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CompTIA + TestOut

CompTIA and TestOut join forces, accelerating the shared goal of empowering millions of students with technical training and digital literacy education

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A Letter From Noel

Former TestOut Owner/CEO, Noel Vallejo writes a letter to TestOut customers regarding the recent TestOut acquisition by CompTIA.

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Helping Utah girls discover their pathway in tech careers

Approximately 1,500 girls attended this year’s conference, hosted by industry leaders in the Women’s Tech Council.

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Certification Articles
Don't Overlook the Community College Certification Option

IT certification training is available from many sources: self-study, online, in-person courses, and at school. If you learn best from an instructor, then consider certification-focused community college courses.

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Anyone can pass a certification exam

When I was coaching my daughter’s soccer team, one of the tips I shared with them was on how to get good at soccer and have fun. I told them the secret was to “touch the ball …

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A first look at the DA0-001 CompTIA Data+ exam

When it comes to trends, few match the speed with which higher education schools are adding data analytics — or something similar sounding — to their computer science or information technology ...

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Academic Articles
Employers Still Want Degrees But Many Will Accept Certs Instead

There’s increasing momentum and volume in a growing chorus of voices that are recommending certification as a valid path to IT employment.

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Don't Overlook the Community College Certification Option

IT certification training is available from many sources: self-study, online, in-person courses, and at school. If you learn best from an instructor, then consider certification-focused community college courses.

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An overview of IT internships

Relevant academic qualifications alone are seldom enough to find suitable employment in the IT industry nowadays. Aspirants for tech roles need to demonstrate their ability to perform on the job. What is ...

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IT Professional Articles
The impact on income of higher education

According to the most recent data (as of 2021) compiled by the U.S. Census bureau, 48.4 percent of Americans age 25 or older have completed some level of college education, whether an associate's degree ...

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Volunteering your tech skills can boost your IT career

I believe that using your professional skills to help others is one of the most fulfilling things you can do in life. If you are fortunate enough to have a job where helping others is your full-time occupation, then ...

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Back

A Letter From Noel

January 9, 2023

On Monday, Jan. 9, I got together in Utah with the folks at CompTIA and sold TestOut to them. The meeting lasted only 30 minutes. Now that is going to sound quick — but the discussion on selling TestOut actually started in March 2022. That’s when I got an e-mail from Todd Thibodeaux, the CEO of CompTIA, asking whether I would be interested in selling TestOut. It took me two weeks to respond to his e-mail because I wasn't sure. That said, over the past 10 years, I have often thought that if I were going to sell TestOut, CompTIA would be at the top of my list of potential buyers. And it’s not a small list: Over those same 10 years I would receive a call at least once a month from a buyer (sometimes from multiple buyers) wanting to purchase TestOut.

What had we built at TestOut that was attractive to CompTIA and so many others? Here is my short list: 1) We have many schools buying from us. For the core CompTIA product line, I believe we own the market share. 2) We own the technology, LabSim, that we use to deliver our courses. 3) We have a remarkable team of people who develop our courses and simulations. 4) We have been in business 31 years and have a proven record. Yes, I am proud of what we have done. I started TestOut in my bedroom in November 1991 after getting laid off by Novell.

Noel and Carrie Vallejo


Today I am old and bald, but I was able to raise six children with my wife, Carrie, with what we built at TestOut. My greatest joy was working all these years with the amazing schools and educators who use TestOut products: You are the best of what this world is made of, working with our team at TestOut to give hope to your students.

I knew that CompTIA would be a good choice to carry on the legacy of TestOut because CompTIA’s mission and values are well aligned with TestOut's mission to make a difference in a person's life through education using breakthrough technology.

Thank you, CompTIA. And thanks to all of the amazing customers and friends who brought us to this point. 

Sincerely, 

Noel Vallejo

Founder of TestOut

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