[LPI-News] Linux Professional Institute recognized by UK education authorities

[Scott Lamberton]

LPI recognized by UK education authorities

(London, UK and Sacramento, CA, USA: October 21, 2010) The Linux 
Professional Institute (LPI), the world's premier Linux certification 
organization (http://www.lpi.org), announced that the LPIC-1 
certification program for Linux professionals has been accepted as a 
nationally recognized IT accreditation for college students at secondary 
schools and technical colleges in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. 
LPI's affiliate, LPI-UK (http://www.lpi-uk.org/) worked in co-operation 
with e-skills UK (http://www.e-skills.com/) to ensure this initiative. 
In addition, the two organizations are working in partnership with the 
Scottish Qualifications Authority (http://www.sqa.org.uk) to recognize 
LPIC-1 as a nationally accepted award and SCQF Credit within Scotland as 
well.

e-skills UK is a non-profit employer-led organization which brings 
together employers, educators and Government to address 
technology-related skills issues in the UK. The organization also 
regulates all IT qualifications for the UK "Qualification and Credit 
Framework": http://www.qcda.gov.uk/qualifications/60.aspx

In addition, e-skills UK is working to have LPI's LPIC-2 program 
recognized as a nationally accepted qualification.

"This recognition by accreditation authorities in the UK, particularly 
for technical students between the ages of 14-18 years of age, 
demonstrates the value of LPI's certification program as a means of 
qualifying aspiring IT professionals for employment. LPI has always 
maintained that our strength has been in the workforce development of 
Linux professionals. Similarly, this announcement is in line with the 
increasing acceptance of our certification as an IT standard in other 
jurisdictions around the globe," said Jim Lacey, president and CEO of 
LPI. Mr. Lacey noted that under this initiative in the UK, students who 
earned their LPIC-1 status would be eligible for college or high school 
credits towards their qualifications as well as credit towards 
university entrance.

"We are pleased to include LPI and their LPIC-1 certification program 
within our list of acceptable IT qualifications for our technical 
students throughout the UK. Linux skills are increasingly important for 
qualified IT professionals in the UK and the LPIC program is an ideal 
qualification for us in that regard," said Ben Sweetman, Apprenticeships 
Manager, e-skills UK.

"We are delighted to be working with the Linux Professional Institute 
and hope to see LPIC-1 and LPIC-2 in delivery across Scotland and linked 
to relevant national programmes," said Joe Wilson, Head of New Ventures, 
Scottish Qualifications Authority.

These recent initiatives in the UK follow the successful introduction of 
an online distance education course by Open University UK for 
undergraduate adult learners which prepares students for the "CompTIA 
Linux+ Powered by LPI" exams 
(http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/course/t155.htm). Five 
hundred students have recently completed this academic program which 
provides students with credits towards their honors degree. An 
additional five hundred are registered for the next course offering.

The Linux Professional Institute is globally supported by the IT 
industry, enterprise customers, community professionals, government 
entities and the educational community. LPI's certification program is 
supported by an affiliate network spanning five continents and is 
distributed worldwide in multiple languages at more than 7,000 testing 
locations. Since 1999, LPI has delivered over 290,000 exams and 90,000 
LPIC certifications around the world.

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About the Linux Professional Institute:

The Linux Professional Institute promotes and certifies essential skills 
on Linux and Open Source technologies through the global delivery of 
comprehensive, top-quality, vendor-independent exams. Established as an 
international non-profit organization in September 1999 by the Linux 
community, the Linux Professional Institute continues to demonstrate 
recognized global leadership in the certification of Linux 
professionals. LPI advances the Linux and Open Source movement through 
strategic partners, sponsorships, innovative programs and community 
development activities. LPI's major financial sponsors are Platinum 
Sponsors IBM, Linux Journal, Linux Magazine, Novell, SGI, and TurboLinux 
as well as Gold Sponsors, HP and IDG.

Media Contacts:

Scott Lamberton
Director of Communications
Linux Professional Institute
http://www.lpi.org
slamberton at lpi.org
+1-905-269-0862

Ben Sweetman
Apprenticeships Manager
e-skills UK
http://www.e-skills.com
Ben.Sweetman at e-skills.com
Telephone: 020 7963 8966

Bill Quinn
Programme Director
LPI-UK
http://www.lpi-uk.org
bill.quinn at lpi-uk.org
Phone: 01454 333 009


-- 
Scott Lamberton
Director of Communications
Linux Professional Institute
http://www.lpi.org
slamberton at lpi.org
+1-905-269-0862