Tableau offers many different types of certifications open to anyone who wants to assess their skills in using or implementing Tableau. These are broken down into the following certification categories or types: Tableau Desktop Specialist, Tableau Data Analyst and Tableau Server Certified Associate. These are targeted certifications where boundaries stay very much within their suggested certification names. Thus, a Tableau Desktop Specialist will only be assessed on their ability to use Tableau Desktop, while the Certified Associate for Server will need skills required for using and implementing Tableau Server.
For partners of Tableau, the standards change quite dramatically. There are very specific partner certifications and requirements for doing business with Tableau. The skillset requirements are even broader – meaning they have to cover the entire Tableau product offerings, ecosystem, technologies and even their conceptual frameworks.
Tableau offers partner exams such as a Tableau Certified Associate Consultant (CAC) or a Tableau Certified Associate Architect (CAA), along with others for individuals who will be selling products directly for, or on behalf of, Tableau.
Why do Partner Certifications Matter?
The reason these certifications are separate from the general offerings is simple and makes perfect sense: it’s because Tableau expects a partner to know their solutions as well as they do. Because it’s important to Tableau for partners to be experts, naturally it’s equally important for us here at InterWorks to meet that expectation as a Tableau partner.
InterWorks has been partnered with Tableau for more than a decade (and in fact we were the first Salesforce + Tableau global partner after Salesforce purchased Tableau in 2019). It’s been a successful partnership because we take that partnership as not just being mutually beneficial, in the spirit of us both gaining business value from working together. But, because it’s one that is stamped with rich history and great pride, as well as the quality of the client work that it produces.
I recently became a Partner Certified Associate Consultant, and I display that badge on my LinkedIn because it’s something of an accomplishment to promote. At the time of writing, the exam is a one-time fee of $250, it was proctored through Pearson Vue and it was generally a positive assessment experience (especially since I passed the exam afterward). The questions will test your depth of knowledge, regardless of the exact partner exam you take, on how broadly and well you know and have used Tableau.
Again, I think it’s beneficial to both Tableau and each of their partners to have these certifications in place. It builds trust, commodity and exceptional work as a result. So, what’s stopping you? Get to studying and after you pass your exam, wear your badge with pride. You earned it!
