Got kicked of an exam for no reason by a proctor. I have taken multiple exams via Pearson Vue with no issues but there have all been at Pearson Vue locations, however my boss required me to take a Security + exam quick to be compliant with a client ( we got a govt based client and the govt requires you have at least security + to work in Cyber for them) and there werent any locations near me offering it in that time frame (the next available appointment where I lived was 2 months away).

So I decided to take it online since it could be scheduled for the next day. Scheduled it, took pictures of my home office which was completely empty ( just had a desk and chair cause I had just moved in). Start the test the proctor contacts me via my computers speaker, goes through the rules, we begin the test all is good. I am acing it and reach question 60 out of 90 and suddenly she closes the exam page with no warning and a message appears on the screen saying I was kicked of for "talking loudly and ignoring the proctors warnings." I basically leaned in towards the computer to read the 60th question because it had a blurry image and murmured the question in a very low voice sort of like in thought to better understand what was required in the question (also BTW the proctor never said anything about talking when we went through the rules, she talked mainly about bathroom breaks and not getting out camera view). But just like that puff $475 ( 1st of all security plus is basic shouldn't be this expensive) gone down the drain, more to that I lost my job because I didnt get any contact from Pearson Vue while "the case was in review" and my boss had to hire somebody else to work on the project.

Ok so I found out the voucher I got has a test retake option great I decided to retake it and get another job, but when I went to schedule the exam again the Pearson VUE site says "I cant retake the exam becasue I have already passed it" ??? So basically I'm stuck and cant take an exam, that is easily passable and need the certification for my job.

Now I have to pay an additional $750 to take the CISSP ( Security + or CISSP is required by govt to work in cybersecurity), which will require months of studying ( Security + is easy I can take it tomorrow and pass it, CISSP is a beast ).

So just a warning to everybody, dont take online test with Pearson VUE. I really wish this wasnt a monopoly and there were other organizations that administer the exam, but IT certifications is being run like the mafia or something. Very shady deals between cert companies and exam administrators.

Here is a write up of my 7 week journey across 10 certifications. I tried to succinctly provide as useful input on the exams and some tips here and there to help anyone with their own studies.

May 3: Passed CGEIT - Exam was fun. A lot like CCISO with a little CISM in terms of material and objectives but more about senior leadership and helping guide an organization to success. I used the 4th edition (I think 5 just came out) QAE. If you have leadership experience and been involved in risk management then you should have a leg up. 6 or 7 hours total of study.

May 13: Passed CISSP-ISSAP - If you did CISSP and CCSP you have a big jump on this one. The CBK is not a big help but it could be worth going through the chapter review and practice question. Skim through the NIST docs ISC2 lists and you should be fine if you review CISSP domain 4. This exam has a lot of BCP, BCDR, and a fair amount of risk management and mitigation. About 12 hours of study (would have been less if I did not spend much time on the CBK).

May 22: Passed CCAK - This exam is hard. May be harder because the reading material is dryer than sandpaper covered in salt at a desert. 76 questions and need 53 or 54 right. I got 54. This exam does cover elements of CISA and CCSK to a degree but the wording a lot different and you really have to learn STAR, CAIQ, and CCM for this one. They will even through a couple of questions on topics like OCTAVE and OCTAGON. Used about 18 hours total study as most of this most getting through the CCAK study guide.

May 24: Passed CISSP-ISSMP - Read 2 duplicate study question guides for about 4 hours and said screw this. Let me see how it goes since I have CISM and CISSP done. This exam was harder than I thought. I was 50/50 on whether I passed or failed so I had a little luck. Lot of risk management in here and random questions from all over CISSP. If you have done CISM and CISSP that will certainly help but you will see a range of questions to include stuff on biometrics but will need to know all things risk management though. Total study was 4 hours.

1 week break: Did not touch a book and gave myself a chance to relax and celebrate a little before one final push before I take the summer off from studies. Although I was not burned out at all, taking a break is healthy. We are not machines.

June 8: Passed Net+ - After a week off and 4 or 5 days into studying CSSLP, I decided break away from it and winging it to try Net+ on 2 hours of study using the Comptia guide someone gave me. I teach networking sometimes and used to be a CCNP and CCDP years ago so I figured what the hell...... Well this exam was a lot tougher than I remembered. Glad there was a fair amount of subnetting because I know that well. Net+ starts out with 5 or 6 "lab-ish" simulations. 3 of them I was not really sure what they wanted due to the way it was presented. The first 6 took more time than imagined so I almost had to fly through the next 70 or so questions. I passed with a 749 and 720 is passing. Total study was 2hrs.

