Even if you work in data management, there’s a strong chance you didn’t set out to have a data management career, or study it formally at university.
Data management is a young, evolving profession and data leaders themselves come from widely varying backgrounds.
If you think of professions such as psychology or accounting, they are much more established, and have formal educational pathways to become a practitioner.
If you hire a CPA, there is a certain level of professionalism and trust placed in this well-established credential.
DAMA International, the global industry body for data management, created the Certified Data Management Professional certification in 2004 that aims to:
- Create a common language within the international profession around the data practices defined in the Data Management Body of Knowledge (DAMA-DMBoK2)
- Set in place a globally-recognised framework
- Improve professional development, skills and understanding for individuals working in data management
- Remove risks for employers around hiring skilled workers in data management roles
How do I become a CDMP?
There are four levels of CDMP: Associate, Practitioner, Master and Fellow. The three main criteria to become a CDMP are around passing DAMA examinations, industry experience and DAMA membership.
You’ll find detailed information on the CDMP website, but a quick exam summary:
- The Data Management Fundamentals exam covers 14 knowledge areas from the DAMA Data Management Body of Knowledge version 2 (DMBoK2)
- The exam is open book, 100 multiple choice questions
- The DMBoK2 covers a lot of ground. Many people taking the exam choose to get guidance on their exam preparation with a CDMP course
What can I do with a CDMP certification?
A CDMP certification shows you are serious about the data management profession. As a candidate, it sets you apart from others when you’re applying for jobs. And for employers, it reduces the risks around data management by upskilling the broad knowledge of employees, using the industry’s global framework.
Becoming a CDMP improves your understanding of data management so that you’re better equipped to take on responsibilities that include:
- Mapping out how data systems work and interlink with each other
- Administering data or databases
- Creating data analytics and reporting
- Overseeing the usage or collection of data
to my work in the data governance field.."
on why she became a CDMP
Interested in taking the DAMA exam? Sign up for our CDMP Exam Cram course and get a head start.
