Python for Finance Certifications and Certificates

If you’re looking for a way to demonstrate your skills in Python for finance, you might feel overwhelmed by the different certifications and certificate programs available. You might also have a lot of questions, such as whether earning a certificate or certification will help you launch or advance a career in finance, what the difference is between a certificate and certification, and which programs offer the best certificates. This article aims to provide answers to these questions so that you can efficiently choose the right path towards a Python for finance certification. Keep reading to find out more.

What is Python for Finance?

Programmers use Python for web development, data analytics, data science, finance, and more. Python is an object-oriented, interpreted, and high-level programming language that places emphasis on code readability by using significant indentation. Its simplicity, flexibility, and its status as a free, open-source programming language make Python incredibly popular around the world.

Python has been in use for more than 30 years and is a free program available to the public. This means there are many resources available to learn this highly useful programming language. Python is generally considered a beginner-friendly programming language to learn, meaning you do not need to have previous coding experience to start learning Python. However, as with any new skill, learning Python can prove challenging, especially when learning more advanced Python skills such as those involved in data science. Learning Python can bolster resumes in the fields of technology, finance, retail, marketing, and more. 

Read more about what Python is and why you should learn it. 

What Can You Do with Python for Finance?

Python is an open-source programming language that has been in use for over 30 years. This free-to-use programming language enjoys massive popularity thanks to its many uses. Python is used for web development, data science, data analytics, and more. In the finance industry, Python is used by Traders, Analysts, and Researchers, as well as companies like Stripe and Robinhood. Python’s simplicity and flexibility make it a popular programming language in the finance industry because it makes creating formulas and algorithms far easier than comparable programming languages. Python libraries and tools also make it easier to integrate programs with third parties, a common need in FinTech. 

Python’s analytics tools, such as the Pandas library, allow for the creation of data visualizations and interactive dashboards that reference large quantities of data. The Python libraries PyBrain and Scikit allow for machine learning algorithms that enable predictive analytics. You’ll find Python programming at work in cryptocurrency, stock trading, banking apps, and more.

Certifications vs. Certificates: What’s the Difference?

Certifications are industry-recognized credentials earned by passing an exam administered by a third party. While everyone who earns a certification must meet the same requirements, criteria for certificates varies by class and program. This is why certifications are typically recognized across the industry, but the value of a certificate varies depending on the reputation of the school behind it. A certificate’s primary value lies in the skills and abilities a student learns to obtain it, as it is these skills that enable someone to start or advance a career.

Top Certifications & Certificates for Python for Finance

The primary certifications for Python include multiple certifications granted by the Python Institute. These certifications provide a global standard in Python programming certification, so earning a respected certification from the Python Institute goes a long way toward enhancing your Python for finance career. Python certifications from the Python Institute include: 

• PCEP™ - Those who pass this exam earn the title of Certified Entry-Level Python Programmer. This exam measures your ability to complete basic coding tasks in Python and understand essential coding and Python fundamentals such as terms and definitions, logic and structure, variables, literals, numeral systems, operators, data collections, data types, I/O operations, control flow mechanisms, functions, exceptions, semantics, syntax, and the runtime environment. This certification is best suited for individuals looking to begin a Python programming career and those in Python-adjacent roles who benefit by furthering their knowledge of Python.
• PCAP™ - Passing this exam grants you the title of Certified Associate in Python Programming. This exam focuses on the Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) aspect of Python, testing your knowledge of OOP essentials, modules and packages, the exception handling mechanism, list comprehensions, advanced operations on strings, generators, lambdas, closures, and file processing. 

• PCPP1™ - The first of two General-Purpose Programming exams certifies you as a Certified Professional in Python Programming 1. This exam requires you to demonstrate an advanced understanding of Python and computer programming by testing your expertise with best practices, standardization, network programming, GUI programming, communicating with the program’s environment, and more. 

• PCPP2™ - This exam offers the highest credential among the General-Purpose Programming tracks. Passing this exam grants you the title of Certified Professional in Python Programming 2. This exam is intended for those with extensive professional Python programming use. 

• PCAT™ - To become a Certified Associate in Testing with Python, you must demonstrate your understanding of Python automated testing fundamentals. Exam content includes the principles of software testing, unit testing, software engineering, software decomposition, and Test-Driven Development (TDD) and Behavior-Driven Development (BDD) programming approaches.

• PCAD™ - This exam certifies you as a Certified Associate in Data Analytics with Python. To pass this exam, you must demonstrate your abilities to acquire, clean, manipulate, model, analyze, and visualize data. This exam also tests data analytics abilities such as the ability to make decisions under uncertainty, make decisions based on data, use predictive modeling, use file processing skills, and use the Pandas, NumPy, Seaborn, Matplotlib, and SciKit-Learn libraries.

Top certificates for Python for finance come from schools with strong reputations and proven, effective training options. Certificate programs often involve deeper learning than a single-day workshop and may last several weeks or a few months. A certificate program intended to help you launch a career in finance should cover all the necessary skills to obtain an entry-level position. Noble Desktop’s FinTech Bootcamp awards a certificate to students who complete the program by learning Python for data science, automation, data visualization, machine learning, and finance, along with SQL and financial modeling. This program is offered in-person in New York City and live online and includes one-on-one mentoring, a free retake, and flexible financing options. 

Should I Get Certified in Python for Finance?

While a Python certification is not often a requirement for starting an entry-level Python programming position, earning a certification from the Python Institute can help your resume stand out. Earning one of the Python Institute’s more advanced certifications may also help you to advance your career in finance by demonstrating through a third-party, industry-recognized process that you understand and have experience with advanced Python programming elements. The main advantage of earning a Python certification is that these exams guarantee a globally standardized measurement of your Python skills, so recruiters know without needing to research your school or background what your Python capabilities are.

How to Get Certified in Python for Finance

You can get certified in Python by taking one of the six exams offered by the Python Institute.

Learn Python for Finance with Hands-on Training at Noble Desktop

Noble Desktop offers in-person and live online classes that help you master Python for finance. You can start by learning the Python programming basics, then progress to advanced Python uses, or you can explore classes that specialize in teaching the financial uses of Python programming. Noble’s classes offer many benefits including expert instructor guidance given in real-time, small class sizes, and free retake options.

If you do not have previous experience with Python programming, Noble’s Python for Data Science Bootcamp provides the foundational knowledge needed before you learn Python for finance. This bootcamp covers Python programming basics including loops, objects, and functions, handling different types of data, using conditional statements, using object-oriented programming, data visualizations, making predictions, and more. Once you have completed this bootcamp, you can proceed to the Python for Finance Bootcamp in which you will learn how to gather and manipulate financial data using Python’s major financial libraries.

Looking to launch a new career using Python for finance? Noble Desktop’s FinTech Bootcamp prepares students for entry-level positions in financial technology and data science. This certificate program includes multiple courses in which you will learn about Python for data science, automation, data visualization, machine learning, and finance. You will also learn about financial modeling.

Learn more about Noble Desktop’s live online Python classes and live online Finance classes to compare different courses and options.

Key Insights

• The difference between a certification and a certificate is that certification is earned by taking a third-party exam that uses standardized criteria while certificate requirements vary by program.
• Python certifications with global recognition include the six Python certifications offered by the Python Institute. 
• You can receive comprehensive Python for finance training through an in-person or live online course with Noble Desktop. These training programs confer certificates of Python proficiency to students who complete the courses.