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Certified Technical Support Associate/professional-certifications/certified-technical-support-associate

CTSA™ Program

CTSA™ is an industry-leading qualification signalling the readiness of career-starters for the most challenging careers in technical support and IT helpdesk with a wide variety of employers including mobile phone companies; computer & appliance makers; software companies; electronics firms and IT services companies among others.

CTSA™ certified professionals also earn the exclusive right to upgrade to the coveted CTSS™ and CBTS™ qualifications of BCI as they move up in their careers.

Technical Support professionals with the CTSA™ credential demonstrate expertise and skills to function in multiple roles within the technical support domain, including troubleshooting in tech-support BPOs and customer support service desks and departments of large organizations.

With the most advanced and thorough curriculum in technical support in the world, the CTSA™ covers most domains including IT and systems; common software knowledge; troubleshooting skills; customer support activities; helpdesk activities; keyboarding; computer operations; language & communication and job role awareness.

The CTSA™ credential is awarded to individuals who have successfully completed the due process and requirements for this certification as prescribed by the BPO Professional Certifications Board (BPCB). The major requirements among these are qualifying for the online CTSA™ examination organized and conducted worldwide in over 50 countries by BCI.

Aspiring professionals for the CTSA™ certification can either prepare through self-study, or choose to train with any BCI Authorized Training Providers, including BPO and IT Training Academies and the International Centers for Outsourcing Studies in BCI Partner Universities in various countries across the world.

REGISTER NOW FOR THE CTSA™

Pre-registered applicants need not apply again.

Their applications are lining up for necessary action.

CTSA

CTSA™ PROGRAM FEE:

$ 380 USD (All Inclusive)

This is a one-time fee for an individual applicant. The fee covers the costs of certification exam; learning kit; digital badging, credential kit, and all material shipping costs. This fee does not include special local taxes, duties, and levies etc., which may be applicable in the receiver’s/ consignee’s/ applicant’s country.

Contact us for special price quotes for bulk-certification of students of universities/ vocational colleges.

Apply Now!

Who Should Get CTSA™ Certified?

CTSA™ is a must-have qualification for anybody who intends to make a well-paying career in Technical support or customer helpdesk. The following have been benefitting the most over the last several years from the CTSA™ qualification:

  • Senior School/High School pass-outs with a flair for computers and technology and who want to work in technical support.

  • Undergraduate degree holders (bachelors’ level) wanting to make a career in helpdesk and technical support work.

  • Graduating students in universities and colleges who want to opt for a career in IT, maintenance and infrastructure support.

  • Technical support professionals working for small companies, who now want to settle down in a bigger company.

  • Professionals already working in the technical support or IT maintenance function of small companies or banks or government offices and who want an international qualification in technical support.

Career Outlook

What Jobs can CTSA™ prepare you for?

The international Certified Technical Support Associate Certification prepares you for:

  • IT Customer Service

  • Technical Support Help Desk

  • Service Support Engineering

CTSA Graph Registrant Jobs

CTSA™ Benefits


Global Recognition

CTSA™ has emerged as the most preferred international qualification for technical support professionals. BPO companies, client customer supports, helpdesk companies and IT departments of manufacturing companies, IT companies, banks, hotels, hospitals and telecom, travel and all modern organization worldwide opt for internationally certified technical support professionals. A CTSA™ qualification puts an individual in the elite international league of worldclass customer support professionals.


Career Advantage

Being a CTSA™ means being an elite BCI alumnus – and a part of the illustrious BCI worldwide talent pool. CTSA™ qualified professionals, therefore start out as global professionals and enjoy headstart advantages in their careers because of their vastly superior preparation for the customer support & technical services job and career.

A CTSA™ manages to hit the ground running thanks to the most structured and rigorous training & education exercise before the certification examination, which not only helps develops skills and competence, but also affords invaluable exposure to the technical support space. This helps get the first great job faster; and also the first raise and promotion!


Employer Benefits

CTSA™ qualified professionals prove precious assets for their employers not only because they tend to raise the bar for performance, productivity and service quality, but also because, they impact the work-culture and environment positively.

Most typically, CTSA™ qualified individuals deploy immediately as they are already prepared and just need to be immersed in the client programs. They don’t gestate for long and begin turning in the expected work-performance much quicker than other new recruits – again, because they are ready with the skills; with the principles of work and of course, they know their roles and KRAs, very well.


Become A CTSA™ Certificant

The roadmap to obtaining the prestigious CTSA™ credential is simple and convenient. It comprises 5 easy steps that the applicant needs to follow:

  • Choosing the Authorized Training Provider/International Center for Outsourcing Studies/ICT Learning Centers in your region.

    Important note: Applicants can register for the CTSA™ Program exclusively at the aforementioned BCI Authorized Partner locations.

  • Register for the CTSA™ Credential

    CTSA™ applicants are required to contact their Center Manager/Official-In-Charge of registration at the centers they have selected.

