20 years of Jamf Training: Empowering IT professionals to succeed with Apple

Twenty years ago today, on April 24, 2006, seven people walked into a room in Minneapolis and took the very first Jamf training course.

No digital badges.

No global online catalog.

No courses available in multiple languages.

Just seven people who cared deeply about Apple computers and managing them with Jamf – and one very notable instructor at the front of the room.

A lot has changed since then.

But Jamf Training's unique approach:

• Hands-on
• Responsive
• And built for the real world

Remains unwavering.

Today, we are thrilled to celebrate two decades of empowering IT professionals with the skills to manage and secure Apple at work. Two decades of instructors, students, certifications and "I finally got it!" moments. Whether you took your first course last month – or were in one of those original seats back in 2006 – this milestone belongs to all of us.

It started with a belief

Jamf was born from a simple but stubborn idea: managing Apple at work should be easier.

What began as co-founder Zach Halmstad’s wish for a better way to wrangle hundreds of Mac devices in a computer lab at the University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire, evolved into the world's leading Apple device management and security platform.

And when it came time to teach people how to use it, Zach didn't hand it off.

He taught the first course himself.

That first Certified Casper Administrator (CCA) course on April 24, 2006, taught seven attendees on Casper Suite 3.2 around the same time Apple was shipping the first Intel Mac.

We have come a long way

It's remarkable, in hindsight, just how many of “the first seven” went on to become apart of the Jamf story:

• Six became Jamf employees
• Four of them still work at Jamf today:
  • Jason Wudi (Chief Innovation Officer)
  • Samuel Johnson (Chief Customer Officer)
  • Eric Krause (Senior Director, Software Engineering)
  • Si Cook (Sales Engineer III)

Seven people in a room. Two of them are now in the C-suite.

Building great software was never the whole story

From that very first class, Jamf understood that tools are only as powerful as the people using them. That conviction gave rise to what Jamf Training is today: the only source for training and certification on Apple device management and security solutions for every skill level.

The goal then is the same as it is today

To help Mac Admins spend less time figuring out how to do something and more time doing it.

"I came to Jamf as a customer first — managing over 1,400 Apple devices and desperately trying to get my nights and weekends back. Jamf gave me that. But it wasn't until I had training that the real unlock happened. That experience is part of why I joined Jamf and why I care so deeply about what we've built. I'm incredibly proud that those same core tenets — hands-on, instructor-led, discussion-based learning — are still at the heart of everything we do today, across a portfolio that has grown beyond what any of us could have imagined in 2006." — Randon Ruggles, Director, Customer Education

20 years by the numbers

Twenty years in, the impact of Jamf Training speaks for itself:

• 40,000+ admins trained through instructor-led courses
• 120,000+ professionals reached through the Online Training Catalog
• 60,000+ certifications issued
• 5,000+ courses delivered (with 40% remote delivery since 2020)
• 25,000+ Jamf Certified Associates and counting

These aren't just statistics

They represent:

• Careers launched
• Promotions earned
• Nights and weekends given back

All to IT professionals who feel confident in their environment.

"Training changes lives. We hear it all the time: the admin who finally got the promotion, the career changer who landed their first IT role, the organization that finally feels like it's succeeding with Apple. After 20 years, that never gets old." — John Greenash, Director, Global Education Services

Kim Trojanowski, a Jamf admin at the School District of Waukesha, Wisconsin put it this way:

"They've allowed me to do my job as a Jamf Admin more effectively and efficiently. I've also received recognition from my employer and other Jamf Admins for receiving the certifications."

That's what training actually means.

Not a piece of paper – but a shift in what you're capable of.

From one course to a full ecosystem

In the early days, Jamf was a single product installed on a server that changed a handful of times a year. Training then reflected: one product, one course and a tight knit community of Apple admins finding their footing.

Today, Jamf is a continuously evolving platform powering Apple device management and security for organizations across the globe.

And Jamf Training continues growing right alongside it, reflecting this evolution.

The curriculum now spans an entire ecosystem of Apple device management and security training, organized into two distinct tracks:

• Enterprise
• Education

Whether you're just starting out – or pushing toward expert level – there's a path for you.

