SAFe Scrum Master (SSM) Certification: Requirements, Benefits

Every company follows a framework that has set rules and regulations about how each team will work. It includes the values that every employee in the organization will follow and a foolproof plan to manage the work. The framework that most organizations follow these days is SAFe. The fundamental idea of this setup is to address the problems that a team encounters when they scale from one-to-many attributes. It mostly gets used in complex projects where a step-by-step approach is essential. Moreover, only a qualified expert with SAFe SSM certification can handle it well.

In this article, you will learn about what SSM certification is, how you can get it, and what benefits it brings to your professional career.

What is SAFe Scrum Master (SSM) Certification?

SSM stands for SAFe Scrum Master, and certification in this domain is about training the individual to deliver efficient results in a SAFe organization. It is amongst the top 10 most preferred and valued certification courses in Scaled Agile. Most working individuals opt for it during their work tenure to learn and grow in their professional careers. Things you will learn in this certification course:

• Complete understanding of SAFe and why an organization should opt for it.
• Awareness of the Scrum Master roles and the impact this professional has on organizational growth.
• How to facilitate Scrum events for large teams working from varied locations.
• To support the PI execution of scrum operations at the enterprise level.

The scope of an SSM certification is immense, and it is vital to learn about the course inclusions before enrolling in a program. Choose a renowned education body or a coach to complete your SSM certification, as it would impact your learning curve. Check the SSM certification cost, course reviews, coach qualification, and more to decide where to enroll to get certified.

Benefits of SAFe Scrum Master Certification

Like any other certification course, SSM also helps in improving the skill set of the professionals working in the SAFe environment. Every individual working in the SAFe organization plans to do an Agile course online at some point in their career to scale or grow. They learn the latest trends or the best ways to implement scaled scrum technologies into the business and achieve personal and professional growth.

The reason behind the popularity of certification courses is the benefits that they provide. The exponential increase in the SSM certification salary, secured career, and multiple other factors make it an apt option. Let us dig deeper and discuss a few benefits for better clarity.

• The first and foremost advantage of this certification course is an increase in job opportunities. A certified professional has higher chances of getting a job, and their chances of getting hired are also high.
• This certification also helps the skilled workforce to gain mastery or proficiency in their work. There are multiple tools in the SAFe environment that ease employee stress through automation.
• When there is efficiency at work, less employee stress, and a cordial work environment, the employee satisfaction level increases. It will eventually increase their engagement and inclination towards the firm.
• Another benefit of the SSM certification is the exponential hike in salary. This certification proves the worth of an employee, and no organization would refrain from increasing his remuneration to retain him.

There are countless other benefits of completing SSM certification. You should choose a coach with an excellent market reputation and work dedicatedly to learn everything about Scrum to enjoy all these perks.

Eligibility and Requirements of SSM Certification

Before enrolling on any certification program, one should fulfil the fundamental eligibility criteria. You cannot just sit in any session and learn anything without any relevance to your professional goals. The prerequisites and the educational eligibility you need to enrol on the SSM certification course are as discussed below.

1. Prerequisites for Pursuing SSM Certification

Now you know what SAFe Scrum Master certification is. Let us move forward and learn about its eligibility and requirements to understand who can enroll on this course and complete this certification.

There are no specific requirements for the age or prior work experience of professionals who want to do the SSM certification. However, it is essential that you belong to the same industry and will use the things learnt in the certification course for organizational growth. People who can and should take this certification are:

• Project Managers
• Software Engineers
• Team Leaders
• Quality Assurance Managers
• Product Managers
• Scrum Master

2. Educational and Professional Experience Criteria

As far as the educational criterion is concerned, the professionals working in the higher management of project management can sit for the safe scrum master certification exam. So, it goes without saying that their professional experience has to be promising, and they should come from a relevant educational background.

How to Prepare for the SAFe Scrum Master (SSM) Certification Exam?

To become SSM certified, one should focus on learning the fundamentals of the scrum framework and its implementation. Once you are confident that you know enough about the domain, you sit for the exam and clear it to get the certification. It is crucial to learn everything in detail to clear the SSM certification exam. For that, you would need a proficient coach! So, the step-by-step way to prepare for the SSM certification is as follows.

Step1: Gather Information

Get all the information related to what is a safe scrum master and how learning about it can help with your professional growth. It is significant to know the details of the course you plan to do in order to take full advantage of it.

Step2: Choose a Coach

There are multiple educational platforms offering this certification program. You can find many with surprisingly low safe SSM certification costs, but that doesn’t prove their authenticity. Hence, your focus should always be to choose the best scrum coach with an excellent market reputation from whom you will get the training.

