Dear Certification Colleagues:

We hope you and your loved ones are staying healthy and safe. As global costs have continued to rise, we find it necessary to implement a slight increase in the price of all IPC certification programs. The increase will take effect on January 1, 2025.

Below is a helpful table outlining the new costs for the CIS/CIT/CSE Certification programs, effective January 1, 2025.

The IPC Education Team greatly appreciates your continued support through this time of growth and change.

New, 2025 Policies & Procedures are posted in Edge and CQI

We are pleased to announce that the IPC-7711/7721D Endorsement Examination for IPC’s CIT/CIS programs are available in select languages.

All CITs and MITs can now schedule these courses through the portal.  If you need assistance in scheduling these classes, please refer to the instructions located under the “help” section in the portal.

We are pleased to announce that the IPC-6012F Endorsement Examination for IPC’s CIT/CIS programs are available in the following languages: English, Spanish, German, Mandarin.

The 620E space addendum is also available.

All CITs and MITs can now schedule these courses through the portal.  If you need assistance in scheduling these classes, please refer to the instructions located under the “help” section in the portal. 

Dear Certification Colleagues:

We hope you and your loved ones are staying healthy and safe. After carefully analyzing significant global cost increases over the last few years, we find it necessary to implement a slight increase in the price of all IPC certification programs. The increase will take effect on January 1, 2024. We have worked hard to minimize the price increase while continuing to provide the very best products and services for the electronics manufacturing industry.

Below is a helpful table outlining the new costs for the CIS/CIT/CSE Certification programs, effective January 1, 2024.

The IPC Education Team greatly appreciates your continued support through this time of growth and change.

Cordially
IPC Education Team 

Dear Certification Colleagues:

We hope you and your loved ones are staying healthy and safe.

After carefully analyzing significant global cost increases experienced by IPC, we find it necessary to implement a slight increase in the price of all IPC certification programs. The increase will take effect on January 1, 2023.

While we recognize that prices for certification programs also increased last year, we hope that this is not the norm moving forward. We have worked hard to minimize this price increase while continuing to provide the very best products and services for the electronics industry.

Below is a helpful table outlining the new costs for the CIS/CIT/CSE Certification programs, effective January 1, 2023.

IPC appreciates your continued support through this time of growth and change.

Cordially,

IPC Certification Team

Dear Certification Colleagues:

We hope you and your loved ones are staying healthy and safe. After carefully analyzing significant global cost increases over the last two years, we find it necessary to implement a slight increase in the price of all IPC certification programs. The increase will take effect on January 1, 2022. We have worked hard to minimize the price increase while continuing to provide the very best products and services for the electronics manufacturing industry.

Online Certification Exams: Effective January 1, 2022, the registration cost for all CIS programs utilizing online exams will increase by $10. For example, the member cost of the CIS 610 program utilizing online exams will increase from $65 to $75. The registration cost for all CIT programs utilizing online exams will increase by $40. For example, the non-member price for a J-STD-001 CIT Certification will increase from $600 to $640.

Online Print Exams: Effective January 1, 2022, the price of the online print exam will increase by $40. For example, the non-member price for a J-STD-001 CIT Certification will increase from $600 to $640.

Online Print Exams: Effective January 1, 2022, the price of the online print exam will increase by $15 for each CIS student and by $45 for each CIT student.

Online Proctoring: In response to ongoing adoption and demand, IPC will continue to offer Online Proctoring as a certification option. IPC will continue to subsidize the cost of online proctored exams and will not be increasing the registration costs in 2022. Below is a helpful table outlining the new costs for the CIS/CIT/CSE Certification programs, effective January 1, 2022.

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The IPC Education Team greatly appreciates your continued support through this time of growth and change.

Cordially
IPC Education Team 

The IPC Education Team hopes you are continuing to stay healthy and safe.

We are pleased to announce that the IPC-A-610H Endorsement Examination for IPC’s CIT/CIS programs are available in the following languages: English, French, German, and Spanish.

The J-STD-001H Endorsement Examination for IPC’s CIT/CIS programs are also available in the following languages: English and Spanish.

