First Certification Exams To Be Given Fall 2004Research Triangle Park, NC (09 February 2004) - In Fall 2004, ISA will award certification to the first group of Certified Automation Professionals (CAPs). ISA's new automation certification will establish an identity for the automation professional and provide recognition for individuals working in automation and control. "This new certification will give employers an objective method for hiring and advancement decisions and a method for identifying qualified contractors to work on automation projects," said Kim Dunn, Vice President of ISA's Professional Development Department. "Automation certification will also serve as a motivator for individuals to learn more about the broad field of automation. Ultimately, it will raise the standards in this field by increasing overall job competence."Vernon Trevathan, chair of the CAP steering team, explained that the first step in the development of the automation professional certification was to establish a blue ribbon panel of a diverse group of industry professionals representing a broad cross section of manufacturing industries. The panel was charged with analyzing and defining key job responsibilities of automation professionals. This panel met in late January, to define specific job tasks of the automation professional. The next step will be to conduct a survey of potential certification program participants to validate the specific job tasks and responsibilities of the automation professional. Once the jobs tasks are verified, a question-writing committee, comprised of subject matter experts on the various job tasks, will begin developing the exam.In addition to passing a comprehensive exam, CAPs will need to meet other eligibility requirements. The expected requirements are: * Hold a four-year technical degree - in engineering, math, computer science, physics, or other technical areas; and* Possess at least five years of professional experience in automation.ISA is considering an introductory period for the first two years of the certification program, where applicants who have at least 10 years of experience in automation but do not have a four-year degree will be eligible to apply for certification. However, to become certified, all applicants will be required to pass the exam. Before moving forward with CAP, ISA surveyed automation professionals to gauge their level of interest in and value of a certification program for automation professionals. The results confirmed ISA's belief that automation certification represented a gap among technical credentials currently available:* 78% believed certification would enhance recognition and respect of the automation field;* 72% reported that a certification would be valuable to them; * 68% thought certification would increase their competitive edge in the market;* 72% said they expect to seek certification."ISA has a successful track record for developing a respected and valuable certification program with the Certified Control Systems Technician ProgramR (CCSTR)," said Dunn. "And since we've done the research, we know the need exists. This is a fantastic opportunity for automation professionals and for the automation and control industry."About ISAISA-The Instrumentation, Systems, and Automation Society is a 33,000-member global, nonprofit, educational organization connecting people and ideas in automation + control. The Society fosters advancement in the theory, design, manufacture, and use of sensors, instruments, computers, and systems for automation +control in a wide variety of applications. In addition to hosting the largest conferences and exhibitions for automation + control in the Western Hemisphere, ISA is a leading technical training organization and a respected publisher of books, magazines, and standards.ISA also serves the professional development and accreditation needs of Control Systems Engineers (CSE), instrument technicians, and others within the field of automation + control.For more information, please visit www.isa.org.
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