9/10/2002 -- Hewlett-Packard Company is inching closer to revealing a post-merger certification program. According to an Aug. 20 announcement sent to certification participants by Susan Underhill, HP's general manager of worldwide partners presales and certification, the integration of the Compaq Accredited Professional Program and Accredited Systems Engineer titles will be integrated into HP's newly dubbed HP Certified Professional Program.

The announcement said that the HP Certified Professional program will be divided into three certification tracks: Sales (Certified Sales Professional), Systems Integration (Accredited Systems Engineer), and Operating System (Systems Administrator). The Systems Integration track will integrate the Compaq CAP and ASE programs with the HP STAR and HP Certified IT Professional tracks.

HP also states that it will provide a transition program for those currently holding Compaq certification. Remnants of Compaq's program, such as the familiar ASE moniker, will appear in HP's new certification program. New titles "will be based on competency levels further identified with specific product and solution names, i.e., HP Certified Professional ASE Superdome/HP-UX or ASE Proliant/Windows," according to that same announcement.

HP will formally launch the program at the company's HP Enterprise Technical Symposium 2002 in St. Louis, Missouri Oct. 6-11. There are more than 50,000 Compaq Accredited Professionals worldwide.

For current Compaq certification requirements, click here; to view the letter about the new HP Certified Professional program, click here and then click on the PDF letter link. - Michael Domingo., MCPmag.com