Many times I have heard that this profession of a software tester does not require specific education. Is it true?

There are two myths about the profession of Software Tester:

• The first one: testing is a kind of semi-mechanical process, it does not require knowledge. A tester is a type of “clicker”, driving the program until it “crashes”.

• The second one: testing is an extremely complicated process, comparable to the work of a programmer, especially when it concerns automatic testing, requiring a special mentality and, at least, a Computer Science Degree.

In truth, there are many different forms of testing, which require different qualifications. After a 6-month intensive software testing course in our school, and 3 months of practice, one is eligible for a position called Junior or Intermediate Software Tester. This specialist engages in simple enough types of testing. Acquiring experience and education, the person is ready for more technical work, where higher qualification is needed. One thing I can say for sure: It is impossible to become a specialist in this area only by reading a book.

The domain of software testing and quality assurance getting more and more technical and a good QA course providing system-level education in Software QA is absolutely mandatory, if you are serious about getting a QA position in IT.