In addition, the CSE Endorsement Examinations for both the IPC-A-610H and J-STD-001H are available in English.

Currently the training materials for both the IPC-A-610H and J-STD-001H are only available in English.  IPC volunteer translation groups are currently working on various languages for the training materials. These will be released upon completion.

Additional translations for both the IPC-A-610H and J-STD-001H Endorsement Examinations for the CIT/CIS program are slated to be completed in the upcoming months.

All CITs and MITs can now schedule these courses through the portal.  If you need assistance in scheduling these classes, please refer to the instructions located under the “help” section in the portal. 

Additional courses are available to schedule for CSE/CIS/CIT Certification programs.

The IPC Education Team hopes you are staying healthy and safe.  We are pleased to announce the release of the following Endorsement programs to IPC’s Certification programs:

600K:

The 600 Rev K Endorsement Examinations and training materials are available for IPC’s CIT/CIS programs in English. The 600 Rev K Endorsement Examinations are available in German.

The 600 Rev K Endorsement Examination is available to schedule for IPC’s CSE Certification program in the English language.

All CITs and MITs can now schedule these courses through the portal.  If you need assistance in scheduling these classes, please refer to the instructions located under the “help” section in the portal.

The IPC Education Team hopes you are staying healthy and safe.

We are pleased to announce that the 620 Rev D Endorsement Examination for IPC’s CIT/CIS programs are available in the following languages: English, French, German, Mandarin, and Spanish.

All CITs and MITs can now schedule these courses through the portal.  If you need assistance in scheduling these classes, please refer to the instructions located under the “help” section in the portal.

Additional translations of 620D Endorsement Examination for the CIT/CIS program are slated to be completed in the following languages in the upcoming months: Polish, Turkish, and Hebrew.

IPC volunteer translation groups are currently working on the Spanish, French, and German versions of the 620D training materials. These will be released upon completion.

There are also translation groups for the following languages: Italian, Polish, Hungarian, Romanian, Czech, Slovak, and Turkish. If you are interested in joining a translation group, please contact Zenaida Valianu at zenaidavalianu@ipc.org.

Dear Colleagues,

IPC’s Education Team hopes you are continuing to stay healthy and safe. As the industry ramps up and training increases, we are taking steps to ease the burden on those who are returning to work and need certifications.

Certificate Extensions:

Those with certifications expiring at the end of June may request an extension of their optional workmanship modules after they have renewed the mandatory non-workmanship modules. The optional modules will be extended for 60 days upon completion of the mandatory modules. Since the base certification would be renewed, IPC believes that granting you a 60-day extension on the workmanship portion would be fair.

For Example: If you renew the mandatory 001 certification you may request an extension to the optional workmanship modules to which you were certified at the time of retesting. You would then have to complete the workmanship testing for the optional modules within 60 days for it to be reflected on your current certificate.

Granting these extensions for candidates expiring in June will help ease the potential bottleneck caused by the influx of candidates that are currently scheduling their workmanship modules.

Extensions of CQI Credits:

As a courtesy, all CQI Exam Credits set to expire at the end of June will be automatically extended until the end of August.

If you are experiencing any challenges not addressed in this email, please reach out to the IPC Education Team for aid through the Certification Help Desk. We are actively working to ensure that the critical services you provide the electronics manufacturing industry continues in a safe, efficient, and secure manner.

We plan to send update emails as needed to address changing conditions. Please also visit IPC EDGE or IPC Certification Help Desk for the latest updates.

Please stay safe.

David Hernandez

Dear Colleagues,

The IPC Education Team hopes you are staying healthy and safe. We have taken additional steps to support the electronics industry through these difficult times and would like to provide you some updates.

Certificate Extensions:

At the beginning of May, we announced that we would be offering complimentary 30-day extensions for all hands-on (workmanship) certifications. These extensions only applied to certifications where the required modules had a workmanship component.

