Why I joined the board of Certification for Laravel – despite the skepticism

I know what you’re thinking. Another Laravel certification program? Hasn’t the community made it clear these are worthless?

I get the skepticism. I really do. But here’s why I decided to join the advisory board for Certification for Laravel anyway – and what we’re planning to do differently.

The real problem isn't certifications. It's how we evaluate developers.

At Agiledrop, I see this problem every day. We get CVs from developers with “3 years of Laravel experience” who can’t handle basic framework concepts. Meanwhile, fresh graduates from our 6-month training program often outperform them.

Years of experience don’t tell the full story. They never have.

Our new Laravel developers work on what we call our "frankenstein website" – a project with every feature imaginable thrown in. They face countless challenges with mentors guiding them to do things right from day one.

Compare this to self-taught developers stuck on a single project for years. Sure, they know their project inside out. But they learn things the wrong way and never see different problems. On paper, they look experienced. In reality, they have depth in one area but lack the breadth needed for real work.

This is exactly why meaningful certification matters.

What the Laravel community is getting wrong about certifications

I believe people are against certifications for the wrong reasons, or no good reasons at all.

Yes, many certifications are worthless. The previous Laravel certification program had quality issues. Some third-party programs are clearly cash grabs with aggressive marketing and hidden costs.

But dismissing all certification because some are bad is like saying all developers are bad because you met a few who couldn’t code.

Good certification serves a real purpose. It helps talented developers who don’t have impressive CVs prove they understand the technology. It gives structure to learning. It provides a baseline that employers can trust.

The problem isn’t certification itself. It’s bad certification.

What we’re building differently

This is where my role on the advisory board comes in. I’m not here to rubber-stamp another money-grab certification. I’m here to help build something that actually works.

Here’s what needs to change:

• High quality, practical focus: No multiple-choice questions about obscure config options. Real scenarios that developers face in actual projects. Problems that require understanding, not memorization.
• Accessibility: Certification should help developers, not create barriers. This means reasonable pricing and clear expectations about what the certification covers.
• Transparency: No hidden costs. No misleading marketing. Clear information about what employers can expect from certified developers.
• Industry input: The certification needs to reflect what companies actually need when they hire Laravel developers. As someone who hires developers regularly, I can provide that perspective.

The skeptics have a point – but they’re missing the bigger picture

The Laravel community’s criticism isn’t wrong. Previous certification efforts have been disappointing. Some current programs are clearly problematic.

But here’s what the critics miss: the need for better developer evaluation isn’t going away. Employers still struggle to identify skilled Laravel developers. Talented developers without strong CVs still need ways to prove their abilities.

We can either ignore this need and let bad certifications fill the void, or we can build something better.

I chose to help build something better.

Fresh direction

What many skeptics have missed is the fact that the Certification for Laravel program has recently undergone a complete overhaul.

The program is now under new leadership, helmed by Jasper Willems, global Partnership Director for Laracon EU and Laracon India. His vision is more heavily involving the Laravel community to make the certification program as valuable as possible for Laravel developers.

The program is now more community driven than ever, supervised by the Exam committee and the Board of Advisors, the latter of which I am a part of.

Why this matters for the Laravel community

Jasper’s vision aligns with what I want – a growing Laravel community where talented developers can prove their skills regardless of their background.

Think about it. How many great developers never get a chance because their CV doesn’t look impressive? How many companies miss out on talent because they can’t evaluate Laravel skills effectively?

Good certification fixes both problems.

When a certification program has real credibility – when even skeptical Laravel developers on X trust it – it helps everyone. Companies find better developers. Developers get better opportunities. The Laravel ecosystem grows.

What success looks like

Success isn’t just about selling certifications. It’s about building trust.

I want to see Laravel developers on X recommending this certification to their junior colleagues. I want hiring managers to know that a certified developer can actually handle Laravel projects. I want fresh developers to have a clear path to prove their skills.

That’s what we're working toward. It won't happen overnight. Trust takes time to build and seconds to destroy.

But if we focus on quality, accessibility, and transparency, we can create something the Laravel community actually values.

The choice is simple

We can keep complaining about bad certifications, or we can build good ones.

I'm choosing to build.

The Laravel community deserves better than cash-grab certifications with misleading marketing. But it also deserves better than no meaningful way to evaluate developer skills.

That’s why I joined this advisory board. Not because I love certifications, but because I believe we can create one that actually helps developers and employers.

What’s your experience with technical certifications? Have you seen any that actually provided value, or are they all worthless in your opinion?

If you want to discuss Laravel development challenges or certification programs, connect with me on LinkedIn or check out how we work with Laravel at Agiledrop.