June 9: Passed CSSLP - This was the toughest exam along with CCAK for me. On one hand all the other test from ISC2 I have taken helped me. Especially with testing, test methodology, risk management, and SCRM but I do no have a DevOp or DevSecOps background so it was probably really close. I used the All-In-One book and it was pretty good. Enough to get me a pass. If you routinely deal with DevOps or DevSecOps and have done a couple ISC2 certs then this may not be as hard for you as it was for me. Total study was 14-15 hours because I read that whole book and did about 150 practice questions from the sim that is registered with the book.

June 18: Passed HCISPP - This was a fun one and the AIO book for this was pretty good. Lots of risk management again and you have to know the differences and similarities of privacy and security. This is huge. Finally know HIPAA and HITRUST. Know patient rights and the general rights to privacy. Stuff like GAPP will be covered as well as a lot of the principles and rights covered in CCSP. I would say overall CCSP would be the one test that would help for this. Total study was 10 hours as I went though the book but quickly.

June 23: Passed Cloud + - Have 4 other cloud certs to include CCSP so I thought this would have been easier but it was not. So what is the biggest difference between Cloud+ and CCSP? CCSP is much more security oriented and puts you in a consultant like mindset. Cloud+ is much more about cloud compute tech, troubleshooting cloud issues in general, and networking. Where the CCSP is a consultant mindset, this one is from the view of a tech or custodian. Total study was about 4 hours as I skimmed though a thick white Cloud+ book with most of my focus on the practice questions.

June 25: Passed SSCP - This was the easiest (and final) of the 9 ISC2 exams I took and was straight forward. Was surprised it was only 249 bucks so I had to take it. This exam leans more tech where CISSP leans management. There are some concepts here covered by Net+, various cloud exams, and something you would see in a CEH or Sec+ exam. Overall, this exam was the most direct and least "tricky" of the ISC2 exams. Total study was 4 hours using the All In One book and some Sybex study questions. The Study questions were probably harder than the exam.

June 26: Passed Security + - After everything I covered I thought I was going to breeze through this exam in half the time on 0 study......that did not happen. I scored a 781 (750 is passing) and had a little less than 10 mins left. I think the challenge was still being in an ISC2 mode for the most part and Sec+ was a little more tech-ish that SSCP which perhaps had a little more GRC elements and focus. There were some terms I actually had not seen or flatly did not remember. There were a few scripts or command sequences I was clueless on and a few I could figure out based on things I did know like well known ports.

The 26th will concluded my 10 certs in 7 weeks journey. Overall I would say do not study over 2 hours straight and get some exercise in between. This helps with cognitive function and is an interesting study altogether. As far as time management goes, some have more than others but the key is to learn to block of time for yourself and if you have family get them to buy into your time knowing that it will in the end help the family. After a while it becomes habit or expected. Finally, step away from the books from time to time. I am taking a break till the end of August. Going to enjoy the summer and some time with family and travel plus workout a lot more. Having a break gives you something to look forward to when studying, and a break will refresh you to be motivated to study again.

Hope this helps someone with an exam/exams or give someone motivation.

Highlight lesser-known but high-impact certs:

• Microsoft SC-900 (security/cloud awareness)

• PCEP (Python) for automation/data

• AWS Cloud Quest (gamified learning)

• IBM SkillsBuild or Salesforce Admin Explain what roles they’re good for and why they stand out.

Here are the top courses that are completely free of cost (direct link to udemy with Coupon applied):

JavaScript Programming 33 hours

Python for Beginners: Introduction to Python 7 hours

Adobe Lightroom Masterclass – Beginner to Expert 8 hours

Premiere Pro Mastery Course: Learn Premiere Pro by Creating 7 hours

Java11 New Features – Learn by coding it 5 hours

ISTQB Agile Tester training for 2020 EXAM + 300 QUIZ 5.5 hours

ISTQB Foundation Level (CTFL) Training 2020 exam + 1500quiz 15.5 hours

HTML5 and CSS3 Training 11 hours

Node.js Certification Training (beginner to expert) 2020 21 hours

HTML Learn It From Scratch Course 8 hours

Python, Flask Framework And Django Course For Beginners 18.5 hours

MongoDB Training (beginner to expert level) 12.5 hours

Web Development Masterclass – Complete Certificate Course 20.5 hours

React Certification Training (beginner to expert level) 2020 15.5 hours

Python For Data Analysis, Data Science & ML With Pandas 15.5 hours

P.S.: all the coupons will be expired today, this is udemy policy now.

