Certified: CompTIA Data+ and the Rise of Practical Data Literacy

CompTIA Data+ (Data+) is a practical, early-career certification for people who want to become more confident working with data. In this narrated version of my Monday “Certified” feature from Bare Metal Cyber Magazine, we walk through what the certification is, who it is really for, and why data literacy now matters across IT, cybersecurity, governance, operations, and business roles. The episode explains how Data+ fits between basic technology knowledge and more specialized data, cloud, cyber, or analytics paths.We also look at what the exam really tests, including data concepts, preparation, analysis, visualization, reporting, and governance. Rather than treating the credential as a memorization exercise, the discussion focuses on the kind of thinking it rewards: understanding messy data, choosing useful visuals, recognizing quality issues, and communicating findings responsibly. The Bare Metal Cyber Academy serves as the broader home for the connected certification resources, including flexible study support for busy professionals.