New blog post: Is the OTCA Exam Right for You? - fix lint issues

Author: luke6Lh43

content/en/blog/2025/otca-for-newcomers-and-advanced-users.md

@@ -1,32 +1,91 @@
 ---
-title: Is the OTCA Exam Right for You? Insights for Both Newcomers and Advanced Users
+title:
+  Is the OTCA Exam Right for You? Insights for Both Newcomers and Advanced Users
 author: '[Lukasz Ciukaj](https://github.com/luke6Lh43) (Splunk)'
 date: 2025-10-25
 issue: 8233
 sig: End-User
+cSpell:ignore: ciukaj lukasz otca
 ---
-In the IT industry, certifications often generate debate – some regard them as essential career milestones, while others question their practical value. While OpenTelemetry is getting widely adopted, not everyone is aware that there is a dedicated certification exam available for OpenTelemetry. The [OpenTelemetry Certified Associate (OTCA)](https://training.linuxfoundation.org/certification/opentelemetry-certified-associate-otca/) exam from the [Linux Foundation](https://www.linuxfoundation.org/) is a credential designed to validate foundational knowledge and best practices in observability with OpenTelemetry, and its value extends to both newcomers and experienced professionals. This article outlines the structure of the OTCA exam, its relevance for individuals at different stages of their careers, and the benefits of pursuing this certification within the broader observability landscape.
 
-## Understanding the OpenTelemetry Certified Associate (OTCA) exam
+In the IT industry, certifications often generate debate – some regard them as
+essential career milestones, while others question their practical value. While
+OpenTelemetry is getting widely adopted, not everyone is aware that there is a
+dedicated certification exam available for OpenTelemetry. The
+[OpenTelemetry Certified Associate (OTCA)](https://training.linuxfoundation.org/certification/opentelemetry-certified-associate-otca/)
+exam from the [Linux Foundation](https://www.linuxfoundation.org/) is a
+credential designed to validate foundational knowledge and best practices in
+observability with OpenTelemetry, and its value extends to both newcomers and
+experienced professionals. This article outlines the structure of the OTCA exam,
+its relevance for individuals at different stages of their careers, and the
+benefits of pursuing this certification within the broader observability
+landscape.
 
-The OTCA exam, offered by Linux Foundation, is a vendor-neutral certification that assesses understanding of core OpenTelemetry concepts. The exam covers essential topics such as the purpose and components of OpenTelemetry, the collection and export of traces, metrics, and logs, and the basics of instrumentation. Comprising multiple-choice questions, the exam evaluates both theoretical knowledge and practical application, ensuring a well-rounded assessment of candidates' abilities. As OpenTelemetry becomes an increasingly important part of cloud-native and distributed systems, the OTCA certification helps professionals demonstrate their readiness to implement observability solutions in a variety of organizational contexts. By emphasizing foundational skills, the certification prepares candidates to effectively implement and leverage OpenTelemetry in diverse technology environments.
+## Understanding the OpenTelemetry Certified Associate (OTCA) exam
 
-As of October 2025, the current scope of the OTCA exam covers the following areas:
+The OTCA exam, offered by Linux Foundation, is a vendor-neutral certification
+that assesses understanding of core OpenTelemetry concepts. The exam covers
+essential topics such as the purpose and components of OpenTelemetry, the
+collection and export of traces, metrics, and logs, and the basics of
+instrumentation. Comprising multiple-choice questions, the exam evaluates both
+theoretical knowledge and practical application, ensuring a well-rounded
+assessment of candidates' abilities. As OpenTelemetry becomes an increasingly
+important part of cloud native and distributed systems, the OTCA certification
+helps professionals demonstrate their readiness to implement observability
+solutions in a variety of organizational contexts. By emphasizing foundational
+skills, the certification prepares candidates to effectively implement and
+leverage OpenTelemetry in diverse technology environments.
 
