Adobe Certified Professional - Adobe Captivate

You got a long answer... will not comment on that. Just want to ask if you really need a certificate for any particular reason?  If that is the case go for it. None of my clients have ever asked for a certificate. Moreover I had trainees who had a certificate and detected that they lacked some skills needed and were looking for training to fill those gaps.  Having been in training, education for decades (many different topics and students from children up to adults with lot of experience), my conclusion is that one training which fits all doesn't exist. Due to its nature that is what such a certification training tries to be. It may be successful for some, but also a complete failure for others.  Up to you, since you are the only one who can estimate what is the best way to uplevel your skill and whether or not you need a 'paper' to prove something for administrative reasons?

Adobe Certified Expert (ACE) for Adobe Captivate doesn't exist for the current version of Adobe Captivate (2019 Release). I believe the last version of this certification was for version 8.

In 2018, Adobe started to offer the Adobe Captivate Specialist training and certification at the Adobe conferences in Washington DC and Las Vegas. In 2020 the program was evolved into the Adobe Certificated Professional: Adobe Captivate to align with other Adobe product certifications. Initially, Adobe offered the Adobe Certified Professional: Adobe Captivate in major cities across North America for the regular price of $799. Alternatively, students could elect to attend the certifications where Adobe was hosting an eLearning conference for a reduced rate of $499. In both cases, the accreditation included the online training, followed by a one day instructor-led program, which was immediately followed by the proctored exam. I have been the facilitator of the one-day instructor-led training several times at this point. Adobe had scheduled sessions throughout North America, including classes, to coexist at the two live conferences this year. I believe that at this time, Adobe has cancelled all the live and in-person courses that Adobe had scheduled for 2020. The cancellation was due to the current health risks related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

To fill the void this creates, Adobe has moved its training and certification to an online format. Adobe also recognizes that not everyone has the same needs when it comes to training and certification.

If you are comfortable completing the certification with only a series of videos to guide you, the Certification Only option is for you. The "Certification Only" option is also the most cost-effective solution but may not be suitable for new Captivate users. There is no option to write the exam without the online curriculum, but if you are confident in your skills and knowledge, you could select the "Certification Only" at $499 and go straight to the exam. I wouldn't advise this, however.

Adobe recommends new Captivate users complete the "Virtual training + Certification" option. This option includes everything that certification Only includes but with the 2-day virtual instructor-led training. While this is not a one-on-one training, you will have the opportunity to ask questions of teacher's assistants during the virtual session and receive more practice before writing your online exam. This path would be ideal for learners who need to prove proficiency to a manager who is sponsoring this training, or perhaps you are considering a new career path that includes eLearning development. The certification will demonstrate the ability to a hiring manager.

Perhaps you are not interested in the certification but would simply like to learn more about Adobe Captivate. Maybe you are already a skilled eLearning developer and don't need a certificate to prove it. Instead, you simply want the skills necessary to be proficient in Adobe Captivate. The 2-day virtual instructor-led training for $799 might be the right choice for you. The "Training Only" does include the online curriculum," but this option does not include the exam or the certification.

As a trainer for the previous version of this certification, people reach out to me for advice. I know of one person who selected the "Online Only" option and now feels they would have benefited by also including the "2-day virtual instructor-led training." Unfortunately, once you register and pay for the $499 option, you cannot merely add the "2-day virtual instructor-led training" for the $300 difference in price, so consider your current level of experience and your own needs before registering and paying for one of these options.