I recently obtained my Certified Associate Python Programmer (PCAP) certification, and I couldn’t be more excited about it! The PCAP certification is a professional credential from the Python Institute that measures an individual’s ability to perform intermediate-level coding tasks in the Python language. It shows that the individual is familiar with the more advanced aspects of programming, including the essentials of OOP, the essentials of modules and packages, the exception handling mechanism in OOP, advanced operations on strings, list comprehensions, lambdas, generators, closures, and file processing. PCAP certification gives its holders confidence in their programming skills, helps them stand out in the job market, and gives them a head start on preparing for and advancing to the professional level.

I took the exam via PearsonVue’s OnVue platform, that is their online proctored exam. It gave me plenty of excitement and emotions. Unlike the Python Certified Entry-Level Programmer (PCEP) certification I obtained mid September using OpenEDG’s TestNow platform, I found the proctored PCAP exam to be more challenging. This was especially true when comparing to the study materials and practice tests I took prior to scheduling my exam. I found the exam questions harder than the practice materials, an opinion some people also shared on a Reddit thread.

The exam was challenging but fair. It tested my knowledge of intermediate-level coding tasks in the Python language and my ability to design, develop, debug, execute, and refactor multi-module Python programs. I was able to complete all the tasks within the allotted time and I even had an extra 15 minutes left to review some of the responses that I had previously flagged for review. You can check my PCAP certificate here. Although I scored 87%, I believe I could have done better if I hadn’t made a mistake in the custom exceptions section.

Obtaining my PCAP certification has opened up many doors for me in the field of computer programming. I am now more confident in my ability to write code in Python and have a better understanding of advanced programming concepts. I would highly recommend anyone who is interested in learning Python programming to obtain their PCAP certification. Best of luck on your journey!