-* Fundamentals of Observability (18%)
-* The OpenTelemetry API and SDK (46%)
-* The OpenTelemetry Collector (26%)
-* Maintaining and Debugging Observability Pipelines (10%)
+As of October 2025, the current scope of the OTCA exam covers the following
+areas:
 
+- Fundamentals of Observability (18%)
+- The OpenTelemetry API and SDK (46%)
+- The OpenTelemetry Collector (26%)
+- Maintaining and Debugging Observability Pipelines (10%)
 
 ## Value of the OTCA exam for newcomers
 
-For individuals new to OpenTelemetry, the OTCA exam provides a structured entry point into observability. Exam preparation introduces key concepts, terminology, and workflows that are critical for building a solid foundation. The exam guides candidates through the essentials of how telemetry data is generated, collected, and distinguished between traces, metrics, and logs, making the broader observability landscape more accessible. Completing the OTCA exam encourages a systematic approach to learning and helps new practitioners avoid common pitfalls. Achieving the OTCA certification can boost confidence and demonstrate a commitment to learning industry-standard tools and practices early in a career, which can be advantageous when seeking new roles or advancing within an organization.
+For individuals new to OpenTelemetry, the OTCA exam provides a structured entry
+point into observability. Exam preparation introduces key concepts, terminology,
+and workflows that are critical for building a solid foundation. The exam guides
+candidates through the essentials of how telemetry data is generated, collected,
+and distinguished between traces, metrics, and logs, making the broader
+observability landscape more accessible. Completing the OTCA exam encourages a
+systematic approach to learning and helps new practitioners avoid common
+pitfalls. Achieving the OTCA certification can boost confidence and demonstrate
+a commitment to learning industry-standard tools and practices early in a
+career, which can be advantageous when seeking new roles or advancing within an
+organization.
 
 ## Benefits of the OTCA exam for advanced users
 
-Even for those with substantial hands-on experience, the OTCA exam offers significant advantages. It serves as a formal means to validate expertise gained through practical work with OpenTelemetry. Preparation for the exam encourages experienced professionals to review key concepts, revisit official documentation, and explore features or best practices that may have evolved over time. This review process can uncover previously unnoticed updates or changes in the OpenTelemetry ecosystem, promoting continuous professional growth. The study process promotes a comprehensive understanding of the entire observability pipeline, including areas such as exporters, collectors, and less commonly used APIs. This comprehensive review ensures alignment with current standards and deepens overall proficiency within the OpenTelemetry ecosystem, helping experienced practitioners remain effective and up-to-date in a rapidly evolving field.
+Even for those with substantial hands-on experience, the OTCA exam offers
+significant advantages. It serves as a formal means to validate expertise gained
+through practical work with OpenTelemetry. Preparation for the exam encourages
+experienced professionals to review key concepts, revisit official
+documentation, and explore features or best practices that may have evolved over
+time. This review process can uncover previously unnoticed updates or changes in
+the OpenTelemetry ecosystem, promoting continuous professional growth. The study
+process promotes a comprehensive understanding of the entire observability
+pipeline, including areas such as exporters, collectors, and less commonly used
+APIs. This comprehensive review ensures alignment with current standards and
+deepens overall proficiency within the OpenTelemetry ecosystem, helping
+experienced practitioners remain effective and up-to-date in a rapidly evolving
+field.
 
 ## Final thoughts
 
-The OTCA exam offers valuable opportunities for growth, learning, and professional validation, regardless of prior experience with OpenTelemetry. For newcomers, it establishes a strong, industry-recognized foundation, while for advances users, it reinforces core concepts and supports ongoing professional development. Certification can also signal to employers a candidate’s dedication to best practices and commitment to continual learning. While specific preparation resources cannot be recommended here, beginning with the official [OpenTelemetry Documentation](https://opentelemetry.io/docs/) and engaging in hands-on practice, particularly with manual and auto-instrumentation, is highly effective. In addition, several books and interactive courses are available to support exam readiness. Pursuing the OTCA certification is a worthwhile step for anyone seeking to deepen their observability skills and demonstrate a commitment to industry best practices in an ever-changing technology landscape.
+The OTCA exam offers valuable opportunities for growth, learning, and
+professional validation, regardless of prior experience with OpenTelemetry. For
+newcomers, it establishes a strong, industry-recognized foundation, while for
+advances users, it reinforces core concepts and supports ongoing professional
+development. Certification can also signal to employers a candidate’s dedication
+to best practices and commitment to continual learning. While specific
+preparation resources cannot be recommended here, beginning with the official
+[OpenTelemetry Documentation](/docs/) and engaging in hands-on practice,
+particularly with manual and auto-instrumentation, is highly effective. In
+addition, several books and interactive courses are available to support exam
+readiness. Pursuing the OTCA certification is a worthwhile step for anyone
+seeking to deepen their observability skills and demonstrate a commitment to
+industry best practices in an ever-changing technology landscape.