For enterprise IT professionals

The course offering splits across two complementary progressions:

Device management

• Jamf 100 Course: A free, self-paced introduction to Jamf Pro and Apple device management. The starting line for thousands of IT professionals worldwide, available in multiple languages.
• Jamf 200 Course: Instructor-led, performance-based training for a core understanding of Jamf Pro and enterprise Apple device management.
• Jamf 300 Course: A deeper dive into macOS and iOS management capabilities, scripting and the Jamf Pro API.
• Jamf 400 Course: The pinnacle of the management track: advanced automation, API mastery and the coveted title of Jamf Certified Expert.

Device security

• Jamf 170 Course: A self-paced introduction to endpoint security with Jamf Protect and macOS.
• Jamf 270 Course: Instructor-led training offering a core understanding of endpoint and network security for Mac and mobile devices with Jamf Pro and Jamf Protect.
• Jamf 370 Course: Advanced security training for admins and security professionals looking to master macOS endpoint protection at scale.

For education IT professionals

The purpose-built education track combines Apple device management and security into a single, focused path:

• Jamf 140 Course: An introduction to Jamf School, Jamf Safe Internet and Apple device management for K-12 institutions.
• Jamf 240 Course: A deeper, instructor-led examination of Jamf School and the iOS, iPadOS and macOS platforms within an education context. Everything you need, tailored to the classroom.

Every course is built on a responsive teaching philosophy:

• Hands-on
• Scenario-based
• And rooted in real-world practice

No lectures or slides.

But actual work, in real environments, guided by instructors who know the field because they've lived it.

Keep learning, at your own pace

The classroom is just the beginning.

The Jamf Online Training Catalog offers over 300 modules and 60 learning paths, completely free with a Jamf ID, available to customers and non-customers alike. From Apple OS update and upgrade workflows and zero-touch deployments to deep dives on scripting and the Jamf Pro API – it's a library built to grow with you.

A great example of this mantra is the Get Started with Scripting series. Starting with macOS Terminal fundamentals, it walks you through scripting essentials, script deployment with Jamf Pro and the Jamf Pro API and finishes with a hands-on project and a final quiz that earns you the Command Line Innovator badge.

It's the kind of practical, self-paced path that turns "I need to learn scripting" into “I’m able to develop my own scripts”.

And then there's the Jamf Training & Support YouTube channel. With nearly 300 videos and a community approaching 10,000 subscribers, it's a constantly growing library of free learning content in multiple formats:

• Jamf Shorts: Focus-driven, bite-sized walkthroughs of common workflows, tips and troubleshooting, released on a regular cadence so you stay current as Jamf and Apple evolve.
• Release Note: Breaks down what's new with each product update, so you always know what changed and what it means for your environment.
• Release Roundups: Sharing what's new with key products, so you can stay up to date on the latest features and changes.
• YouTube Shorts: Learning built for social media: quick, sharp and perfect for staying on top of Jamf on the go. A brand-new, micro-sized format and another great way to keep the Jamf community learning.

Whether you're onboarding, brushing up or just curious about a new feature, it's well worth a subscribe.

"Our goal has always been to meet learners where they are — whether that's a structured course, a self-paced module, a short video or a quick YouTube Short on their lunch break. Over 20 years, the formats have evolved enormously, but the intent has never changed: give people the knowledge they need, in the way that works best for them, so they can get back to doing great work." — Debbie Spencer, Senior Director, Product Content Strategy & Delivery

What it means to be certified

Jamf certifications aren't handed out.

They're earned.

Each certification level:

• Associate
• Tech
• Admin
• Expert

Requires real competency, verified through scenario-based exams that mirror what you'd actually face on the job. When someone holds a Jamf certification, you know they can do the work.

Since 2023, Jamf certifications come with digital badges issued through Credly, the same platform trusted by 95% of top IT certifications, alongside badges from Apple, Microsoft, Google, Cisco and Okta.

Share yours on LinkedIn. Add it to your resume. Let it do some talking for you.

Most certifications carry three-year validity periods, with recertification exams available before expiry. As Jamf and Apple evolve, so too should the skills they represent.

