How we help you to become a Pega Developer? Simple, thanks to an additional and unique process within our BPM Academy. Your development through personal guidance, skills training and professional workshops is central here. Within eight weeks you will be certified and prepared to start working with Pega. Niels Oelderik and Jorn Koster tell about their experience within the BPM Academy in this interview.

What were your first thoughts when you heard about the BPM Academy?

Jorn: “Obviously, when I came into contact with BPM Company, I wanted to get started as soon as possible to become an expert in Pega. This is because I wanted to add value immediately as soon as I could start with a customer. I just had no experience with this platform yet. Fortunately, I soon found out that BPM Company has an Academy to help you with this.”

Niels: “First I thought, back to school. But after further reading and talking with a colleague I already knew, I became very enthusiastic. Getting groomed into a Pega expert in a short amount of time almost sounded too good to be true. But after obtaining both System Architect certificates, the foundation was in place and I was ready to start at one of our customers.”

To get started as a Pega Developer, you need certificates. Within Pega you get these by taking an exam. Within the BPM Academy we prepare you for these exams and at the same time we train and guide you in soft skills and knowledge to get started as a developer and consultant in Pega.

How do you look back on getting started at the BPM Academy?

Niels: “I have experienced the Academy in two different ways. First, I started immediately after graduating, together with one other colleague. This was a fairly quiet setting where we both went through the material well at our own pace. We discussed this with each other and we worked closely together during the exam preparation. After obtaining my System Architect certificate, I went on vacation, which allowed me to start my CSSA training later. As a result, I was not with one, but four other colleagues in the Academy. Because there were now more colleagues, we were able to consult better and we came to new insights together. This way has helped me enormously, especially during exam preparation.”

Niels has experienced two different situations in the Academy that can occur. As you can read, both have pros and cons. However, in addition to the training and supervision, the additional personal developments within the Academy are also important. For example, how you learn to work with Pega in a team, how to look critically at processes. But also how you can analyze your work and that of others.

Jorn: “After the onboarding day, in which I got to know new colleagues and BPM Company as a whole, I entered the BPM Academy. Together with the other start-up consultants, we were welcomed by our mainstay for the coming weeks, Stanley Foster. With the teaching program and his endless dedication, he will guide you through the BPM Academy. His position is therefore ‘Your exam is my exam’ and you notice that in everything.”

“With a unique training program and the guidance of experienced consultants, we ensure that our people develop optimally into a fully-fledged Pega Specialist”

– Stanley Foster

What do you think is the real added value of the BPM Academy?

Jorn: “On the first day we went through the curriculum. So it was clear that the first four weeks we focused on the CSA exam and the second 4 weeks on passing your CSSA exam. Such a 4-week block consists of studying in the Pega Academy (Pega’s learning management system), a lot of mutual consultation with your colleagues and training from experienced BPM colleagues. They will come by to go through exam questions with you, to explain the underlying theory and also to immediately use an example in Pega. This allows you to really understand and apply the exam material.”

Niels: “The real added value for me was that you are prepared in a short time to get started at one of our customers. Because of my education I did have some IT knowledge, but Pega is a huge application with endless possibilities. I remember thinking “How am I ever going to do this.” Fortunately, there is an extensive planning for this with numerous resources. This way you will be ready to get started with Pega in no time.

The good basis for a starting Pega Developer consists of two certificates. The Certified System Achitect (CSA) certificate and the follow-up to the Certified Senior System Architect (CSSA) certificate. Thanks to the BPM Academy, you will not endure this ordeal alone! Together we ensure that you obtain your certificates.

What is the highlight of your time in the BPM Academy?

Jorn: “You are not alone! Everyone in the group sympathized and I noticed that ‘Your exam is my exam’ no longer only applied to Stanley, but to everyone. Everyone had passed their exam and we celebrated that extensively on Friday afternoon drinks of that week!”

Niels: “Colleagues are always asked to provide exam training. I was also asked to do this, a few months after I passed my exam. This allowed me to complete the points that I found difficult or missed during my exam training, this ensures that the exam training is constantly improving and stays up-to-date. The mistakes I made in the exams are not made by the following groups, that is the strength of this Academy.”

More than just a certificate

Because we believe that it takes more than just a certificate to get started with Pega, we also focus on the following within the BPM Academy:

  • BPM Company specialists and trainers help you with your training courses
  • Personal feedback, guidance and explanation during your training
  • You go through the process in a hybrid form (classroom and online self-study)
  • Gain practical experience through specifically developed cases
  • Training and preparing for the exams together
  • Follow-up training courses developed in-house such as UI/UX, Lead System Architect, AI, and robotics

Want to get started as a Pega Developer, but have no experience yet?

No problem, thanks to the BPM Academy! Just like Jorn and Niels, dive into the world of Pega and start working for one of our clients in no time. Take a look at our vacancies and apply immediately.

 

Curious about working at BPM Company?

Take a look at our vacancies or ask Hans Steenwijk:

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