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The 5 Certificate to Prove Your Python Knowledge Level

Sometimes, having a certificate can be the validation you need

Photo by Olya Kobruseva from Pexels
Photo by Olya Kobruseva from Pexels

Python is one of the popular and commonly-used programming languages for many applications. Python is a general-purpose programming language; that is, you can use it to write codes for a wide variety of application fields. You can use Python to build web apps, desktop apps, perform some scientific computations, or, if you’re reading this article, learn and implement various Data Science concepts.

Sometimes, you even learn Python for the sole purpose of learning a programming language – which was my intention to learn the languages a decade ago – rather than learning it to use it for a specific purpose. But, regardless of the reason you start to learn Python, you will need to prove your knowledge or validate your hard work at some point in your journey.

Before we continue, I must say that you don’t really need a certificate to get a job doing Python, as long as you can prove your knowledge. Also, having a Python certificate doesn’t mean you will land the job right away, but it will be a valuable addition to your resume or cv.

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As developers or data scientists, we always aim to work on our skills. We are always learning. We are always building, and having certificates will only make our portfolio or resume more solid. We can learn Python or data science through different online platforms, for free or for a fee.

And through the skills, you develop you can land your desired job, but if you want to make your resume better, this article is for you. This article will go through the 5 Python certificates out there that you can take to prove your Python knowledge level.

Certificates Issued by the Python Institute OpenEDG

Perhaps the 4 most important and talked about Python certificates are ones offered by Python Institute OpenEDG. These certificates cover three different levels of knowledge, beginner, intermediate and advanced.

№1: PCEP (Certified Entry-Level Python Programmer)

Will start with the entry-level Python test, the PCEP. This is a 45 minutes test that costs $59 and mainly consists of drag and drops, fills in blanks, or multiple-choice questions.

Since this test targets entry-level knowledge, it will focus on core Python concepts and basic commands, such as basic formatting and output methods, the difference between compiled languages and interpreted languges, basic data types and converting between them, and control flow statements (conditional statements and loops). It also covers logical operations, functions, lists slicing, and strings manipulation.

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№2: PCAP (Certified Associate in Python Programming)

Next up is the intermediate-level certificate, which is the PCAP. Since this test is more advanced than the PCEP, it contains more questions and takes longer to finish, precisely 65 mins. The PCEP test costs $294 and will consist mainly of multiple-choice questions and code questions based on Python 3.x.

This test covers the same concepts covered by the PCEP. It goes beyond introductory-level into some intermediate-level knowledge, such as name scope issues, modulation in Pyton, the basics of object-oriented Programming, manipulating data structures in Python and handling errors and escpetions.

№3: PCPP1 (Certified Professional in Python Programming 1)

Moving on to more advanced level certificates. The Python Institute OpenEDG offers two certificates for more advanced Python users. The first one is the PCPP1, a 65 mins test that costs $195 and consists of multiple-choice and Python 3.x coding questions.

This test focus on reflecting the applicants’ experience and skills in advanced object-oriented programming concepts and their implementation in Python, graphical user interface design and programming in Python, and text file processing. It also covers Metaprogramming, the usage of PEP (Python Enhancement Proposals) and coding, and the interaction with some Python libraries and modules.

№4: PCPP2 (Certified Professional in Python Programming 2)

The second certificate offered for advanced Python users is the PCPP2. This certificate, similar to the PCPP1, requires a 65 min exam and costs $195. This test goes beyond PCPP1 in advanced concepts. A simple way to differentiate between the two tests is to think of PCPP1 as an in-Python advanced test, where PCPP2 tackles packaging and distributing Python code for users.

The PCPP2 addresses what happens after you finish writing a Python code and release it to the public. So, it tests knowledge on the packaging and distributing code to PIP, packages design patterns, network programming, dealing and interacting with databases, and testing your work.

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Certificate offered by Microsoft

Another known source for Python certificates is Microsoft. Currently, one Microsoft offered certificate that is often at the end of most Python learning online courses. This certificate mainly focuses on testing entry-level knowledge in Python.

№5: Microsoft Python Certification Exam (98–381)

If you’re a beginner and want another option besides the Python Institute OpenEDG certificate, the Microsoft 98–381 certificate is the one for you. This certificate costs $127 and measures your basic understanding of Python as a programming language and how to navigate it. This certificate is often offered at the end of Python introductory courses online.

This exam measures your knowledge about writing syntactically correct Python code, handling and manipulating different data types, writing correct control flow statements, working with basic input and output commands, and writing Python code to solve a specific problem using different modules and tools.

Final Thoughts

Python is one of the most used programming languages at the moment. That’s because it’s versatile and can be used for a variety of application fields. If you’re doing data science, researching a scientific topic, or learning computer science, chances are you worked with Python, are still using it, or maybe plan to learn and use it in the future.

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Because of this versatility, you can study Python for a specific purpose, like data science of web dev. And so, you may want to take certificates for that specific purpose. This may make getting a general certificate in Python not worth the hassle, but that’s not true; there are multiple benefits of getting a general Python certificate, including:

  • Have solid proof of your expertise in Python.
  • Will give you a sense of achievement.
  • It provides a concrete validation of your Python skills.

So, if your already Python-savvy and want to make your resume stronger, give one of the certificates I mentioned in this article a try. If you’re a beginner in the programming world and want to prove your knowledge and validate your effort, these certificates may help you accomplish that. Regardless of whether you choose to get any of these certificates or not, if you can prove your skills, you will be able to land the job you desire.


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