  • Train and Prepare for the CTSA™ Certification Assessments

    Upon successful completion of the registration process with the BCI for the CTSA™ certification, the applicant is enrolled by the manager or head of the selected training center of their choice in one of their current batches. Applicants are required to complete the CTSA™ pre-certification training and preparation as per the guidelines of the BCI Authorized Training Center. Upon successful completion of the training, will be allotted with Preparation Completion Credits (PCCs). PCC accruals entitle the applicant to take the final credential assessment test at the authorized BCI Assessment Centers. They can also take online mock tests which will help in preparation for the final assessment test.

  • Take the final CTSA™ Certfication Assessment Test

    In the next step, the applicant takes the CTSA™ certification assessment examination.The CTSA™ certification exam can be typically taken after three months of registration, and not later than 1 year from the date of registration.

  • Certification Decision

    Upon qualifying the CTSA™ assessment test, the internationally recognized CTSA™ credential is awarded. Professionals will receive their CTSA™ credential pack from their training center typically within a period of 30-45 days of declaration of the examination results.

CTSA™ Candidacy Requirements

Candidacy requirements define the parameters on the basis of which an applicant shall be evaluated fit for applying for a particular BCI certification. Candidacy requirements will vary across certifications.

Educational Requirements

Though BCI does not prescribe any minimum education qualification requirements, it has been seen that applicants with formal education in computers and who have qualified at least an A-Level/O-Level/Higher Secondary/12th grade/and have completed minimum 14 years of formal education do very well in their careers after their CTSA™, especially in some Asian and African countries.

Professional/ Work Requirements

There is no requirement of prior work-experience to be able to apply for CTSA™. Even individuals just out of their schools and colleges with ZERO work experience can apply for CTSA™.

However, many of those with some work exposure behind them have been seen making a comparatively better use of the CTSA™ qualification for their careers.

Age

An applicant should have ideally completed 18 years of age at the time of applying for CTSA™. There is no upper age bar, however for any BCI certification program.

CTSA

CTSA™ Exam

The BPO Professional Certifications Board (BPCB) mandates that individuals desirous of acquiring a BCI certifications require to qualify computer–based exams based on the BCI standards framework. All BCI Exams are computer–based tests timed between 120 - 150 minutes. Applicants registered in BCI certification program enjoy the convenience of scheduling and taking their certification exams online. Partner companies, organizations and universities establish their own BCI-approved exam centers connected to the BCI online examination system Credent. In many global locations, certification testing leader ExamStrong™ manages BCI exams offering registrants the facility to take their BCI exams even at home or in office.

CTSA™ Assessment Snapshots


Based on the updated Knowledge & Competence Pre-requisites under HCMS21 Release 9.14.

Examination Code: CDO-001
Duration: 90 minutes
Mode: Online
No. of Questions: 75
Type of Questions: Objective
Passing Marks: 70%
Fee: 380USD
Validity: 1 Year
Renewal: Available
Upgrade: Available

CTSA™ Training and Preparation Completion Requirements

Training and Preparations

Professionals wanting to register for the CTSA™ credentials undergo the prescribed training program with BCI Authorized Training Providers for their pre-certifications assessments and examinations. BCI’s network of training providers are present in several countries across the world and includes several training organizations with a long standing industry experience, BCI Partner Universities and Learning Centers. The training and education provided meets the specifications of the worldwide HCMS21 standards of the BCI. Additionally, several governments in various nations also conduct special CTSA™ training programs as a part of their BPO workforce development schemes in their respective centers of vocational training. Registrants of the CTSA™ program are connected to their nearest BCI Authorized Training Partner in their region.

In case of registrants who are currently pursuing their education at a BCI Partner University, are automatically registered in their university’s ICOS™ (International Center for Outsourcing Studies). All CTSA™ registrants are provided complete support throughout their registration and training period through the Official Learning Material available at the BCI Authorized Training Partner.

Enroll for CTSA™ Program

Preparation Completion Credits

Eligibility for the internationally recognized CTSA™ certification requires a professional to collect a pre-specified minimum number of Preparation Completion Credits (PCCs) upon attending formal training sessions for a prescribed number of hours with any BCI Authorized Training Providers worldwide. The PCC accumulation activity for registrants is completely managed by the BCI Authorized Training Providers who prepare the registrant for the final assessment.

Every registrant’s PCC records are announced on the respective registrant’s management portal several days before the date of their final CTSA™ assessment test.

BCI Authorized Training Providers, International Centers for Outsourcing Studies and ICT Learning Centers functioning in Universities and Institutions are required to assign PCCs to their respective CTSA™ registrants.

Individuals who are registered under Government CTSA™ programs, or under special projects or schemes are, however, required to follow the training guidelines as per their respective government’s directives.

CTSA™ Critical Areas of Professional Knowledge & Competence

The Critical Competence Areas and Knowledge Pre-Requisites for the Certified Technical Support Associate Certification at the entry level as prescribed under the HCMS21 Release 9.14, 2019

Code Assessment Component
A1 CTSA™ Domain Knowledge
1. Nature & Typology of BPO Services

Concept and advantages of Business Process Outsourcing, Categories and Types of BPO Organizations and BPO services.

