Are you or someone you know the next Red Hat Certified Professional of the Year?

Do you have a go-to Red Hat expert on your team? For nearly two decades, Red Hat has celebrated certified individuals who exemplify ingenuity, hard work and expertise in Red Hat technologies. Now, the search is on for the 2025 Red Hat Certified Professional of the Year!

Key details

• Submission deadline: Entries will be accepted now through 11:59 PM EST on November 30, 2024
• Nomination: Candidates may nominate themselves or you can share the application form with a colleague
• The prize: As the Red Hat Certified Professional of the Year, you will receive recognition during the Red Hat Summit 2025, be featured in a Red Hat success story video, and receive a prestigious trophy. Your achievements will be highlighted in Red Hat press coverage, including a mention in the official award press release, and promoted across the Red Hat website, social media, blog and in the Red Hat Training and Certification newsletter. You will also earn a digital badge to showcase on social media or your resume and have the special certification logo for use on business cards. Additionally, you'll receive a one-year subscription to Red Hat Learning Subscription Premium (valued at $9,000), opportunities for speaking engagements and potentially other prizes as determined by the judges

Thinking about applying? Here's some advice from last year's winner

Gang Cheng, a Senior Infrastructure Engineer at Sopra Steria in Oslo, Norway, is the 2024 Red Hat Certified Professional of the Year. Gang’s journey from an early interest in IT to achieving a variety of prestigious Red Hat Certifications—including Red Hat Certified OpenShift Administrator and Red Hat Certified Engineer—highlights his commitment to open source technologies and excellence in the IT field.

Gang Cheng, 2024 Red Hat Certified Professional of the Year,  Senior Infrastructure Engineer at Sopra Steria in Oslo, Norway

“Being named Red Hat Certified Professional of the Year has greatly expanded my global professional network, enhanced my credibility in Linux and open source technologies and boosted my personal confidence. These benefits have led to new projects and clients as a consultant and contributed significantly to my personal and career development.

Transitioning from a traditional system administrator role to a modern IT environment was challenging due to the decreased demand for traditional roles. However, Red Hat's rich learning resources and certifications helped me stay current with new technologies, enhancing my marketability. As a consultant, Red Hat Certification remains invaluable for staying ahead in the industry and building a strong personal profile.

As the Red Hat Certified Professional of the Year winner, you get to travel to Red Hat Summit. There, I was excited to discover the extensive range of scenarios in which Red Hat products can be applied. I hadn’t realized the breadth of their use cases before, which has broadened my perspective on their potential applications. Open source has been incredibly beneficial to my brand as an IT professional and my career by providing access to a wide array of tools and resources that have enhanced my professional journey.

For future Red Hat Certified Professional of the Year. applicants: Don’t worry if you don't have every Red Hat certification—just apply. Focus on sharing your genuine experiences with Red Hat technologies. Be active in the Red Hat Learning Community by providing feedback and supporting others, and use your influence in your professional role to promote Red Hat solutions.”

Beyond his technical achievements, Gang actively participates in the Red Hat Learning Community, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning and knowledge sharing. Gang’s award as the Red Hat Certified Professional of the Year is a testament to his impactful work and dedication to leveraging the Red Hat ecosystem and finding innovative solutions.

What makes a winner?

Our judges are looking for submissions that highlight how Red Hat technology has significantly impacted efficiency and innovation while delivering tangible business outcomes. Your submission should reflect your personality and character, and include specific examples of how Red Hat–certified skills have helped you:

• Achieve success in your current job using Red Hat solutions
• Enhance your company's or customers' IT environments through Red Hat solutions
• Improve system performance in your company or for your customers
• Increase system security using Red Hat solutions
• Deliver concrete results to your organization using Red Hat solutions

Our panel of judges seeks entries that delve into these areas and demonstrate a strong commitment to leveraging Red Hat technology to drive meaningful improvements and results.

Ready to make your case or share the application with a colleague?

Whether you're nominating yourself or someone else, this is your chance to share a success story you’re proud of. Submit your nomination today!