ISA to certify IBEW professionals in instrumentationa and control

06 October 2004
ISA program to certify automation professionals
By Jim Strothman

ISA this week launches two new certification programs offering automation and control professionals credentials confirming their knowledge, competence, and potential in a particular field to current and future employers, coworkers, and others.

With predictions that both will have "far-reaching effects in the field of automation and control," the two programs will officially commence Thursday at ISA EXPO 2004, when ISA's Certified Automation Professional (CAP) and Certified Industrial Maintenance Mechanic (CIMM) examinations will be offered for the first time. ISA already offers its Certified Control Systems Technician (CCST) examination.

"Certification, as a general concept, will have a tremendous impact on the entire industry in the years to come, because as competition for market share increases, so does demand for proven, qualified employees," said Dale W. Lee, ISA director, member, education and certification services.
What is certification?

Obtaining professional credentials is one of the most credible ways to demonstrate acquired proficiency in a field, Lee said. Certified credentials open career pathways and, in some cases, serve as the education program when a degree-granting track does not exist.

Certification is private regulation. Typically, a state or federal government does not have a law, or regulation, covering a particular profession. So, in the absence of government-mandated regulation, a trade association or an independent certifying body develops a standard for certification.

Certification requires individuals to meet basic eligibility requirements before taking any test. Generally, certification requirements are not geographically restrictive, offering more freedom for credential holders to market their skills. Holding an advanced degree may not be necessary to take the examination.

"Certification programs recognize an individual's specialized education, training, and knowledge in a particular field," Lee said. "Getting certified demonstrates motivation to continue growing professionally, establishes career paths and job advancement opportunities, and most importantly, demonstrates one's qualification, competence, and potential to current and future employers," she said.

Rod Lincoln, manager, organizational development and training, Cytec Industries, points out certification and training programs also can be instrumental in protecting companies from liability issues.

"Companies are often concerned if there is an accident and a federal agency is called to audit their training and certification process. Without certification, there is little chance to avoid a fine for poor training. What better way to minimize potential liability than to have third-party [ISA] certification of employees?"

"The rallying cry for a new certification program comes from the needs of industry," Lee said. "Defining professions in the realm of automation and control is one of the most important issues in the industry today, and ISA's certification programs provide employers and professionals with resources, recognition, and third-party evaluation of skills and qualifications."
CCST began in 1995

ISA established the CCST program in 1995 to recognize and document technicians' knowledge, education, and experience in automation and control. The program was developed in conjunction with the Instrument Contracting and Engineering Association (ICEA), the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and the United Association of Plumbers and Pipe Fitters (UA).

Unlike some technician certification programs that are industry specific, the CCST exam was validated and designed for control system technicians who work in a variety of manufacturing industries.

The CCST program offers three levels of certification with varying education and experience requirements. Level I requires a minimum of five years of education, training, and/or work experience. Level II requires seven years of education, training, and/or work experience with at least two years in automation and control. Level III requires thirteen years education, training, and/or work experience with at least five years in automation and control.

The CCST exam tests applicants based on six performance domains deemed critical to proficiency in the industry:

* Domain I: Calibration
* Domain II: Loop Checking
* Domain III: Troubleshooting
* Domain IV: Start-up
* Domain V: Maintenance/Repair
* Domain VI: Project Organization
* Domain VII: Administration

CAP defines competence

This year, ISA began developing a new certification program specifically to address the industrywide need to define an automation professional. The Certified Automation Professional program provides a clear and concise definition of the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for competent job performance—and gives automation professionals a way to document those skills.

Gerald Wilbanks, a member of the CAP development team, said the industry needs the program as an alternative to other forms of certification and licensing.

"Many of the people who are doing industrial automation aren't professional engineers; they are people with a wide variety of backgrounds," said Wilbanks, a former ISA president and registered professional engineer in 14 states. "Some have migrated into automation having electrical, chemical, mechanical, or information systems education and experience. While the work they do is extremely important, there is not a requirement to seal and sign construction documents," Wilbanks said.

Because of this void, CAP was created to give automation professionals a designation all their own. CAPs typically are responsible for the direction, design, and deployment of systems and equipment for manufacturing and control systems.

Using interviews, surveys, observation, and group discussions, ISA worked with automation professionals to delineate critical job components. The knowledge and skill bases for the questions on the examination were derived from the actual practice of the automation professionals, Lee said. The knowledge, skills, and abilities determined fall into six performance domains and account for the examination's content:

* Domain I: Feasibility Study
* Domain II: Definition
* Domain III: System Design
* Domain IV: Development
* Domain V: Deployment
* Domain VI: Operation and Maintenance

CIMM for maintenance workers

Early this year, industry leaders looked to ISA to help establish standard competencies for maintenance mechanics, and ISA responded by developing the Certified Industrial Maintenance Mechanic program. CIMMs typically are responsible for preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance. They perform troubleshooting and analysis, and apply sound maintenance practices in all aspects of their work.

CIMMs generally are multiskilled individuals whose expertise is primarily mechanical in nature, as opposed to electrical or involving instrumentation. Through an intensive study of the industrial maintenance field, the CIMM exam will be based on four critical domains of performance:

* Domain I: Maintenance Practices
* Domain II: Preventive and Predictive Maintenance
* Domain III: Troubleshooting and Analysis
* Domain IV: Corrective Maintenance

"The more a mechanic knows, the less breakdown and overtime expense a company will have," said Rod Lincoln, part of the CIMM development team. "So you should want your mechanics to know as much as they possibly could. You should provide a skill standard with a third-party evaluation, such as ISA, because if you ever had a problem, like a plant blowing up or an equipment leak, you could [demonstrate] to the EPA and OSHA that you've trained your people properly."

"ISA is working to improve the recognition of the automation field and everyone currently working in it, and those who might be interested in the field for generations to come," Lee said. "By developing and administering the CAP and CIMM programs, ISA is demonstrating a belief that there are many practicing automation professionals and maintenance experts who should be recognized for their knowledge and skill competencies.

"Ultimately, it is the voice of every industry professional that ISA represents," Lee said. "This is why certification programs are created: to build a solid foundation for industrial automation, to define it, and ideally, to lend credence to it as more than just a group of incidental job tasks."



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