Beginning with May certifications, those of you who are certified in programs with optional workmanship modules may request an extension of these modules after you have renewed the mandatory non-workmanship modules. The optional modules will be extended for 60 days upon completion of the mandatory modules. Since the base certification would be renewed, IPC believes that granting you a 60-day extension on the workmanship portion would be fair.

For Example: if you renew the mandatory 001 certification you may request an extension to the optional workmanship modules to which you were certified at the time of retesting. You would then have to complete the workmanship testing for the optional modules within 60 days for it to be reflected on your current certificate.

This would be handled as any other extension request by e-mailing certification@ipc.org. After review, IPC will provide an email notification of the extension of the optional modules.

Remote proctoring:

As we are seeing faster adoption of remotely proctored exams, we wanted to remind all trainers of the Minimum System

Requirements for students utilizing this system:

• Windows: 10, 8, or 7  - Mac: OS X 10.10 or higher
• Web camera (internal or external) & microphone
• A broadband internet connection
• If using a company issued device, you may need to work with your IT department to download the required software. Please note you must have administrator rights that allow you to download software to the computer on which you wish to take the certification exam.

We also encourage candidates to take the Proctored Practice Exam located in every remote proctoring course prior to attempting the Certification Exam. This will give them an opportunity to test their software and get a feel for the lockdown browser.

Extensions of CQI Credits.

As a courtesy, all CQI Exam Credits set to expire at the end of May will be automatically extended until the end of August.

If you are experiencing any challenges not addressed in this email, please reach out to the IPC Education Team for aid through the Certification Help Desk. We are actively working to ensure that the critical services you provide the electronics manufacturing industry continues in a safe, efficient, and secure manner.

We plan to send update emails as needed to address changing conditions. Please also visit IPC EDGE or IPC Certification Help Desk for the latest updates.

Please stay safe.

David Hernandez

Dear Colleagues

The IPC education team understands that COVID-19 has affected how we conduct our daily business. Speaking with several local and international training centers, we have learned from them the difficulties they are experiencing as business owners and employers. They have also expressed their optimism as they address these challenges head-on. I was reminded how lucky we are to have such dedicated and thoughtful training community supporting the electronics industry.

Below are some of the new steps IPC is taking to help the education community address these challenges.

Program Updates. All CIS, CIT, CSE, and CID courses are now available for remote proctoring. The exception is for those requiring a workmanship component as part of the base certification.

Remote Proctoring User Manual. The Remote Proctoring Guides for students and exam takers, provides a step by step walk-through of the remote proctoring process, is now available in English, Mandarin, French, German, Hungarian, and Spanish.

If any trainers or training centers are willing to volunteer and translate the instructions into additional languages, we will be more than happy to work with you in doing so. Please send an email to Joe Williams at joewilliams@ipc.org.

Resources. IPC is committed to providing you with the support you need to make complex decisions, keep your communities safe, and move your business forward. As part of that effort, we are leveraging our partnership with LinkedIn Learning to bring you learning experiences designed to help you navigate the personal and professional challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Please click on the link below to access dozens of currently unlocked courses you can take online.

Complimentary LinkedIn Learning Courses

Extensions. Beginning on Monday, we will be offering complimentary 30-day extensions for all hands-on certifications. We will not be offering any additional extensions for certifications that can be renewed through remote proctoring.  

CITs and MITs need to request an extension to an expiring certification through the Certification Help Desk. The current policy still applies to the certification expiration date for all certifications that were obtained by the temporary extension.

When completing the form, please select “Extension Request” in the Request Type field. Please make sure the forms are completely filled out and then e-mail to certification@ipc.org.

If you are experiencing any challenges not addressed in this e-mail, please reach out to the IPC Education Team for aid through the Certification Help Desk. We are actively working to ensure that the critical services you provide the electronics manufacturing industry continues in a safe, efficient, and secure manner.

We plan to send update e-mails as needed to address changing conditions. Please also visit IPC EDGE or IPC Certification for the latest updates.

Please stay safe.

David Hernandez

Dear Colleagues

Do you or someone in your organization need to renew or obtain an IPC certification?

