Simo Bertulli’s Three-Year Experience With LPI Membership

It has been three years since I first enrolled in the LPI Membership Program, and as the end of my initial cycle approaches, I believe it’s the perfect time to reflect on the program’s developments and achievements. While LPI celebrates 25 years of promoting Linux and open source expertise, my Membership journey is relatively young but no less significant. I joined early when the Membership Program was first introduced, making me an “early bird” participant.

My connection with LPI, however, goes back even further. I’m now in my fifth year as an LPI-certified IT professional, a milestone that reflects not only my personal growth but also the value that LPI certifications and Membership bring to professionals like me. It’s nice to think about how, over these years, LPI has grown into a trusted partner in my career development while continuously championing the global open-source community.

But let’s go back to the LPI Membership! Let me share my experiences on LPI Membership with you and what you should know about the member portal and its dashboard.

LPI Membership: A Look at The Dashboard

Figure 1 shows my dashboard on LPI’s Membership website.

Figure 1. Member dashboard.

Undoubtedly, one of the most positive aspects of the dashboard is how it encourages engagement in at least two of the three available ways to earn PDUs. This approach ensures that the training and skills I have acquired are not only retained but actively applied in everyday work environments. Moreover, it motivates me to contribute to initiatives or projects within communities that champion the cause of free and open source software (FOSS), reinforcing both professional growth and the spirit of collaboration that defines open source.
If I navigate to the Profile→Certification section, I can see the status of my certifications and their expiration dates (Figure 2).

Figure 2. List of my certifications.

Any extension I “win” for a certification cascades to the ones that led up to it. For instance, if I renew the highest-level certification (here, LPIC-3 – 304) all the prerequisite certifications below it (LPIC-1 and LPIC-2) are automatically renewed, and all will share the same expiration date.

Certification renewal aligns with the length of the subscription to the chosen Membership plan: in my case, renewal lasts for three years. From a cost-benefit perspective, renewing certifications through Membership is undoubtedly advantageous. Meanwhile, under the Profile→PDU section, I can easily view the list of activities I’ve submitted for evaluation and whether they have been accepted for credit assignment (Figure 3).

Figure 3. List of PDUs submitted.

And let’s not forget about Membership’s other benefits! In the Shop→Benefits section (Figure 4), you can find various discounts on training materials, including the annual discount available to Members who wish to take an exam.

Figure 4. Benefits page.

LPI Membership: my Verdict

What do I think about the Membership, then?

Well, as an IT professional, I consider it a must-have if one wants to structure a career with solid educational foundations. The three-year plan is the best choice if one is looking at medium and long-term employability.

I went ahead with the second renewal precisely because I have experienced all the positive aspects that a plan like this can offer. See you in three years for the next update on my LPIMemberJourney!

Linux Professional Institute is publishing this article as part of a series celebrating our 25th anniversary, LPI25.