CompTIA reneges on agreement with CompTIA cert holders
walterbyrd
not been covered by any major tech news sites [2].
Up until this year, CompTIA promised that those certifications were
good for a lifetime. However, recently CompTIA has reneged on that
promise.
Here is a direct quote from CompTIA's 2005 website, still viewable in
the web archieves:
> "Our certifications are good for life. Once you are certified, you are certified for life. The certifications do not have an expiration date nor do you have to retake a test after an upgrade."
http://web.archive.org/web/20051001001059/www.comptia.org/certification/default.aspx
Here is a direct quote from CompTIA's 2003 website, also still
viewable in the web archieves:
> "Will I ever need to renew my certification?"
> "No, CompTIA certifications are lifetime certifications."
To many, this may seem to constitute a unilateral contract. Once
consideration has been given to CompTIA, this contract would seem to
be a binding contract. None-the-less, legal or illegal, CompTIA has
decided to renege on their agreements with hundreds of thousands of
certification holders.
From CompTIA's current website:
> “CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+ or CompTIA Security+ certifications are now valid for three years from the date the candidate is certified.”
> “The new certification renewal policy is applicable to all individuals who hold CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+ or CompTIA Security+ certifications, regardless of the date they were certified.”
http://www.comptia.org/certifications/listed/renewal.aspx
Whether or not expiring certifications are good or bad, for cert
holders is beside the point. Previous cert holders had an agreement
with CompTIA, and it is not fair, and should not be legal, for CompTIA
to arbitrarily break that agreements.
If CompTIA wants to change their agreement with subsequent exam
takers, then that is a different matter. Comptia has no right to
renege on agreements that they have already been made. A done deal is
a done deal. If I pay to get a lifetime certification, then I expect
to get a lifetime certification - period.
[1] According to Wikipedia, CompTIA has awarded 800,000 A+
certifications. CompTIA's new policy affects all A+ certification
holders, and well as all Network+ and Security+ certification holders.
Of course, in many cases, several certs are held by the same
individuals.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comptia
[2] This has been covered by some minor certification-oriented sites,
some personal blogs, and CompTIA's own website.
CompTIA Certifications Get a Retroactive Expiration Date - 13-Jan-2010
http://gocertify.com/article/comptia-recertification.shtml
CompTIA reneges over 800,000 lifetime A+ Certifications!
http://www.retromags.com/forums/blog/1/entry-74-comptia-reneges-over-800000-lifetime-a-certifications/
CompTIA Certification Renewal Policy
http://www.comptia.org/certifications/listed/renewal.aspx
Certification Renewal Policy FAQs
http://www.comptia.org/certifications/listed/renewal/faq.aspx
Addressing Certification Concerns
http://blog.comptia.org/2010/01/14/addressing-certification-concerns/comment-page-1/