IPC has the solution, remotely proctored online exams, in conjunction with IPC licensed training centers who are offering virtual training opportunities for IPC certifications.

In this time of shelter-in-place, IPC integrated a remote proctoring solution into IPC EDGE to bring your certification directly to you. IPC remote proctoring is now available for IPC CIS, CIT, CID, and CSE certification exams. Of note, if you require the hands-on modules of IPC J-STD-001 and IPC-7711/21 the remote proctoring does not alter the face to face workmanship requirements.

IPC is working closely with our licensed training centers to provide online proctored exams so there is no need to take your exam in a classroom setting. IPC is subsidizing a portion of the costs of remote proctoring during the coronavirus pandemic.  You will need a broadband internet connection, a webcam and microphone as well as administrative rights to install the proctoring app through the browser. A comprehensive user guide provides instructions on how to set up and take the remote proctored exam. Everything else is the same, take your virtual training if you need to, schedule your exam with your instructor, take your certification exam.

Do not delay and risk letting your certification lapse– take advantage of the opportunity to obtain or renew IPC certification through remote proctoring. Reach out to your training center or in-house trainer for details.

If you have concerns or need more details, contact us by submitting a

Dear Colleagues

The IPC Education Team is pleased to announce that beta testing is now complete for remote proctoring. We thank all the certification centers, MITs, and CITs that graciously volunteered their time to help us run through the testing process in such a short of time. While we would prefer to dedicate several more weeks to the testing process to ensure we release the best process possible, we are sensitive to the immediate needs of the industry. Therefore, instructors may begin scheduling and enrolling students into remote proctoring classes on April 6, 2020.

Remote Proctoring Program Availability. On April 6, 2020 all CIS and CIT written (or theory) certification exams are available for remote proctoring. Workmanship (hands-on) exams will not be available through remote proctoring.

We expect to have CSE certification exams available on April 10, 2020.

Remote Training Webinar. IPC Virtual Training Webinar. If you missed the IPC "Best Practices for Virtual Training” webinar held on Thursday, 3/26/20 use the link below to view the recording.

Best Practices for Virtual Training Webinar

Remote Proctoring Webinar Recording. On Thursday, 4/3 IPC hosted a webinar for all trainers and certification centers, to walk through the remote proctoring process and answer questions. A link to a recording of that webinar can be found here:

Remote Proctoring Webinar

FAQs. Based on the feedback we received during the remote proctoring webinar, we are providing some common questions and answers from the webinar.

Q: Can remote proctoring be utilized for workmanship exams?

A: No, remote proctoring is only available for “written” or “theory” certification exams.

Q: What is the cost of remote proctoring?  

A: The cost of remote proctored exams will be partially subsidized by IPC through the summer of 2020. The current cost for remotely proctored exams is $30. This is in addition to the cost of the certification. [Example: the CIS certification exam for 610 with member pricing is $65. The remote proctoring is $30. Total cost for remote proctored exams is $95.]

Q: Is there an additional cost for downloading the lockdown browser?

A: No, the $30 remote proctoring cost described above is all-inclusive.

Q: Does the instructor proctor the exam?

A: No, the remote proctoring solutions implemented into EDGE uses a combination of Artificial Intelligence, live proctors, and video/audio recording and analysis to monitor candidates as they sit for the certification exams.

Q: Can candidates use the PDF version of the standard?

A: Currently, as a security feature, EDGE prevents students from running any other software on their computers while taking a remotely proctored exam. We are working through some potential updates to the platform to address this situation and will keep the community informed of our progress.

Q: What are some actions that will cause a candidate to be flagged for review?

A: This will depend on whether the student is flagged by the artificial intelligence or the proctor. Generally, students that are looking away from the monitor, talking, leaving webcam frame, using another electronic device, etc. would be flagged for potentially cheating.

Q: Can candidates take a break?

A: Yes, if necessary, candidates can take short restroom breaks as needed. However, leaving the screen will cause the student to be flagged and escalated for further review. Candidates are expected to complete each exam in one sitting and are strongly encouraged to use the bathroom and grab something to eat or drink prior to sitting for the exam.

