Erlangen, 04.01.2011 – The distinct economic recovery has brought back a rise in turnover for the German IT industry. Bitkom (Federal Association for Information Technology, Telecommunication and New Media in Germany) has corrected its prognosis for growth in the German IT-market from a black zero to plus 1.4 percent. The German Testing Board – a registered association with the objective to professionalize software testing – benefits from this development. „Industry has long ago realized that investment in the area of software testing is necessary. Well qualified testers are sought after “, says Tilo Linz, Chairman of German Testing Board. The online job exchanges monster.de and stepstone.de have, according to Linz, numerous job advertisements for software testers on offer, and in most cases the ISTQB Certified Tester qualification is explicitly mentioned as a requirement. 

Mr. Linz, please describe the work of the German Testing Board

It is the objective of the GTB to promote compliance with the highest possible testing standards through the definition and standardization of training and further education in the area of software testing. We do not award certificates out of kindness, and independence is of prime importance to us.

The ISTQB, as an international organization, defines the syllabi, which are then implemented in the local language by the National Boards such as the GTB. The German Testing Board is completely independent both of the training providers and the certification authorities, which handle the examinations. With this set-up, the strict separation of training scheme and all matters relating to examinations is guaranteed. In addition to this, training providers must demonstrate to the GTB that the contents of the syllabi are correctly covered in their training courses. This is done as part of the accreditation of training providers through the GTB. The accredited training providers are only authorized to offer training courses after their accreditation.    

Why do you think are well trained software testers so important?

Software testers are experts. They must be masters in their craft in order to track down the defects in systems. The better they train the test methods and techniques, the faster and the more efficient they become in their jobs. You could say it in a nutshell: Trained testers are better testers.

How many people have so far been qualified as Certified Testers (in Germany and worldwide)?

Since its foundation in 2005, the German Testing Board has developed very successfully. To date, 17,083 people have been certified in Germany (at end of June 2010), and worldwide the number is approaching 155,000. The training scheme is currently offered in 47 countries. After Great Britain, Germany is leading with regard to the number of certifications, followed by India and the USA.  

How do industrial organizations profit from software testers trained and qualified through your scheme, and which industries do you target specifically?

The Certified Tester training scheme is not targeted at specific sectors or manufacturers. It is an international standard and follows a pragmatic and practice-oriented approach to further education. In the past, organizations had to think along the line: “What type of tester are we looking for, and what capabilities are required of this tester?“ This could sometimes be painstakingly laborious. Today, organizations simply look for a Certified Tester and know what they will get: A software tester trained and qualified to a high standard! This ensures that the applicant will actually have the know-how they expect.

Our testing scheme is particularly well regarded in industry sectors that develop systems with high software content, and where software defects could potentially cause a lot of damage. This includes the automotive industry, medical technology, the aviation industry and also the financial sector.

In addition, industry also benefits from our network: The ISTQB^® certificate is offered worldwide – not just in Europe, but also for instance in the USA, India, Japan and China. Software teams are made up of employees from all countries of the world. The ISTQB^® standard gives them the possibility to train and qualify to the same standard. The Certified Tester scheme ensures that the same technical terminology is used. This is guaranteed through the intensive collaboration with our umbrella organization, the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB^®).

You plan to offer an Expert Level in the near future. Please explain this to us!

There is an introductory level, the so-called Foundation Level, there is an Advanced Level and soon there will be an Expert Level. For the two first levels, the contents and syllabi are already on the market. Currently we are working flat out to also set up the corresponding syllabus modules for the Expert Level. These efforts are still in a pilot stage. The next step will be to apply the Expert Level training courses routinely, and to back them up with the corresponding exam papers. The more demanding the course contents are, the more difficult it is to think up adequate exam questions for the syllabus. However, we are on the right path.

The Expert Level will excellently complement our range of courses offered. We want to present professional software testers with a career perspective. Successful participants of the Expert Level will be considered for management jobs, for instance for leading larger teams of testers. Apart from this more generic approach, they can also document with an Expert Level certificate their comprehensive training and experience in a very specialized technical discipline of testing.

Please describe GTB’s cooperation with universities

The Certified Tester scheme doesn’t focus on industry alone, but is provided free of charge to German universities. In this respect, the GTB currently cooperates closely with 40 German universities, universities of applied sciences and universities of cooperative education. To date, 587 student examinations have been held. At universities of applied sciences, for example, it is possible for students to enrol for “Software quality assurance” as a mandatory course element. The course contents covers the syllabus of the „Certified Testers  - Foundation Level“. Following the course, students have the opportunity to sit the exam for „ISTQB Certified Tester“. The German Testing Board supports students through reduced exam charges.

What about the career prospects of software testers?

Industry has long ago realized that investment in the area of software testing is necessary. Well qualified testers are sought after. The online job exchanges monster.de and stepstone.de have numerous job advertisements for software testers on offer, and in most cases the Certified Tester qualification is explicitly mentioned as a requirement.

Organizations have recognized the necessity of investment in the area of testing. The benefit and consequently the return of investment is that (software) products can be on the market faster and with fewer defects. These aims can only be achieved through applying structured test processes. And for this well trained software testers are an essential prerequisite.

What are the challenges in connection with the profession of software tester?

It is not a routine job. Each working day brings new challenges. Technical development is proceeding at considerable pace. Permanent further education is absolutely necessary. This requires a high degree of personal and technical flexibility as well as adaptability. The advantages and incentives are that you get in contact with many different persons, technologies, and project constellations.

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