Test analytics 2024: Which certifications were taken most last year?

We once again gathered data on the tests taken last year! We collected figures from both our test centers in Espoo and Gothenburg, and it was interesting to see the difference between the two. In Espoo, a wider variety of tests is taken, while in Gothenburg certain tests are clearly the most popular.

The biggest test providers

Pearson VUE is still clearly the dominant test provider in both cities. In Gothenburg, Pearson VUE exams account for 91% of all exams, while in Espoo the share is slightly lower at 74.84%. The popularity of Pearson VUE exams is explained by its strong position as a provider of international certifications such as Microsoft, AWS, ISC2 and PMI.

PSI delivers exams in both cities, but its share is significantly larger in Gothenburg (6% of all exams) than in Espoo (1.7%). PSI tests mostly focus on specialized professional certifications such as ISACA and GARP, which are especially valued in Gothenburg. In Espoo, PSI exams are a minority, but some ISACA exams are taken there too.

Kryterion plays a significant role in Espoo (22.16% of all exams), while in Gothenburg it covers only 3%. In Espoo, Kryterion tests such as Google Cloud, ServiceNow and Salesforce are popular, especially among IT and cloud professionals.

Fewer Meazure tests are taken in both cities, but their ISA/EIC is clearly the most popular Meazure test in both.

The most popular certifications:

• Microsoft is the most popular certification vendor in both cities. Microsoft’s share is slightly higher in Espoo (28.66%) than in Gothenburg (28.13%), which suggests that both cities have a great need for IT professionals who want to develop their skills in Microsoft technologies.

• AWS (Amazon Web Services) is popular in both cities, but its share is larger in Gothenburg (12.39%) than in Espoo (9.55%). This may indicate that Gothenburg has more cloud professionals and projects where AWS certifications are important.

• GMAT is popular in Gothenburg (24.16%) compared with Espoo, where its share is only 6.63%. This may reflect Gothenburg’s more international environment, where students prepare for business and management studies.

More specialized certifications:

• ISACA certifications are very popular in Espoo (63.16% of all PSI exams), while in Gothenburg their share is only 16.28%. This may point to Espoo’s strong role in cybersecurity and IT architecture, where ISACA certifications are especially valued.

• Google Cloud is especially popular in Espoo (32.86% of Kryterion exams), while in Gothenburg its share is smaller (9.52%). This shows that there is more demand for cloud skills, and Google Cloud certifications in particular, in Espoo.

• ServiceNow is also popular in Espoo (27.02% of Kryterion exams), which may suggest that the city has many professionals specializing in IT service management.

Regional differences:

• PTE (Pearson Test of English) is one of Espoo’s distinctively popular exams, with a share of 17.73%. In Gothenburg, the PSI SELT exam is taken instead of PTE.

• IIA (Institute of Internal Auditors) certifications are also popular in Espoo (3.16%), but there are no significant numbers of these exams in Gothenburg.

Summary: Espoo and Gothenburg – two different professional environments

Many tests are represented in both cities, but the professional focus and needs clearly differ. Gothenburg emphasizes business and finance certifications such as GMAT and ISACA, while Espoo puts more weight on IT and cloud certifications such as Google Cloud, Salesforce and ServiceNow. Compared with previous years, the trend is the rise of security certifications, such as ISACA and ISC2. In addition, the security certifications of cloud providers such as Microsoft and Google Cloud have clearly grown.