Q: Can candidates ask questions to get help?

A: No, since the certification exam is intended for the student to demonstrate their knowledge of the subject, questions are not permitted.

Q: Can I complete a testing that I started before the COVID-19 crisis?

A: This is not recommended since you will incur additional, non-refundable costs.

Q: What happens if a candidate is found to have cheated after being reviewed by the proctor?

A: IPC will revoke their certification. Further action, such as banning the student from further certification testing, can be taken.

Q: Will my students know when they are being watched by a live proctor vs software (AI)?

A: No, our proctors may monitor several students at the same time, so there is no indication that a candidate is being watched at a moment. All video and audio is automatically recorded throughout the examination process, and the artificial intelligence monitors are always active.

Q:  How will I know when the candidates I registered have completed their exam?

A: Trainers are still responsible for scheduling all candidate testing (as with non- remote proctored exams), so they should have a clear understanding as to when the candidate’s testing window is closed.

Q:  Will the remote proctoring platform be translated into other languages?

A: Unfortunately, IPC has no means of translating the instructions in the systems, as the platform is shared by multiple users. IPC will however begin translating the instruction manual (which includes screenshots) into other languages. These translations will be made available shortly after the launch of remote proctoring.

I hope that our entire training community is safe and secure during these trying times. If you are experiencing any challenges not addressed in this email, please use the Certification Help Desk to reach out to the IPC Education Team. We are actively working to ensure that the critical services you provide to the electronics manufacturing industry continues in a safe, efficient, and secure manner.

You can also visit IPC EDGE or IPC Certification for the latest updates.

Please stay safe.

David Hernandez

Dear Colleagues

IPC recognizes the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic is creating on the electronics manufacturing industry and the training community. We are working diligently to address issues as they arise, and to ensure that the industry has the information and resources needed to press through these challenging times.

We are urging our education community to use their best judgement when determining the appropriateness and safety of in-person training or proctoring. While we understand that Shelter-in-Place orders and quarantines are making in-person training and proctoring more difficult, this does not abdicate our responsibilities to ensure the integrity and value of IPC Certification Programs.

IPC is currently monitoring all certification exams, and we strongly urge all trainers and training centers to follow the current Policies and Procedures. Any certifications issued in violation of the Policies and Procedures will be made null and void by IPC. Instructors or Certification Centers found in violation of the Policy and Procedures risk losing their certifications and licenses.

Below are additional updates and developments to support current and future training needs:

Remote proctoring for IPC Certification is currently not allowed in any form. In order to provide a secure remote proctoring environment, that both secures the exam questions while eliminating student cheating, a remote proctoring solution must be integrated into the testing platform.

The IPC Education Team has made significant progress towards a remote proctoring solution. While taking longer than anticipated, the project is moving forward. We have completed initial internal testing and hope to start Beta testing soon. Work is underway on re-creating all certification exams for online proctoring and updating CQI.  

The new solution will allow certification candidates to attempt certification exams remotely. The remote proctoring solution utilizes a combination of AI proctoring (integrated into the IPC EDGE platform) that monitors the student’s computers (both their actions and any software they may be running) and highly trained remote proctors that observe the students while taking the exams.

Our goal is to make the proctoring solution available to all trainers as soon as possible. We do not have an exact timeline now, but we are hoping to announce a launch date next week. We will be providing a weekly update on our progress. After we have completed the implementation and updating of CQI, we will host a training session for instructor and release a “How To” guide for instructors and students.

Below are some of the steps IPC is taking to help the education community address the present challenges:

Remote Training Webinar. We recognize that the current global situation is necessitating many members of our education community to adopt remote training. IPC will be hosting a webinar to provide guidance and best practices for instructors interested in transitioning to a virtual training environment. The webinar will run on Thursday, March 26 at 10:00 am Central Time, USA.