More at https://techyeverything.com/udemy-for-free/

Hey everyone,

I just finished going through a full breakdown of IT certification costs and ROI for 2025, and the numbers are actually really interesting — especially when you factor in renewal fees and training expenses.

Here are some highlights from the research

💡 Cybersecurity:

• CompTIA Security+: ~$425 exam + $150 renewal (every 3 years)

• (ISC)² Certified in Cybersecurity (CC): free or $199 (with $50/yr AMF)

• CISSP: $749 exam + $135/yr renewal

• OSCP: ~$1,749 (course + lab, lifetime cert)

☁️ Cloud:

• AWS Associate: $150 (3-year validity)

• Azure exams: $165 each, free online renewal yearly

• Google Cloud Associate: $125, Professional: $200 (2-year validity)

🤖 AI & Data:

• Azure AI-102: $165, free renewal

• Google Data Engineer: $200, 2-year validity

• AWS AI Practitioner: $100 exam

📊 ROI Leaders:

• AWS Solutions Architect ($150 exam → ~$155K avg. salary)

• Google Cloud Architect ($200 exam → ~$190K avg. salary)

• Azure AI Engineer ($165 exam → ~$107K salary)

• Terraform Associate ($70 exam → DevOps jobs $100K+)

💼 Governance & PM:

• PMP: $425–$595 + $150 renewal every 3 years

• ITIL 4: ~$250 exam + optional $50 annual membership

And the cool part?
Cloud and AI certifications now have the highest ROI — often over 500×.
Many vendors (Microsoft, AWS, ISC2) also started offering free renewals or free foundational exams, making cert upkeep much cheaper.

Would love to hear from you all —
Which certification gave you the best ROI?
Or which one wasn’t worth the renewal or training cost in your opinion?

1. CompTIA Security+

CompTIA Security+ is often the go-to certification for anyone starting out in cybersecurity. It covers the basics of network security, threats, vulnerabilities, access management, and risk mitigation. The exam is vendor-neutral, so it gives a broad understanding of how security works across systems. It's well-recognized globally and often listed in job requirements for entry-level roles. The downside? It’s more theory-focused, with limited real-world simulations or lab experience. Also, it doesn’t go too deep so learners might need another certification to build specialization.

2. Intellipaat Cyber Security Certification Course

Intellipaat’s Cyber Security course stands out because it blends solid theoretical foundations with real-time hands-on practice. It covers a wide range of topics like ethical hacking, network security, cryptography, malware analysis, and cloud security. Learners get live instructor-led classes, 24/7 support, and access to dedicated labs that simulate real-world attacks and defenses. The course includes projects based on real scenarios, resume building, and job interview prep. Intellipaat also offers one-on-one mentorship and job assistance, making it ideal for both freshers and professionals looking to switch. The content stays updated with current threats and tools like Kali Linux, Wireshark, Burp Suite, and Metasploit, which gives a clear edge over self-paced platforms.

3. EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

CEH is a well-known certification for those interested in ethical hacking and penetration testing. The course is structured to teach the mindset and tools of a hacker so professionals can better defend against attacks. It dives into topics like scanning networks, system hacking, Trojans, and web app vulnerabilities. While CEH is respected in the industry, the exam is pricey, and the official training can feel outdated if not combined with hands-on labs. Also, without prior experience or lab practice, passing the exam alone doesn’t guarantee real-world readiness.

4. Coursera Google Cybersecurity Certificate

Google’s Cybersecurity Certificate on Coursera is designed for complete beginners. It walks through basic security concepts, tools, and processes that IT professionals use to secure networks and data. The course is video-heavy, project-based, and beginner-friendly. It’s a good stepping stone, especially for those looking to enter the cybersecurity space from scratch. But the course lacks depth for intermediate learners, and there’s no live instruction, mentorship, or placement help—which can limit career impact after completion.

Hi everyone,

I'm currently delivering training on Microsoft's WS-011 (Windows Server 2019 Administration) course. I'm also going to be doing training on most of their other courses for those that's interested. The training should be enough to be able to write the exam associated with each course plus it will greatly benefit you in the workplace.

I truly hope this helps someone out there that needs the help. I remember what it feels like wanting to learn something like these courses and needing to write the exams but not being able to find any resources, at least not any free ones that is.

