There're many ways to pursue a path different from what your occupation or education prepared you for. What truly matters is that you enjoy what you do and feel extra motivated to keep improving. Certification is subjective. While reputable institutions like NNGroup exist, a certification alone doesn't make someone a great designer. True expertise comes from practice, empathy, and many other subjective factors.

My 2 cents would be: enjoy what you do and learn because you love it. ❤️