If you are managing Chromebooks successfully for your school or business, you might be interested in Google’s new cloud certification for Chromebook administrators. The “ChromeOS Certified Administrator” exam is one of six professional certifications under the Google Cloud program. This type of verified experience could be quite valuable for anyone in an information technology/security position.
To become a Chromebook-certified admin you will need to pass a three-hour, two-part exam that will assess your knowledge of Chromebook deployment, device, and user settings. The ChromeOS administrator exam fee is normally $125 but Google is waiving the fee until January 2024. Can’t beat that deal! You can register here. I took the ChromeOS admin exam in early 2023. It was challenging but well-aligned with the common tasks and situations that an IT administrator should be prepared to address.
What’s on the exam?
The first section of the test is pretty straightforward. I received 50 multiple-choice questions on a variety of policy settings and configurations. Some questions required the selection of multiple correct answers and I got a few drag-and-drop questions as well.
The second section is unique and fun! I received 15 real-world situations and access to a demo admin console which I used to configure policies to solve the assigned scenario. I had to create organizational units, move devices around, adjust device and user settings, and deploy apps and extensions.
If you are managing Chromebooks in a K-12 setting you should know that this exam is written from a business perspective. There were a few scenarios that were a little strange to me as a K-12 Chromebook admin, but my knowledge of the admin console was strong enough to figure things out.
A score of 80% is required to pass the exam. Feedback is minimal; you just see your final score. I was a little nervous when I clicked the final submit button, but I did manage to pass the minimum score of 80% and am now a certified ChromeOS administrator!
Study tips & Resources
Unfortunately, Google doesn’t provide many resources to help you prepare for the ChromeOS administrator exam. They have an exam guide that consists of a few sections of text, but it’s not comprehensive at all.
Honestly, experience is the most effective way to prepare for this exam. If you have been managing Chromebooks for several years and have a good handle on device and user policies, you will probably be just fine. After all, it’s a free test: what’s the worst that can happen?!
If you want to do a quick review before you take the test, download my free ChromeOS admin study guide which lists the core skills you should be familiar with before you take the exam. If the study guide is a bit overwhelming, or you just want to level up your use of the Google Admin Console, check out the Chromebook Academy, my comprehensive workshop on managing Chromebooks. The course is a LIVE virtual workshop that runs several times throughout the year and is carefully aligned with the ChromeOS administrator exam.
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