going on for a while along with the first rumors, and today this was a recurrent topic on LinkedIn as well.
Let’s take a look at the details of the ITIL certification renewal process.
What ITIL certifications will need to be renewed?
According to PeopleCert, "all PeopleCert Business and IT certifications must be renewed within three years of their original certification date". This includes the following certifications:
- ITIL® 4
- PRINCE2® 7, 5th and 6th
- PRINCE2® Agile
- MSP® 4th and 5th
- M_o_R® 3rd and 4th
- MoP®
- P3O®
- MoV®
- AgileSHIFT®
- RESILIA®
It's worth noting that ITIL v3 certifications won't need to be renewed.
When does my ITIL certification expire?
Your ITIL certification expires three years after you earn it. To keep your certification valid, you must renew it by the end of this period. Without renewal, your certification will no longer be recognized as current, which could impact your career, especially if ITIL knowledge is essential to your role.
To renew, PeopleCert offers several options. You can retake the same certification exam, gain additional credits by completing related courses, or join their CPD program. These pathways ensure that you stay up-to-date with IT Service Management (ITSM) practices and retain your competitive edge in the industry.
How can certifications be renewed?
There are two main ways to renew PeopleCert certifications:
1. Become a PeopleCert Plus member
You can upgrade to PeopleCert Plus plan, and gain access to the Continuous Professional Development CPD program. This enables you to keep your certifications current by logging 20 CPD points per year, for 3 consecutive years, for everyday professional activities.
2. Take another certification from the same Product Suite
You can also choose to keep your certifications current by attending another course and taking an exam within the same Product Suite before your certification’s renewal date.
ITIL certification alternatives
ITIL is one – and the most popular – ITSM framework. However, it’s not the only one. There are other frameworks out there; all with their pros and cons.
Here’s a short list of ITIL certification alternatives to explore:
- COBIT - COBIT was first released by ISACA, and its main focus is IT governance due to the fact that it helps organizations stay compliant with legal requirements and client contracts. Its main difference with ITIL is that the former aims to deliver the best IT services to the client.
- ISO 20000 - ISO 20000 is the only internationally accepted standard for ITSM, and it consists of a set of requirements for planning, designing, managing, and delivering IT services. Although ISO 20000 and ITIL overlap, the main difference is that the former is a standard that only companies can adhere to.
- IT4IT - IT4IT is the newest ITSM framework, and focuses on helping organizations build and deliver services and products faster and at a lower cost. And though it's compatible with ITIL and COBIT, the main difference with the former is that IT4IT is more prescriptive, and focuses on the flow of information rather than the processes.
The Definitive Guide to ITSM Frameworks [+Free Downloadable Cheat Sheet]
Final thoughts
PeopleCert's new Continuing Professional Development program has changed the game for ITSM professionals. From now on, the PeopleCert Global Best Practice certification will have to be renewed every three years instead of being awarded perpetually.
This implies, not only, that candidates will need to get back to training periodically, but also an extra expenditure to retake the required exam.
Nonetheless, the Institute pointed out that ITIL renewals are not mandatory. But if you choose not to retake the exam, you’ll get a note next to your name in the Successful Candidates Register pointing out that your certification is not aligned with the current certification requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. When does my ITIL certification expire?
Your ITIL certification expires three years after the date you earn it. To maintain its validity, you must renew it within that period.
2. How can I renew my ITIL certification?
You can renew your certification by taking another exam, earning credits through related courses, or joining PeopleCert’s Continuing Professional Development (CPD) program.
3. What happens if I don’t renew my ITIL certification?
If you don’t renew, your certification will remain on the Successful Candidates Register, but it will be marked as not aligned with current requirements.
4. Does the renewal apply to all ITIL certifications?
Yes, the new renewal rule applies to all ITIL certifications, except for ITIL v3, which does not need to be renewed.
5. What is PeopleCert's CPD program?
PeopleCert’s CPD program helps professionals stay competitive by logging CPD points through continuous learning and certifying activities over three years.