"When I look at the customers who get the most out of Jamf — the ones who deploy faster, run leaner and support their users better — they almost always have trained, certified people behind the wheel. Training isn't a nice-to-have. It's what empowers organizations to truly succeed with Apple, setting the gold standard for what enterprise-secure, consumer-simple management looks like in practice." — Gerard Allen, Vice President, Professional Services

A program that keeps pace with Apple

Apple doesn't slow down and neither does Jamf Training.

Every course update ensures the content reflects the latest versions of the Jamf platform and the Apple operating systems it supports.

What students learn today is what they'll use tomorrow.

Just like Jamf evolved from a single server-based product into the comprehensive platform it is today, the delivery of training has evolved with it: from in-person courses around the world to:

• Remote, instructor-led sessions
• Self-paced online modules
• Private courses for teams

The evolution goes deeper than just format

Until 2020, students received printed course materials and hand-signed certificates to mark their achievement. Today, everything is digital: course materials are updated continuously, and certifications are issued as verifiable Credly badges.

A long way from a piece of paper and a signature – and better for it.

Looking for to achieve the full certification path for an organization or yourself?

The Jamf Training Pass offers a blend of flexibility and ongoing access, and offer a cost-effective, subscription-based method to work through the full course catalog at your pace, over the course of a year.

The Jamf Training Pass is available in two options:

• Individual Training Pass: For IT professionals investing in their own development.
• Organizational Training Pass: For teams that want to keep their entire staff certified and current.

What hasn't changed?

The teaching approach itself.

Hands-on. Scenario-based. Responsive.

That's been Jamf Training's signature from day one and always will be.

The community behind the classrooms

Jamf Training doesn't exist in isolation. It's part of something bigger.

Jamf Nation is the world's largest community of Apple IT admins. With more than 100,000 members, it’s always been a natural companion to formal training. Students compare notes, share workflows and help each other grow. And at the center of that community sits the Jamf Nation User Conference (JNUC): the annual gathering where learning doesn't stop at the session room door.

For the past three years, JNUC has offered something special alongside the main conference: Level Up. A full-day, hands-on learning experience led by Jamf instructors.

In 2026, it returns with two focused tracks: one for strengthening core Jamf management and security workflows, and another for those ready to push further into automation and the Jamf API. It's training in the truest sense – not a keynote or a demo.

But hands-on, performance-based right alongside peers who get it.

The reach of Jamf Training continues to expand in exciting directions. At Mesa Community College (MCC) in Mesa, Arizona, they partnered with Jamf to create a 10-week course, titled Jamf Training Foundation, and specifically designed for underserved students interested in IT careers. With 48% of MCC students being the first in their families to attend college, the program is built to open doors. Students complete the Jamf 100, 170, and 200 Courses, then apply their skills through a hands-on capstone in the college IT department, and then an external internship before seeking employment in the IT industry.

"There is no other strategic partner in the world I'd rather do this with." — Alvin Bridges, Information Technology Director, Mesa Community College

What started with seven people in a room in Minneapolis has found its way into college curricula across the country.

Twenty years in, the ecosystem around Jamf Training is as rich as the training itself.

Here's to the next 20

Twenty years. Over 40,000 global IT professionals trained in courses and more than 120,000 through the Online Training Catalog. Over 60,000 certifications issued and more than 5,000 courses delivered across the globe: in person, remotely and everywhere in between. And a growing community of Apple admins whose careers, confidence and capabilities have been shaped along the way.

We're proud of how far Jamf Training has come.

But honestly? We're more excited about where it's going.

If you're just getting started, you have three free entry points depending on where you're headed: the Jamf 100 Course for Apple device management, the Jamf 170 Course for security, and the Jamf 140 Course for education.

All free, all waiting for you.

If you haven't taken a course in a while, there has never been a better time to come back. New technologies and functionality like:

• Blueprints
• Compliance benchmarks
• Self Service+
• AI assistant
• And so much more are waiting for you.

Whether you pick up where you left off, explore entirely new territory or feel you’re ready to push even further – the path from Tech to Admin to Expert is one of the most rewarding in the industry.

The Apple ecosystem keeps growing

The admins who manage and secure it deserve the best training in the world — and we have even more exciting learning experiences coming to you in the future.

But none of this happens without you

To every student who has:

• Taken a course
• Earned a certification
• Completed a module in the catalog
• Asked a question on Jamf Nation
• Showed up to JNUC

Thank you!