Kiosk exam availablity and COVID-19

[kpietras]

Dear Red Hat,

We did not receive any information regarding Exam Kiosk availability while the COVID-19 and restriction around that are in place.
In my country, the Red Hat Partners where kiosk exam resides are closing the offices due to government restrictions. 
Could you please confirm that you are developing some solution which will be extending the exams expiration period for the exam until the situation will be back to normal?
Or is there any plans to attend exams from home?

I know this is a difficult time for many of us.
Please care for each other and our communities when it counts. 
Stay safe and healthy.

[herbertx]

I'm really trying hard to understand my options for taking a Kiosk type exam for EX300-RHCE7.   You replied that we have until July 30th to purchase the Kiosk exam but in an earlier post    "@Autran no problem at all - we are always happy to help! I believe you are looking at the purchase page on redhat.com - the July 1 date is referring to the purchase expiration date - not the date you sit for the exam. "

The RedHat website also apparently says we have until July 1st to take an Individual Exam.   Here's the link "https://www.redhat.com/en/services/training/ex300-red-hat-certified-engineer-rhce-exam-red-hat-enter..."

Why do they refer to "Individual Exam"?  Is an "Individual Exam" a KIOSK exam?

What exactly is going on?  Do I really only have until July 1st to pay for the exam?

Where I live I have to arrange the exam thru a third-party, a training center that offers a place to do the Kiosk type exam, and I have to pay them - NOT RedHat.  They then send me a payment confirmation that lets me schedule the date for the exam.    Pease explain my options.

HerbertX

[Miguelon_CL]

Hello Deana
I have my RHCE certification in versions 3,4,5 and 6. I am in the certification process in version 7, but I have a question, can I apply directly to take the RHCE exam, or must I pass the RHCSA? Formerly it was not necessary.

until when do I have time for the RHEL7?

Here in Chile, the kiosk is in the Red Hat office, but it is closed

Thanks

[kpietras]

Thank you all for all valuable conversation here and Red Hat for taking care of community and customers.
It is excellent that RH is working towards the online examination. In my opinion, it is only a viable solution.

I can comment only about mine and examination perspective in Poland.

I have four exams in my bucket due to RHLS. They should expire in June, but due to the new situation, they will expire in September. Thank you for extending.

However, I see an issue regarding preparation to my exams - what if my employer does not extend my subscription due to new situation(budget issues) or the people which bought RHLS on their own - they cannot afford.

Extending exams without extending RHLS for the also next months is unrealistic.
I can go for the exam, but I cannot prepare - sounds like madness.

Currently, the exams in my country were banned for the next months - the closest day now is 30 June, but this is also another problem. In Poland, we have two only places were can I attend the exam - two of them are on another part of the country, and there is a lack of free spots on both of them.
The queues to attend the exams are enormous.

The closest day is to participate in the exam is for 1 September - I have a few exams in my bucket, and a few days to attend many of those without any preparation.

I know that is a hard time for us, but this is the result of RH decisions in terms of lack of online examination, lack of onsite testing location.
I am RHCA, and I am proud of it, but the current situation is discouraging me on focusing on any future Red Hat certification. 

[Deanna]

Hi @kpietras,

It is exciting to hear that you are looking to complete 4 Red Hat Certifications - which certifications are you pursuing? 

Please note that Red Hat Training and Certification recently updated their Terms & Conditions, where "Any Red Hat Certification Expiring Between March 26, 2020 and September 30, 2020, Red Hat Will Extend the Expiration Date Until October 1, 2020".

We absolutely understand that RHLS is a highly valued tool, often required to properly prepare for a Red Hat Certification exam - I would reach out to your Red Hat account manager to see what the options are, I believe invidual situations like this are examined as a case per case basis and depends heavily on a learner's unique situation. 

Please let us know if there is anything else this community can do to help you as you continue to learn with our Red Hat training courses, labs and prepare for your exams.

Thank you and good luck!

[LaszloFaczan]

Hi @Deanna,

Thanks for the good news, but there are still questions :(

My RHLS subscrition will expire in June. It contains 5 exams and 2 re-take voucher. I enrolled 5 exams - its expiration did not extend, i had to ask this from support. 
But I still have two exams voucher left. I can’t use these, plan what to use them for because they’re going to expire

regards,

Laszlo Faczan

[benwismans]

So, I am wondering, I had my exam eligibilty period extended with 3 months. I had 3 exams I had to schedule (went from April to July). With a lot of hassle, I managed to take the first one today, but it's hard to schedule the other 2 (exam centers keep canceling). Is there an option these exams will get another 3 months extension? Or get them the same as other exams (on october 1st)?

[Goro]

I think many of us still need to take the rhce rhel7 exam so, due to this
situation Redhat should consider a solution that fits all and which will
also be an objective one. Btw, when will be the last date to pay for this
exam??

[littlebigfab]

Hi everyone,

I was able to take a Red Hat individual exam this morning in Nice (Evolution Multimedia), just the day after the lockdown ease here in France. Everything went smoothly. The owner told me that she was having plenty of availabilities for individual exams.

Right now there are still travel restrictions in France (no more than 100km from your place), but hopefully it will change in a near future. And that exam center is very closed to Nice international airport, like a 5 minutes taxi ride.

[Walid]

Congratulations, Hope you did well.

Not all of us have these priviliges, close exam center within quarntine reach or available slots in even the only kiosk/exam center in the country.

[Goro]

In my case i should even travel to another country in order to take this exam ive been preparing for long time and dedicated time and planning and thats impossible with the current situation