Step3: Dedicated Time & Effort

Even the best coaches in the world cannot bring the best out of you if you do not put in the effort. So, the next significant thing in your preparation is dedication towards learning. If you are a working professional, choose a time slot when you are available every day and do not miss out on the sessions.

These three simple yet effective steps will help you prepare well, and you will soon have a well-earned SSM certificate on your resume.

SAFe Scrum Master Exam Format

The SSM certification exam is a 90-minute test with total of 45 questions. It is a multiple-choice question format exam in which you will choose the correct answer from two or three options. The qualifying percentage for the SSM certification exam is 73%. It means you would have to give at least 33 correct answers to become SSM certified. The table below will help you get a better understanding.

Total Number of Questions	45
Passing Score	73% or 33 correct answers
Exam Duration	90 minutes
Question Format	MCQs

Registering for the SAFe Scrum Master Exam

SSM training is generally a two-day program in which the professionals learn the fundamentals and advanced concepts of scrum and agile operations. During this training, you should not apply for the exam. Once you have completed your training and have enough confidence you know all the details, use the process below to apply online. Moreover, the safe scrum master certification validity is of one year. After that, you will complete the training again and sit for the exam to retain your certification.

1. Application Process and Fees

Once you have completed the training program, your training organization will send you an email with a link to apply for the exam. It is significant to know that you get 90 days after completing the training program to apply for the exam. After that, you will have to take that two-day training again. The fee to apply for the exam is $500 to $700. If you fail to clear the exam on the first attempt, you will pay an exam fee of 25$ for every re-attempt.

2. Scheduling Your Exam Date

There are a few things related to the exam date which you have to keep in mind before scheduling your exam.

• You have only 90 days to complete the exam after course completion. So, do not waste any time.
• Only four re-attempts are allowed. So, if you fail once, prepare well before booking the next slot.

Exam slots are usually shown on the window when you start registering for the exam. Choose as per your convenience and attempt the test.

Tips to Prepare for the SAFe Scrum Master Exam

The SSM exam is to judge your understanding of the scrum framework. So, it goes without saying that the exam is not that easy. You would have to put lots of effort into preparing for it and gain the certification to level up. You will know if safe scrum master certification is worth it only after you qualify for the exam. Listed below are a few tips that you can use to prepare for the exam and come out victorious.

• Start by getting a basic understanding of the course and knowing everything about its inclusions. Furthermore, get all the details about the exam pattern, learn what is SSM certificate, and keep your mind clear about everything you would have to do to clear it.
• Your next step is to find the best coach or training program to prepare for the exam. Make sure you choose a course with elaborate coursework and a qualified trainer. You should read the reviews and ratings of the training program as well to get an assurance about its market credibility before enrolment. We recommend the KnowledgeHut SAFe SSM certification course as the majority of project managers prefer this one over the other available courses.
• Plan your schedule well, especially if you are a working professional. There is no point in enrolling on a course if you cannot dedicate time to it, as there is no way you can clear the exam without prior training. So, plan your schedule well and pick the time slot when you can learn with dedication.
• Your course provider will share the exam material with you, which you can use to strengthen your preparation. However, you should also try and find study material from other sources in order to get a better understanding. It will improve your chances of clearing the exam and getting certified.
• You can also refer to the exam practice papers before giving an actual attempt. It will help you get familiar with the entire process. You will know what type of questions you will get asked and whether you are prepared to take the final attempt.
• Joining a study group is also a strategy that can help you clear the exam. These groups have other professionals who are sailing on the same boat. By interacting with them, you will have a channel to exchange ideas and experiences and move towards getting SSM certified together.

These simple tips can help you clear the Scrum master certification exam. The idea is to move ahead with a planned strategy, and you will see that the results will follow!

Maintaining Your SSM Certification: Continuing Education Requirements

You cannot sit and enjoy the benefits of an SSM certification for a lifetime after clearing it once. It is an ongoing process and demands you stay put with the latest trends and technical advancements. Hence, the certification is only valid for a year! After every 12 months, you go through the process again and prove your worth to gain the certification. After one year, find a course provider which at that time is credible and has promising things to offer. Take the two-day training session and schedule the exam just like you did before.

Additionally, if you plan to go for advanced certification in the scrum domain, learn about the fundamental requirements and work accordingly. Meet the basic education requirements, prepare well through the training programs and enjoy all the perks these certifications can offer. 

Conclusion

In the end, it is fair to say that SAFe is the most opted-for framework that most organizations use. So, it goes without saying that the demand for experts who understand it is high, and it will keep increasing exponentially. Completing a renowned certification course in this domain would be a plus for anyone who wants a secure and monetarily sound career! It can help deepen your understanding of the industry and open doors of opportunities that can lead you to professional growth. Find a renowned course provider, give dedication to the preparation and enjoy a secure career with significant growth potential.