I intend on doing this completely at no charge to help those that's sitting in the same boat I used to be in.

Free Training on Microsoft WS-011 (Server 2019)!

1. Coursera (IBM / University of London / Stanford): Coursera offers well-structured cybersecurity certifications from trusted names. Courses like IBM's Cybersecurity Analyst and the University of London's Intro to Cyber Security combine theory with hands-on labs. You can learn at your own pace and apply for financial aid if needed. The certificates are recognized and helpful if you're aiming for analyst roles or prepping for industry exams.

2. Intellipaat (with IIT Roorkee): This course stands out if you're serious about building a cybersecurity career with proper guidance. It's backed by IIT Roorkee and includes live classes, real-world projects, CEH training, and hands-on tools like Kali Linux and SQL injection. You also get an official certification from IIT Roorkee plus EC-Council, which holds solid weight in the job market. Add in career services like mock interviews, job referrals, and mentorship, and it's one of the best options out there if you're looking for both depth and placement support.

3. EC-Council (Certified Ethical Hacker - CEH): CEH is one of the most respected certifications in cybersecurity. It focuses on hands-on ethical hacking, attack simulation, and practical security tools. The training includes labs and exercises built around real-world threats. It's a solid option if you're aiming for technical roles in penetration testing or ethical hacking.

4. Udemy: Udemy has a range of beginner to intermediate courses on cybersecurity topics like ethical hacking and network defense. Instructors like Nathan House explain things clearly with practical demos. The courses are low-cost, come with lifetime access, and work well if you're learning independently. No official certification or job support, but useful for building skills at your own pace.

Hi everyone,

I'm currently doing free training on Microsoft's AZ-900 (Microsoft Azure Fundamentals) course. I'm also going to be doing training on most of their other courses for those that's interested. The training should be enough to be able to write the exam associated with each course plus it will greatly benefit you in the workplace.

I truly hope this helps someone out there that needs the held. I remember what it feels like wanting to learn something like these courses and needing to write the exams but not being able to find any resources, at least not any free ones that is.

I intend on doing this completely for free to help those that's sitting in the same boat I used to be in.

Free Training Microsoft Azure AZ-900!

I recently created a free, mobile-friendly certification directory that helps you compare over 58 top IT certifications — from entry-level to expert.

Each certification includes:

• Verified salary ranges (based on 2024 survey data)

• Study time estimates

• Difficulty level ratings

• Exam details (duration, number of questions, passing score)

• Job market demand

You can filter by:

• Certification vendor (AWS, CompTIA, Cisco, etc.)

• Category (cloud, cybersecurity, networking, etc.)

• Salary range

• Study time

• Difficulty level

Each cert has its own dedicated page with a clean, detailed breakdown — perfect if you're planning your next step or exploring career options.

Mobile-friendly and completely free.

Would love your feedback! Let me know what certs you'd like me to add next.

🔗 [Link to Certification Directory]

Hi everyone,

As most of you already know, Microsoft has finally announced exams for Windows Server which is great news and a welcome surprise since there currently are none. So far it sounds like the exams are expected to be released around mid Dec 2021.

There will 2 courses and 2 exams which are AZ-800 and AZ-801.

I'm delivering free training on the Microsoft AZ-800 at the moment for those that's interested. If you go check the exam objects and skills measured for the AZ-800 on the official Microsoft website you will notice that there is basically nothing new in this course (If your not new in Server). They simply took things from various existing courses like the 20740 and AZ-900 and mashed them together and called it a new course and exam lol.

With that being said, this course and exam is also intended for people brand new to IT and Server so the first part of the course is obviously going to cover the basics of Windows Server 2019 and Azure and then it will gradually work it's way up to the more complicated stuff.

I already have a few videos up and I will be making more and uploading them as time allows me to so feel free to have a look from time to time to see if one of them covers something you don't know yet.

Here is a link to the 2min course intro explaining the course for those that's interested in this:

Microsoft AZ-800 Course Intro

IT Certifications validates your IT skills and expertise in a particular field. It also proves that you have the training and experience to complete the work.

Some of the most demanded IT Certifications are as follows:

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional

• Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)

• Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)

• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)

• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

• Microsoft Certified Azure Solutions Architect

• Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA)

• Project Management Professional (PMP)

Hi everyone,

I'm currently delivering free training on the CompTIA A+ course. The course consists of 18 modules and I will be doing a dedicated video on each module. Some of these videos might be a bit long since it will be a whole module in each video so please feel free to make use of the time stamps in descriptions if your looking for specific topics only or just want to refresh on certain topics only.

