Want a career in Linux? Take this edX course

 

There comes a point in every person's life when they must grow up and plan for their future. It is important to remember that you can be anything you want if you try hard enough. Of course, some jobs such as astronaut, President of the USA or NBA player are harder to get than others!
 
A smart choice in today's world is to be involved with Linux. There are many careers in Linux that are in demand nowadays. If you want to be a Linux Systems Admin, I have good news -- you can now become qualified online thanks to a partnership between edX and the Linux Foundation.
 
"LFS201 is the second course The Linux Foundation has made available on the edX platform. The first, a free course, was Introduction to Linux (LFS101), which to date has enrolled over 400,000 learners, making it one of the largest courses available on the edX platform. The new course, which is appropriate for those who have completed LFS101 and want to take the next step, as well as individuals who have worked in IT positions but not directly with Linux, will be offered for a fee of $499, which includes a Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator exam attempt, a $300 value which includes one free retake if not passed on the first attempt. The course will be offered at an introductory price of only $399 for two weeks from today", explains The Linux Foundation.
 
The foundation further explains, "LFS201 enrollment is open now on edx.org, and students will be able to begin taking the course on August 3, 2015. This exam is offered online and can be taken anytime, from anywhere, making it a convenient option for individuals around the globe. It is completely performance based, so tests skills rather than rote memorization, which makes these certifications attractive to potential employers. As the jobs report found that 54 percent of hiring managers expect a certification or evidence of formal training from applicants, certified professionals will have a leg up on the competition".
 

 
According to the course page, you will learn the following.

• Edit text files on the command line
• Manipulate text files from the command line
• Archive and compress files and directories
• Assemble partitions as LVM devices
• Configure swap partitions
• File attributes
• Find files on the filesystem
• Format filesystems
• Mount filesystems automatically at boot time
• Mount networked filesystems
• Partition storage devices
• Troubleshoot filesystem issues
• Create backups
• Create local user groups
• Manage file permissions
• Manage fstab entries
• Manage local users accounts
• Manage the startup process and related services
• Manage user accounts
• Manage user account attributes
• Manage user processes
• Restore backed up data
• Set file permissions and ownership
• Access the root account
• Use sudo to manage access to the root account
• Write basic bash shell scripts
• Install software packages

Unlike many other edX courses, this one is not free. With that said, it is far more in-depth and valuable than the typical course found on the site. Quite frankly, $399 is a steal to become a Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator. Remember, the best investment you can make is in yourself.
 
To sign up and learn more, you can check it out here.
 
Photo Credit: Julien Tromeur/Shutterstock
 
~ Brian Fagioli

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Linux Foundation introduces new Linux certifications

Summary: Want to prove you've got the chops for a Linux job? The Linux Foundation is introducing the proof you'll need with new certifications.
 
CHICAGO — It's a common story: Businesses desperately want Linux savvy employees. Programmers and system administrators who cut their teeth on the gcc and the BASH shell want jobs. But, between them rises the wall of human resources, which wants degrees and certifications. The Linux Foundation introduced an answer at LinuxCon: a new Linux Foundation Certification Program for both early-career and engineer-level systems administrators.

Linux Foundation certifications

The new Certification Program exams and designations for Linux Foundation Certified System Administrator (LFCS) and Linux Foundation Certified Engineer (LFCE) will demonstrate that users are technically competent through a performance-based exam that is available online.
 
These certifications will have the following features.

Virtual, available anytime, anywhere in the world: The certification tests are designed to be secure exams that can be taken by anyone anywhere with a Web browser, microphone, and webcam.
 

Performance-based exams: Exam takers will be tested on their ability to solve real problems in the command line rather than be tested on theory or be given multiple choice questions. 

Distribution-flexible: The Linux ecosystem is defined by choice, so exam takers will be able to choose to take their tests with one of three Linux distributions: CentOS, openSUSE, or Ubuntu. 

These tests are no cake-walk. Before releasing them, the Linux Foundation had its in-house developers and system administrators take the exams. Greg Kroah-Hartmann, the Linux kernel maintainer for the Linux stable branch, took them and said, "This is challenging." The Foundation also eats its own dog food. Its first hire since coming up with these certification tests got his job in no small part because he passed the test.

 

This program follows up on the Linux Foundation's free ‘Introduction to Linux’ Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) introduced earlier this year. That class alone now has more than 250,000 attendees. With this, and other Linux Foundation classes, the Linux Foundation Certification Program is designed to expand the talent pool of Linux professionals worldwide.

 

According to Jim Zemlin, executive director of the Linux Foundation, the Linux Foundation certifications are designed to be complementary to Red Hat and the Linux Professional Institute (LPI) certifications.

The Linux Foundation Certification Program and exams were created by the Foundation with the help of a committee of industry experts. Zemlin said in the LinuxCon keynote speech: "Our mission is to address the demand for Linux that the industry. We are making our training program and Linux certification more accessible to users worldwide, since talent isn’t confined to one geography or one distribution. Our new Certification Program will enable employers to easily identify Linux talent when hiring and uncover the best of the best.”

 

This new certification opens with broad support from the Linux companies. In a statement, Mark Shuttleworth, Ubuntu's founder, said, "The Linux Foundation’s certification program will open new doors for Linux professionals who need a way to demonstrate their know-how and put them ahead of the rest. The timing is perfect for this, as demand for Linux talent is on the rise and we need ways to expand the pool of qualified candidates to support Linux.”

 

Jim Wasko, IBM's Director of the IBM Linux Technology Center, added in a statement "The Linux Foundation Certification Program will help prepare Linux system administrators to have the technical depth of expertise required today in the enterprise.  This approach to training and certification will give professionals the skills needed by employers like us and our many clients who rely on Linux."

 

It's not just companies that provide and support Linux that like these new certifications. “Certifications inspire employer confidence that professionals who are willing to invest the time and effort are passionate about their craft,” said Shravan Goli, president of Dice, the technology job company in a statement. “With the focus on performance and accessibility, the new program will advance the art of Linux learning and help build a talented pool of Linux professionals.”

 

The LFCS and LFCE exams cost $300 each. Certification holders will receive a graphical mark designating their completion of the exam that can be displayed on resumes, LinkedIn profiles, Web sites and more. The Linux Foundation also plans on helping successful candidates market themselves at its conferences and on Linux.com.

 
~ Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols

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