The Knowledge Base: The Era of Advanced Packaging
Standard of Excellence: Finding and Developing Future Leaders in Manufacturing
Global Sourcing Spotlight: Navigating the Variables of Holiday Schedules in Global Sourcing
Certificate vs. Certification: Achieving Your Organization’s Goals
July 22, 2024 | Carlos Plaza, IPCEstimated reading time: 1 minute
The terms “certification” and “certificate” are often used interchangeably, but there are well-defined differences in the world of credentials. These differences have important implications for when and how your organization invests in training and validation programs. In this article, I’ll break down the meaning and characteristics of each term, introduce IPC’s approach to training and certification, and explain how you can leverage each credential to achieve your goals.
Certification
A certification is a document issued by an independent certifying body like IPC to verify that an individual possesses a defined set of previously acquired knowledge, skills, and abilities in a field of practice. Individuals are usually required to take an exam to demonstrate possession of these competencies at a level of proficiency defined by industry-based standards or criteria. Test candidates who successfully complete the exam are issued a certificate that attests to their certified status. The awarded document is called a certificate, but it denotes the attainment of a certification.
Certification programs are not linked to a specific training program. In fact, any person who meets the certification program’s eligibility requirements may sit for the exam. Given the rigorous nature of certification exams, some type of formal or informal test preparation is usually advisable. However, test prep is not mandatory because the exam is not designed to assess whether a student learned what was taught in a course of study. Instead, certification exams are designed to validate and recognize a person’s current competencies.
Individuals with a given level of education and years of experience on the job will have had the opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills measured by the exam. The role of the certification exam as a validation tool also explains why exam participants cannot see the questions they missed. The exam would quickly lose its ability to accurately measure competency if the questions and answers were common knowledge.
As an example, consider the bar exam that attorneys must pass to be certified to practice law. How the candidate obtained the knowledge to pass the bar is not required for the exam. Likewise, completing a law degree at a university does not guarantee the candidate will pass the bar.
To read this entire article, which appeared in the July 2024 issue of SMT007 Magazine, click here.
Share on:
Suggested Items
Dan’s Biz Bookshelf: ‘Brand Hijack: Marketing Without Marketing’
12/12/2024 | Dan Beaulieu -- Column: Dan's Biz BookshelfPublished in 2005, Brand Hijack wasn’t just insightful; it was ahead of its time. Alex Wipperfurth laid out a revolutionary approach to branding that years later would become the norm—forecasting the direction marketing would take as consumer engagement developed. Brand Hijack predicted the era of co-creation, where the consumer isn’t just a branding target but an integral player in building and shaping a brand's identity.
Despite Regional 200x Funding Differences, Post-Quantum Readiness Won’t Hinder eIDAS Unity
11/05/2024 | ABI ResearchPost-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) inevitably has an outsized impact on a technology remit covering many trust service use cases, with cryptographically robust signing acting as the market's core. Without this, there is no trust and, therefore, no Electronic Identification and Trust Services (eIDAS).
Counterfeit Concerns: Navigating the Risks
10/23/2024 | Nolan Johnson, SMT007 MagazineNolan Johnson meets with Diganta Das, PhD, and Michael Azarian, PhD, research scientists at the CALCE Electronic Products and Systems Center at the University of Maryland, to discuss the increasing issue of counterfeiting in the electronics and assembly industry. Diganta and Michael highlight the need for robust detection methods and standards to mitigate risks, specifically referencing SAE AS6171 for inspection and AS5553 for counterfeit mitigation. They cover real-world cases, like counterfeit network equipment scandals to relatively simple issues of consumer electronics accessories to illustrate the complexity of the issue and debate the philosophical implications of labeling products that contain a few minor counterfeit components as “counterfeit.”
Global Impact: Kimball Electronics Blood Drives Save Hundreds of Lives
08/06/2024 | Kimball ElectronicsTo date, in 2024, various Kimball Electronics locations have sponsored blood drives that have collected enough units of red and double red blood to potentially save 343 lives.
New Issue of IPC Community Now Ready for Your Summer Reading Pleasure
07/15/2024 | I-Connect007 Editorial TeamIf you’re like most of us in this industry, you have a passion for your work—and it shows. In the new issue of IPC Community, which publishes online today, we feature multiple examples of individuals and companies passionate about their jobs and their work in electronics manufacturing. They truly care about #buildingelectronicsbetter.