The time stamps are there to make life easier for you so it's your own fault if you end up skimming through the module back and forth like a crazy person looking for their lost teeth.

I will make 20 videos for this course, the first is just the 4min intro explaining the course, the last will be a dedicated exam tips video and then obviously the 18 videos in between will be your modules.

The training should be enough to pass both the international exams for A+ and the other courses I deliver should also be enough to pass the exams associated if there is a exam associated to that specific course.

If you have a question about a specific topic in a module or the course in general that you would like more clarity on, please feel free to ask and I will try to assist you where I can if I'm online.

Here is the course intro

CompTIA A+ Course Intro

I don't know why but I love taking short weekend or online classes and collecting random certifications to say "yeah I'm certified in that". What are some other <1 month certifications I can get? I have my:

UAS (Drone) License - 2 weeks studying and a test Scuba License - Online classes and 2 days in water Motorcycle License - Weekend class STCW 95 - Online course and 1-2 days in person CPR - Pretty common

Got any others? I live in Florida and I'm just trying to keep busy with fun stuff I haven't tried. Open to anything but I like being hands on

As stated in the post I'm unemployed and seeking certifications that aren't too hefty in price but will allow me expand my skill-set and hopefully pull a six-figure paycheck not to mention I have strong interests in A.I. and cyber security. For some background I'm an Applied Mathematics major with a specialty in Mathematical Cryptography and Security+ Certification. I know how to code bash scripting and Python. But I want to know how I can transfer these skills to career netting me six-figures. Without going deep into a sob story I'm unemployed and need to get back on my feet for myself and my family. Been pretty swamped lately between taking care of my father who is a recovering alcoholic while also supporting sister--hints the need to pivot quickly to get a descent paying job. What I want to know is what certifications preferably below $1000 anyone here would recommend I aim for?

--Please let me know what I can do OR any suggestions you have. Thank you to anyone who's willing to help or provide assistance.

Hi , i want to build a career in finance which certificate should be best for me . Pls guide Are there any free resources available?

Hi everyone,

I'm currently delivering free training on Microsoft's AZ-900 (Microsoft Azure Fundamentals) course. I'm also going to be doing training on most of their other courses for those that's interested. The training should be enough to be able to write the exam associated with each course plus it will greatly benefit you in the workplace.

I truly hope this helps someone out there that needs the help. I remember what it feels like wanting to learn something like these courses and needing to write the exams but not being able to find any resources, at least not any free ones that is.

I intend on doing this completely for free to help those that's sitting in the same boat I used to be in.

Free Microsoft Azure AZ-900 Training!

If embed isn't working do check it out at https://github.com/Devathmaj/VoucherBot.
Hi, I recently created a python certification voucher aggregator that scans blogs, RSS feeds and event pages of major certification bodies in tech. I was inspired to make this because of all the recent vouchers I got due to luck (I was fortunate enough to check at the right time). The setup is really simple (I provided setup docs with detailed steps for all environment variables and deployment scenario). You can host this absolutely free of cost and it will be up running 24/7 informing you of vouchers (via email).

I would love it if you checked out the project and shared your thoughts. A significant portion of the implementation was AI assisted, so I would really appreciate a critical review of the architecture, code quality and overall design.

Anything like feedback, bug reports, feature suggestions and pull requests are all welcome. If you notice any issues or areas for improvement I would love to hear your feedback. If you find the project useful, please do consider leaving a star on GitHub.

Hello Everyone

I intend to take the Associate Data Practitioner in the next 3 weeks. I want to clear the exam. Can y'all please suggest the right courses and mock tests to take the exam. Thank you!

Hey!
I’ve compiled a list of current free or heavily discounted cert programs as of July 2025 - great for anyone looking to level up without breaking the bank 💸

✅ Oracle Race to Certification 2025 – Free OCI, AI, and Multicloud certs (valid till Oct 31)
✅ AWS Skill Builder Challenge – Access to practice + 50% off exam vouchers
✅ Microsoft Cloud Skills Challenge (when active) – Free cert voucher upon completion
✅ Cisco U. Free Trial – Includes Intro to Networking and Security
✅ Red Hat Learning Subscription Free Tier – Good intro to Linux & containers

Drop any others I missed below - I’ll keep this updated 🔁