2. BPO Operations & Work Environment

Organization & Workplace Structures in BPO Organizations, Equipment & Technologies generally deployed in BPO Organizations, Common Modes and Media of Service Delivery in BPO Organizations.

3. Personal Effectiveness Principles & Techniques

Challenges & Demands of BPO Work Environment, Creating & Managing Personal Brand-Equity in Workplace, Managing Personal Time, Managing Stress, Managing Professional Growth.

4. Role-profile of a Technical Support Professional

Typical roles of a Technical Support Professional, Typical Key Result Areas (KRAs) of a Technical Support Professional, Skills & Competencies of a Technical Support Professional.

5. Principles & Techniques of Customer Service & Support

Principles & Objectives of Customer Relationship Management, Techniques in Initiation of Customer Interaction, Techniques of Handling Customers.

6. Principles & Techniques of Technical Support

Fundamentals of contemporary Technical Support domain, Important Client Verticals in Technical Support, Knowledge & Understanding of Common Technologies & Products & their Theories of Operation, Generic Principles & Techniques of Troubleshooting.

CTSA™ Assessment Structure & Plan

As prescribed under the guidelines of HCMS21 Release 9.14, 2019

Constituents of the CFPA™ Assessment Policy for first time BCI Registrants:
Assessment Category Final Assessment Component Maximum Marks
A1 CTSA™ Domain Knowledge Assessment 300
Important Note:

  1. The Online CTSA™ Assessment Test aims to the examinee’s knowledge and competence in the Technical Support domain.

  2. Completion of the CTSA™ credential award consideration by the BCI requires all CTSA™ registrants to complete taking all prescribed tests, assessments and documentation formalities.

CTSA™ Domain Knowledge Examination Weights
Areas of Professional Knowledge to be Assessed Proportional Weightage in Exam (in %)
Understanding of the Concept, Nature & Typology of BPO Services 10
Understanding of BPO Operations & Work Environment 10
Understanding of Personal Effectiveness Principles & Techniques 10
Role-profile of a Typical Business/ Technical Support Professional 10
Principles & Techniques of Customer Service 20
Principles & Techniques of Technical Support 40
TOTAL 100

CTSA™ Certification Validity

The CTSA™ credential has a validity period of three years from the date of being awarded. BCI strongly recommends all CTSA™ certification holders to upgrade to the next level of professional proficiency in Technical Support (CTSS™) upon the completion of the first year of their CTSA™ credential. The aptitude and skill requirements for advanced professionals in the technical support domain are constantly evolving, given the rapid-development nature of the BPO industry, and the BCI standards of professional excellence evolve with them at an equal pace. Therefore, a well-timed upgrade to the CTSS™ ensures that the high professional standards and commitment demonstrated by a CTSA™ credential is maintained.

Please note that the upgrade to the next level (CTSS™) becomes mandatory once the initial validity of the CTSA™ certification has expired. (Please verify the validity period and expiry date details of your certification in your CTSA™ Credential documents).

Enroll for CTSA™ Program

The Digitally Badged CTSA™

The CTSA™ becomes a global credential at once also because it is digitally badged! Which means you can easily share your BCI credential digitally and securely with your current and prospective employers and colleagues, and they can verify it easily, too.

A digitally-badged CTSA™ adds credibility to your online professional presence. You can conveniently showcase your well-earned BCI credential as a high-visibility icon on web-pages; on your LinkedIn profile; on social media platforms and in your email signatures. It's your most secure, reliable and authentic token of your promise, potential and capabilities for performing your Technical Support roles with excellence.

The CTSA™ digital badge is a verifiable digital token of your CTSA™ qualification containing within it a secure digital link to the BCI cloud, where the authenticity of your BCI credential can be validated instantly by those who you have allowed to.

Digitally Badge
How Does CTSA Work

How Does CTSA™ Work?

Almost all (more than 80%, according to historical records) professionals carrying the prestigious CTSA™ certification get employed in jobs of their choice within 2-3 weeks of obtaining their CTSA™ credential.

The vast and thorough curriculum of the CTSA™ program includes customer support principles; knowledge of how common computer hardware, computer software and appliances function and methods and principles of troubleshooting. Besides the aforementioned, several other workplace related effectiveness, communication and professional etiquette are also adequately covered.

BCI Authorized Training Partners offer pre-certification learning programs in these skill areas to enable learners and aspiring professionals for their chosen technical support careers, alongside the CTSA™ certification assessment tests.

It is an acknowledged fact that real-world work experience can never be substituted. However, the curriculum, acumen and aptitude for the CTSA™ credential assessments are equivalent to those of technical support professionals who possess at least 6 months of prior work experience in such job roles.

Credential Case

The CTSA™ Credential Case

Passing/ qualifying the CTSA™ certification exam leads to the award of the CTSA™ designation and credential. The CTSA™ award is given away in a fine-crafted credential case that contains a hologrammed print copy of the credential-certificate, a lapel pin, and a BCI ethics code booklet.

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