During the webinar, the IPC Education Team will review:

• Virtual conferencing software options and how they work
• Online resources for Trainers
• Best practices to maximize engagement and learning in a virtual environment

Register for the Webinar

CQI Credits. As you know, all CQI credits expire after one calendar year. Effective immediately, all CQI credits that expire in March and April will automatically be extended for four months respectively (i.e. March credits will now expire in July and April credits will expire in August). This extension will occur automatically. There is no need to request the extension. You will be notified in the future if expiring credits for the months of May and June are extended.

Certificate Extensions. Effective immediately, if you have an expiring certificate, IPC will authorize a 90-day extension if you make your request to IPC. CITs and MITs need to request an extension to an expiring certification through the Certification Help Desk. When completing the form, please select the “Extension Request” in the Request Type field.

CISs that are seeking an extension should make a request to CIT or MIT that conducted their training. The CIT or MIT will complete the CIS Extension Form that has been added to the Training Resources sections on IPC EDGE.

Forms must be filled out completely and emailed to certification@ipc.org.

The certification expiration date will still follow the current policy for all certifications that were obtained by the temporary extension.

We are currently only processing extensions for certifications that expire within the months of March and April. IPC will reevaluate the situation in early April.

If you are experiencing any challenges not addressed in this email, please reach out to the IPC Education Team for aid through the Certification Help Desk. We are actively working to ensure that the critical services you provide the electronics manufacturing industry continues in a safe, efficient, and secure manner.

We plan to send updated emails weekly or as needed to address changing conditions. Please also visit IPC EDGE or IPC Certification for the latest updates.

Please stay safe.

David Hernandez

Dear Training Colleagues

IPC Certification Team Presents - Best Practices for a Virtual Training Webinar

IPC recognizes the unique challenges that the global COVID-19 pandemic is causing the electronics manufacturing education community.

Register for the Webinar

To help trainers through this situation, IPC will be hosting a free webinar to provide guidance and best practices for instructors interested in transitioning to a virtual training environment. The webinar will run on Thursday, March 26 at 10:00 am Central Time, USA.

During the webinar, the IPC Education Team will review:

• Virtual conferencing software options and how they work
• Online resources for Trainers
• Best practices to maximize engagement and learning in a virtual environment

IPC will record the live webinar and will provide the recording by email to everyone who has registered for the webinar.

Thank you,

David Hernandez

Dear Colleagues

IPC recognizes the unique and unexpected challenges the COVID-19 pandemic has created for the electronics manufacturing industry, and our training community. While this situation is still evolving, there are specific steps we felt we could set into motion to help address some of these challenges.  

1. Remote Training: Trainers are authorized to utilize remote training options when available. The health and safety of our training community and the industry are our top priority. Please abide by all local government restrictions and advice when determining the appropriateness of live and remote training. All remote training must be conducted with a live instructor. Prerecorded training is not allowed.

2. Remote Testing: IPC has engaged with several organizations that offer remote proctoring services to universities and certification bodies. We are currently in the process of integrating one of those services into IPC EDGE. We are working to make this available as soon as possible. Our goal is to begin internal and Beta testing as early as next week, but there are still many details to be worked out.

Once we have completed the integrations and have a working system, we will send a follow up email with instructions and more information on how to use the system. We are currently working on getting the CIT exams into remote proctoring first, followed by CIS, then CSE.

To be clear, students will still need to register through their instructors and will not be allowed to register for remote testing directly through IPC.

3. Extensions: Effective immediately and upon request, IPC will temporarily authorize 90-day extensions to those who have expiring certificates. CITs and MITs need to request an extension to an expiring certification through the Certification Help Desk. When completing the form, please select the “Extension Request” in the Request Type field.

CISs that are seeking an extension should make a request to CIT or MIT that conducted their training. The CIT or MIT will complete the CIS Extension Form that has been added to the Training Resources sections on IPC EDGE. Forms must be filled out completely and emailed to certification@ipc.org.

The certification expiration date will still follow the current policy for all certifications that were obtained by the temporary extension.

We are currently only process extensions for certifications that expire within the months of March or April. IPC will reevaluate the situation in early April.

4. Additional Support: IPC is adding temporary staff to the Education Operations Team to address issues and process extensions request as quickly as possible.

