topic Re: SSCP combining with associate of (ISC2) in Become A Member

SSCP combining with associate of (ISC2)

Mitchell — Mon, 04 Mar 2019 21:06:48 GMT

Dear reader,

Right now I am an associate of (ISC2). In a few months, I got enough work experience to start the endorsed process. If all things go well I get endorsed and become SSCP title holder.

I want to take upon the CISSP exam after I become SSCP title holder, however I don't have enough work experience for CISSP. Is it possible to be a SSCP, and again become an associate of (ISC2) for the CISSP track?

Thanks in advance.

Re: SSCP combining with associate of (ISC2)

Early_Adopter — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 14:28:15 GMT

No.

You’d no longer be an associate of ISC2, but a member, so while you’d be able to take the CISSP Exam in advance, and fulfil the (much longer/different) experience requirements later, but you’d not be re-designated as an ‘Associate’.

I’d wait until you are a year off having the experience required, then study and take the exam as I’d not see much value(other than a sense of satisfaction in passing) otherwise.

Re: SSCP combining with associate of (ISC2)

Mitchell — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 15:37:02 GMT

I thought if you don't start the endorsement proces within a year of passing the exam, you have to retake the exam?

Re: SSCP combining with associate of (ISC2)

AlecTrevelyan — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 17:51:51 GMT

Hi @Mitchell,

I'm not sure that @Early_Adopter is correct?!

As I understand it, you can hold multiple Associate designations, one for each exam you pass but don't yet have the experience to go through the endorsement process:

https://www.isc2.org/Certifications/Associate

"Through the Associate of (ISC)² program, you can take any of our certification exams without the required work experience. When you pass, you become an Associate of (ISC)² as you work to gain the necessary experience to achieve full certification."

Therefore, you could get endorsed as an SSCP, and then become an Associate again after passing the CISSP exam. Or you could even take the CISSP exam and hold the Associate designation for both the SSCP and CISSP at the same time if you wanted to.

If the above is correct I think there is some merit in being an Associate over waiting to take the CISSP exam - the video in the link above explains why.

BTW - you get 9 months to complete the endorsement process after taking the CISSP exam, unless you go down the Associate route where you get 6 years to gain the experience and complete the endorsement process.

@amandavanceISC2 Hi Amanda - could you clarify Mitchell's initial query please?

Re: SSCP combining with associate of (ISC2)

Early_Adopter — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 19:18:41 GMT

@AlecTrevelyan

My my understanding is that once your have certified you wouldn’t be an accosiate of ISC2, you’d be a member and the accosiate designation would not apply(it would be redundant).

You could still take any exam but if you didn’t have the experience to apply for the certification, but once certified you would no longer be an associate, but would be a member with a certification and no longer an asscociate. Multiple associate designations would seem( to me, at least) comical.

I could of course be wrong, however @CraginS provides a very good explanation, that would see any certification retire the designation for a candidate/member:

https://community.isc2.org/t5/Career/Understanding-Associate-of-ISC-2-Status/td-p/12539

Re: SSCP combining with associate of (ISC2)

amandavanceISC2 — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 19:51:37 GMT

@AlecTrevelyan That is correct, a candidate can hold the Associate of (ISC)² status for any (ISC)² certification exam that they have passed. Specific to this case, he can even take the CISSP exam now and be an Associate of (ISC)² towards SSCP and also an Associate of (ISC)² towards CISSP and then submit endorsement for SSCP.

Best Regards,

Amanda Vance

Re: SSCP combining with associate of (ISC2)

Early_Adopter — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 20:22:17 GMT

@amandavanceISC2 Are you saying that a certified member of ISC2 would put the ‘Associate of ISC2” designation on their CV, alongside their CISSP or SSCP? If they had passed two exams but lacked experience would they then put the designation down twice?

D we have signed off for something like:

CISSP

Associate of ISC2;

Associate of ISC2.

It’s a useful stepladder, but if the designation is availible as more than internal tracking my tiny mind is literally blown...

Re: SSCP combining with associate of (ISC2)

amandavanceISC2 — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 20:33:41 GMT

@Early_Adopter Technically, yes. Any candidate who becomes an Associate of (ISC)² can only put that on their CV. If an employer were to ask what that meant, they can explain that they've passed CISSP or SSCP or both and they hold the status until they have the required work experience to hold the full certifications.

Best Regards,

Amanda Vance

Re: SSCP combining with associate of (ISC2)

Early_Adopter — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 21:03:50 GMT

@amandavanceISC2 not really a direct answer to my question, but let’s follow that rabbit down the tunnel, as we’re talking about combinations here.

