I Am Certified Professional in Web Accessibility!

Acronyms explained
CPACC: Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies
WAS: Web Accessibility Specialist
CPWA: Certified Professional in Web Accessibility
IAAP: International Association of Accessibility Professionals

Christmas Surprise

This year, I got a real Christmas surprise. On Christmas Day, I accidentally opened the inbox of my work email. There was a message congratulating me for passing the WAS-exam. IAAP (International Association of Accessibility Professionals) promises the exam results to arrive within 4-6 weeks from the closing of the exam window. For my CPACC-results, it took exactly six weeks. Yesterday was two weeks from closing the Nov/Dec exam window, so they arrived early!

As I already have passed the CPACC-exam, passing the WAS exam means I am a Certified Professional in Web Accessibility (CPWA). I've worked towards this goal for a while, and it feels so good to reach it.

Achievement Unlocked

I heard about these certifications when I was working in the previous workplace. In that company, when the talk was about certificates, it meant only cloud certifications. They didn't seem to value accessibility, so when I switched jobs and heard that at Futurice, accessibility certificates are part of the certification program, I was so happy.

It took me about eight months to study and take both exams. For study material, I used IAAP CPACC and WAS Certification Preparation Package. I recommend it for preparation, but a word of caution about the quizzes at the end of the courses: they don't resemble the actual certification exam questions. I also used the Bodies of Knowledge (CPACC BOK and WAS BOK) as a guide for both certificates to know what is actually essential for the exam.

What's Next?

Studying for both certificates has been an incredible journey. I've learned so much about accessibility, disabilities, and how to create a more accessible web. However, my adventure with these topics is only beginning, and I have so much more to learn!

When learning about a broad topic, there usually comes the point when you realize that you know something, but you still have so much to discover. I'm currently at that point, and I'm excited to continue with the journey.

One of the reasons why I started blogging was to learn more about accessibility. If you've ever heard that you understand the most when you have to teach a concept to others, that's what I'm counting on. It has been so much fun, and I plan to keep on writing.

For the curious ones: I wrote a blog post about the learnings from CPACC, and I plan to write a similar post about WAS. I guess this time it is a bit easier, as there's only about a month from the exam, and not something like five months.

Have you lately accomplished something you've worked hard to achieve? If you want to share your accomplishment, let's celebrate together!

Cover photo by john elfes on Unsplash