5. CIT Certification Renewals: We will be evaluating the minimum training requirements for certification renewal at a later date, when the full impact of the pandemic and its effect on certification training is better understood.

If you are experiencing any challenges not addressed in this email, please reach out to the IPC Education Team for aid through the Certification Help Desk. We are actively working to ensure that the critical services you provide the electronics manufacturing industry continues in a safe, efficient, and secure manner.

We plan to send update emails weekly or as needed to address changing conditions. Please also visit IPC EDGE or IPC Certification for the latest updates.

Thank you,

David Hernandez

Dear Certification Colleagues:

As a valued member of the IPC certification community, we are reaching out to you with information on the Policies and Procedures Documents (P&P). After publishing P&P version 7.1 for CIS, CIT and MIT, the certification team recognized some minor incremental updates were required to be made. In order to main consistency and avoid confusion the updates will be shown in the new Policies and Procedures Version 7.2 (CIS P&P version 7.2, CIT & MIT P&P version 7.2).

P&P version 7.2 covers the following changes:

• Appropriate fees are listed
• Language regarding the issuance of the certificate to the candidate has been clarified
• Language regarding the re-certification of CIT’s and their class size has been clarified
• Refined the Certification Accommodation Request Form
• Refined the MIT Application form

See the Changes

Please be aware the changes are effective as of August 20, 2019.

We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause. The IPC certification team felt these changes were important enough to publish them and wanted to make you aware of them.

Please Note: There is no change to the CSE Policy and Procedures V1.0

Cordially,

Joe Williams

Director of Certification

Dear Certification Colleague:

Training & Certification is a key part of IPC’s mission on behalf of the electronics industry. Partnering with IPC licensed training centers, we have been developing and delivering quality certification products for over 40 years.

Responding to industry demand and member feedback, IPC created a new certification for company subject matter experts on IPC Standards, the Certified Standards Expert (CSE). The CSE program is officially launched as of April 22, 2019.

The CSE will possess a high level of expertise and serve as an in-house expert on IPC Standards. A CSE is not required to train, unlike a Certified IPC Trainer (CIT) who is required to train to maintain their certification.

You should also be aware that the IPC Policy & Procedures (P&P) requirements will be changing with the introduction of the CSE certification program. Please check the certification portal for P&P 7.0 as it will be made available on Monday, April 22, 2019.  You can find it at: IPC Certification Policies and Procedures or https://certification.ipcedge.org/

IPC is providing licensed training centers a flyer that can be used to promote the new CSE program to your customers. You can download and print this flyer by using the following links:

Standard Letter Size Flyer

A4 Size Flyer for Europe

Dear Certification Colleague:

 Training & Certification is a key part of IPC’s mission on behalf of the electronics industry. IPC has developed an important new certification for individuals called the IPC Certified Standards Expert (CSE). The new program is due for release on April 22, 2019.

Webinar Training

To prepare for the launch on April 22, 2019 of the new CSE certification program, IPC will host a webinar for MITs and training centers. It is critical to you as a trainer that you are familiar with the new CSE program. The webinar will be held on April 4, 2019 at 9:00 am central time zone USA. If this is not convenient register anyway as we will be recording the webinar and will send it to all who have registered.

REGISTER NOW

Other certification topics critical to MITs and training centers will be discussed as well during the webinar.

Please consider joining the webinar to get your questions answered and be prepared for the new CSE certification program.

Dear Certification Colleague:

The IPC Certification team is excited to bring you another Hot Topics Webinar. You won’t want to miss this session which will cover your questions on IPC EDGE 2.0. Of course, we will cover other topics such as your certification status or how to use the certification portal.  

We have one session scheduled October 25, 2018 - 9:30 am (Central)

Register Now  

Some of the hot topics to be covered in this session are:  

• IPC EDGE 2.0
• Tips on Certification Portal Use 2.0

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about how to join the webinar online. This webinar will be recorded and sent to you in two days after the webinar.

