The Partner Certified Talent program brings trusted, externally validated certifications into Upwork, giving freelancers a way to validate their technical skills and build credibility directly on the platform. Through partnerships with trusted companies, Upwork makes certifications available to freelancers in the in-demand skill areas clients are actively hiring for. Once you complete and claim a certification, it becomes part of your reputation on Upwork, surfaced in search results, profiles, and proposals so clients can find and hire you with confidence.

Partner certifications add trusted, external validation to your technical expertise, giving clients greater confidence in your skills beyond what's self-reported. Partner certifications are also surfaced across search results, profiles, and proposals, so clients can spot your verified expertise in the moments they're actively evaluating talent. And because partner certifications signal real, relevant expertise, they help attract inbound opportunities from clients who are already looking for exactly what you offer, making it easier to move from conversation to contract faster.

Yes. Upwork is continuously expanding the Partner Certified Talent Program with new partners and certifications. Partners are selected based on their credibility, industry recognition, and alignment with the skills clients are most actively hiring for, so you can expect the program to grow in the areas where demand is highest.

Once you claim a partner certification, a few things happen automatically:

• Your partner certification appears in the Certifications section of your profile, across search results, and proposals
• A Partner Certified badge is added to your profile
• You'll instantly receive 150 free Connects for each new partner you claim a certification from
• You'll also have the opportunity to add the associated skills to your profile, which will display with a Partner Certified badge to distinguish them from skills you've added yourself

Partner certifications are different from self-added certifications in a few ways. 

• Upwork has worked directly with these companies to make their certifications available to freelancers - so they're often free or discounted, and curated to reflect the in-demand skills clients are actively hiring for.
• Completing and claiming a partner certification earns you 150 free Connects.
• Partner certifications come with a Partner Certified badge that signals to clients that your expertise has been externally validated, building additional trust and credibility.

You'll receive 150 free Connects instantly after claiming a certification from a new partner. Connects are granted once per partner - so if you claim multiple certifications from the one partner, you'll only receive 150 Connects one time. If you claim certifications from two different partners, you'll receive 300 Connects total.

Yes. Partner certifications are factored into Upwork's search and matching, helping your profile get discovered more often by clients hiring for your technical skills. Your certifications also appear directly on your profile in search results, and in proposals, making it easier for clients to spot your validated expertise while browsing and evaluating.