Would a certified member of ISC2 with CISSP add the ‘Associate of ISC2’ designation to their CV as a well as being a ‘Member of ISC2’?

Re: SSCP combining with associate of (ISC2)

AlecTrevelyan — Tue, 05 Mar 2019 22:59:12 GMT

Issues of logo usage aside, the Associate designation, as shown in the video from the link I previously posted, is a mechanism for allowing people to earn experience for which they may not have been afforded the opportunity if they hadn't shown capability in a subject area by passing an exam - this should (and does) hold true for members and non-members alike.

This does go against my own view that certifications should be about validating knowledge and experience (i.e. you shouldn't even take an exam until you have both), but I can understand the need for this in a market crying out for new talent, or, in the absence of new talent, cross skilled existing talent!

Re: SSCP combining with associate of (ISC2)

Early_Adopter — Wed, 06 Mar 2019 01:39:06 GMT

I think that mechanism being there is fine, sure you can do it, utility is to put it on your CV (which is probably the most sensible driver for someone starting out in their career )it just doesn’t make sense in English, let alone logical sense. After all you are certified member, why would you need the on ramp? I can’t see any good reason to do it beyond maybe personal goal setting.

If you consider the AMFs now, plus the CPE burden then it’s got cost to maintain in time and money for each year. The new AMF fees remove the cost component of this,

I haven’t looked into voting rights for associates, but if someone was certified anyway it’s moot.

Now cross skillling/ new talent is a good thing, but I don’t really see the associate helping with that once someone certified, and allowing members to call out which exam or multiple exams would chip away the value of the experience bases component, and the uniqueness of this person is starting out would be lost if lots of people started it.

Probably one for the board to consider tightening up, I’d say decouple the title from the process would be the way to go.

Re: SSCP combining with associate of (ISC2)

Mitchell — Wed, 06 Mar 2019 08:29:31 GMT

I'd like to thank you all for assisting me, in this matter. Now I know I can combine both member status as associate status.

Re: SSCP combining with associate of (ISC2)

amandavanceISC2 — Wed, 06 Mar 2019 12:02:44 GMT

@Early_Adopter No, if they are a certified member holding the CISSP, then that is their designation. The Associate of (ISC)² is a completely separate status showing they passed an (ISC)² exam but do not quite have the experience needed to hold the full certification. If someone were to list CISSP and Associate of (ISC)² on their CV when they are really only a CISSP, this is a false claim as they only hold the CISSP, not the Associate of (ISC)² status.

Best,

Amanda

Re: SSCP combining with associate of (ISC2)

Early_Adopter — Wed, 06 Mar 2019 13:11:44 GMT

@amandavanceISC2 I’m glad you agree with me. Could I please ask that ISC2 clarify that in the FAQ that you can anly have one designation, but the that Associate of ISC2 mechinsm can still be used, should someone with a certification wish to, but they would not be designated as an Associate of ISC2?

Re: SSCP combining with associate of (ISC2)

AlecTrevelyan — Wed, 06 Mar 2019 13:23:00 GMT

I think there is some miscommunication going on here!

@amandavanceISC2 - For clarity's sake, so we can hopefully put this question to bed once and for all, and using Mitchell's scenario as an example:

If Mitchell completes the endorsement process and becomes certified as an SSCP, if he then passes the CISSP exam and opts for Associate status in order to be granted 6 years to gain the experience for the CISSP endorsement, what is the correct way for him to denote his status please?

Is it:

a) SSCP, Associate of ISC2
b) SSCP
c) Associate of ISC2
d) Something else!

Re: SSCP combining with associate of (ISC2)

amandavanceISC2 — Wed, 06 Mar 2019 14:00:25 GMT

If someone holds the CISSP, they can put CISSP on their CV. If they then go take the CSSLP exam and don't quite have the experience, they can become an Associate of (ISC)² and also list that on their CV. You may not claim to hold the CSSLP at all, however, you can list Associate of (ISC)² working towards the CSSLP so they can understand the distinction. However, if someone is just a CISSP, they would not put Associate of (ISC)² anywhere on their CV as they are a CISSP, not an Associate of (ISC)².

Best,

Amanda

Re: SSCP combining with associate of (ISC2)

Early_Adopter — Thu, 07 Mar 2019 03:47:27 GMT

Okay, I’m going for a nice lie down... sorry for any confusion caused.