ITIL Foundation is a global organization supporting ITIL. ITIL certification is an indicator of one’s ability to understand the concepts and principles of ITIL. The ITIL Foundation sets the standard for ITIL competence but does not certify competency. The ITIL foundation consists of four foundations. All the four foundations have different objectives and features.
The first foundation course in ITIL V3 focuses on ITIL Foundation Basics, covering most ITIL terminology. Foundation Basics enables ITIL learners to understand the major concepts and aims of ITIL. There is also a short outline of key concepts, and a summary of key terms associated with ITIL. A glossary is included to assist readers with ITIL abbreviations.
A foundation course is only useful if it includes a fourth certification scheme. The fourth ITIL certification program is the Interoperability and Collaboration for ITIL (ICITIL) Examination. The ICITIL examination covers several advanced areas of ITIL and covers many new competencies needed by today’s business environment. The four certification schemes in ITIL V3 our Database Design and Administration, Enterprise Information Management System, Financial Services Processing and eCommerce. The foundation courses do not cover these subjects.
Applicants can take the ICITIL certification test either at the ITIL Certification Centre located in Germany or at the International Training and Research Training Institute (ITIRI) in Italy. The International Training and Research Training Institute has been affiliated with ITIL since 1987. Students who pass the ICITIL exams get a certificate which qualifies them for the ITIL V3 transitional period. However, these certificates do not guarantee a job.
Applicants can still take the ITIL Foundation Exam and the corresponding foundation course in order to gain a recognized competence in ITIL. On completion of these two courses, students can take the ITIL V4 Intermediate and ITIL V4 Supervised Practitioner exams. These exams cover the latest developments in the ITIL field and assess each student’s competencies.
Candidates wishing to gain certification follow two paths: on the one is by taking exams offered by ITILv3 foundation and by passing the ITIL V3 exam. ITILv3 provides free ITILv3 exams which are based on the latest editions of the ITIL technical standards. Candidates may access the ITIL V3 website for free ITILv3 exams or may call toll-free numbers, which provide access to ITILv3 Foundation exams. Foundation exams cover all the ITIL functional areas which include service, information systems, infrastructure, operational systems, management, productivity and software development. Candidates may pass these exams without prior certification by taking an ITIL V3 examination after being provided with a copy of their resume by the attending employer.
ITILv3 is a global accreditation body that offers free ITILv3 exams based on the most recent editions of ITIL. It also conducts a closed expert panel to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of ITIL consultants, technicians and administrators. This is done before certification is awarded. Candidates who pass the final round of evaluation will receive ITIL V3 certification that is valid for two years. The Foundation is managed by the ITIL Foundation, a non-profit company based in Germany.
ITIL experts are required to complete a certain number of hours of training as per the laid down norms laid down by the ITIL Foundation. This training period is three years for all candidates working in management (), ITIL consultants/ technicians and professionals working in the market. The ITIL V3 Foundation has set higher standards so as to ensure that only those candidates are certified which meet the highest level of expertise. Candidates who do not pass the preliminary assessment are required to undergo a re-examination and if they fail to do so they will not be granted the foundation status. In case of re-exam failure, the candidate may also not get ITIL V3 certification.
To apply for ITIL V3 Foundation, candidates have to fulfill the following basic requirements. They need to possess a basic level of knowledge and a clear understanding of the ITIL functional disciplines. For the practical portion of the examination, candidates are required to possess at least 600 hours of work experience and at least three years of practical experience. Candidates who hold a bachelor’s degree or above and work experience can also opt for the master’s program provided they fulfill the other requirement criteria. The ITIL V3 certification proves to be highly beneficial for the professionals involved in medical practices, educational institutions, publishing houses and government agencies.
All ITIL experts and professionals who hold the recommended experience and educational qualifications are required to pass one recommended exam before they are considered for an ITIL V4 certification. It is important for organizations to install quality management systems to prevent any problems and risks from occurring. Only through the recommended experience and knowledge of the ITIL experts can organizations make ITIL safer for the organization and thus improve the overall productivity and efficiency.
