[Qualification] IT Passport Exam Passport ... Exam Passport Exam Passport Exam Passport Exam Passport Exam

Introduction

Hello. I'm Paru, an infrastructure engineer in the System Solutions Department who graduated in 2024.
The cherry blossoms have already fallen, and the pollen is still annoying, but I love the fresh feeling of spring.

Although I'm in my second year at the company, I'm still a newbie IT engineer, but I recently passed the IT Passport exam! 👏So
, this time, I'd like to write about the IT Passport exam, which is often touted as being pointless, including how I studied to pass and my impressions of taking it. If you're unsure whether to take it, please read on.

There are also many other past articles on qualifications, so if you're interested, check them out!

[AZ-900] How a Public Relations Officer Passed the Microsoft Azure Fundamentals Exam

[2024 Graduates] New Graduate's Experience of Passing the AWS Cloud Practitioner Exam [Shikoku Office]

Why IT Passport?

I graduated from the Faculty of Letters and had no connection to IT until I joined the company, so of course I didn't have an IT Passport!
I took the exam not only to learn the very basics of IT, but also for the following reasons.

1. Before I joined the company, I received a reference book for the IT Passport,
   and it seemed a waste to leave it unopened, so I decided to study! By the way, at Beyond, even though the IT Passport is considered a relatively easy IT qualification, the exam fee is waived and you receive a reward if you pass, so it's all good.
2. 's easy to study for
   , so there are plenty of reference books available, and many people provide thorough and detailed explanations , making it extremely easy to study.
3. 
   AWS and Linux certifications have no expiration date it will last a lifetime .

Study methods I tried

Next, I'll introduce the study method I tried. I
studied for about three months, balancing work and leisure.

Read through the reference book

This is a standard item for studying for qualifications. The reference book I used was Kayagi Sensei's IT Passport Classroom just finishing it rather than understanding it . I recommend it because just the fact that you've read a thick book gives you a sense of accomplishment. If I were greedy, I would read it several times, but I read it once and then used it to reread any parts I didn't understand while solving the problems.

Solve problems on the app in your spare time

" IT Passport All Questions and Explanations " to solve questions in my spare time, such as during breaks at work or while soaking in the bathtub. Past Questions Dojo is fine, but the questions are detailed and perfect for short bursts of time .

Listen to vocabulary on YouTube

Instead of watching hobby videos or live streams that I normally watch, I started watching videos that just explain vocabulary. By repeating the cycle of listening to the vocabulary, solving problems, and listening to the vocabulary, I felt like I was becoming more familiar with the vocabulary, which was an effective way to input information .

Solve past exam questions at the Past Exam Dojo

It's such an easy-to-use website that you'll wonder if it's okay to use it for free. You can choose a year to solve past exam questions, or you can solve questions by subject , so I spent the weeks leading up to the exam just solving questions on this website. It's reassuring when you can solve about 80-90% of the questions.

Examination process

Here is a brief explanation of the process from application to taking the exam and the results announcement. For more information, please visit the official IT Passport website

1. The application
   fee is 7,500 yen (tax included), and you can choose a convenient date from test centers around the country. You can change your application details up to three days before the scheduled test date, so it's quite flexible.
2. your test date
   confirmation sheet (which contains your user ID, test number, and confirmation code) and identification ! It's prohibited to bring unnecessary items like smartphones and watches into the test center, but as long as you listen carefully to the guide and follow their instructions, you won't have any problems.
3. Passing Criteria and Announcement of Passing Results:
   a total score of 600 or more and 300 or more for each of the strategy, management, and technology fields . Your score is displayed immediately after the exam, so you can immediately tell whether you passed or failed, but the official results and certificate will be sent about a month after the exam. It's a bit confusing.

Thoughts: I'm glad I took it

There are many IT terms that are used in the workplace and are assumed to be familiar to you

One of the reasons why the IT Passport is disliked is that the exam includes many questions on business strategy and corporate and legal affairs, which at first glance may not be related to IT. However, when I actually studied for it, I found that there were many that I would have naturally come across in my work but that I had no idea about and had to research extensively. I think it would have been better if I had studied before joining the company, so it is definitely a great qualification for people with no IT experience

It helps you learn logical thinking

I wrote a ton of reports during my university days, but there were no tests, so I didn't study at all. So, this was simply a good way to practice my studies . Also, I've avoided anything related to numbers, so doing calculation problems for the first time in a while the importance of "knowing logical thinking ." This is essential for working in IT.

Conclusion

What did you think?

Studying for any exam, not just the IT Passport, is definitely meaningful even if it is not directly related to work, so I would like to continue challenging myself to obtain various qualifications!
Thank you for reading to the end 🌷

Reference:
IT Passport Exam Official Website
IT Passport Exam.com (Past Questions Dojo)
How to apply for the IT Passport Exam? Detailed explanation including points to note on the exam day