Dear Certification Colleague:

The IPC Certification team is excited to bring you another Hot Topics Webinar. You won’t want to miss this session which will cover your questions on IPC EDGE 2.0. Of course, we will cover other topics such as your certification status or how to use the certification portal.  

We have one session scheduled September 11, 2018 - 10:00 am (Central)

Register Now

Some of the hot topics to be covered in this session are:  

• IPC EDGE 2.0
• Tips on Certification Portal Use 2.0

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about how to join the webinar online. This webinar will be recorded and sent to you in two days after the webinar.

Dear Certification Colleague:

The new certification platform IPC EDGE 2.0 is now available for trainers and students.    

FOR TRAINERS   

FOR STUDENTS   

We are thrilled to announce that the IPC EDGE 2.0 platform is ready for all users. Over the last several months, the IPC development team has improved the platform by incorporating feedback and feature requests we received from our first quarter Beta testing. Through this process we have made substantial upgrades and additions to the new IPC EDGE 2.0 platform and significant updates to our existing certification portal.    

Some of the new features you will experience:

• Registration – simplified class and student registration process
• Distributed Cloud Architecture – significant performance improvements  
• Gradebook – straightforward method of entering grades for online print exams
• Scheduling exams – instructors can manage all users testing from their account  
• Certifications – auto generated with the student’s name, certification modules completed, completion dates, instructors name, training center, expiration date and certification number
• Online testing – a new testing platform with updated features  

Policy and Procedures V6.1

The new policy and procedures requirements, which are outlined in the Policies and Procedures Version 6.1 document and the new pricing model, will go into effect with today’s launch of IPC EDGE 2.0. You can look at the P&P V6.1 by using the following link: Policy and Procedures 6.1  

Affiliate Marketing Program

As a reminder to all users, the IPC Affiliate Marketing program codes, which many of you used in IPC EDGE for the Essentials course, cannot be applied to certification products. These codes will not be accepted with the transition to the new IPC EDGE 2.0 platform.    

What’s New in 2018 for IPC Training & Certification
The IP C training & certification team is dedicated to continually improving the certification process and
training programs.
In 2018, we are planning to make significant upgrades to the certification portal based on feedback from
our us ers. IPC is working to simplify how the system is used and improve the certification process. Some
of thes e changes will include the use of IPC EDGE, our online education portal. Expect to see these chang
es in August of 2018.
Regar ding the CIT/CIS certification programs, IPC will introduce new IPC Policy and Essentials Modules.
The modules are new requirements for both new and recertifying CIT/CIS covering all certification
progra ms. The required modules can be taken at any time when a CIT/CIS is recertifying or when a new
CIT/CI S is applying for certification. The modules must be completed before a certification is issued.
Why i s IPC making these changes?
• Improves the integrity of the certification program
• Ensures legal defensibility of IPC certifications
• IPC certifying body content is covered by IPC, freeing up classroom time
• Allows instructors to focus more time on the technical content of the standards
• Builds foundational knowledge of IPC standards globally
• Delivers consistent knowledge on IPC Policy and Procedures globally
What can I expect?
• The combination of the new IPC Policy and Essentials modules and the online exam for a specific
certification program will have a fee of $65/person. The IPC nonmember fee will be $85/person. - 1 retest of an individual module included.
• The same combination of modules mentioned above and the print test exam will have a fee of
$80/person. The IPC non-member fee will be $100/person. - 1 retest of an individual module included.

-Additional retests require a new class registration and fee at the level of the initial test.
• Upgrades and testing of the system are expected to be completed by second quarter 2018
• IPC Policy and Essentials Modules expected to be released by second quarter 2018
The IPC certification program is important to you our customers and to IPC as a certification body. We
look forward to providing you the best certification programs in the electronics industry.
As a user of the IPC Certification programs we would like to thank you for your continued support and we
will keep you posted as we roll out these new requirements and updates. If you should have any
additional questions please contact your training center or the certification help desk.

Dear Certification Colleague:

As you are a valued member of the IPC Training and Certification community, we are reaching out to keep you informed on one of the key initiatives for 2018, the launch of IPC EDGE 2.0. Currently, IPC EDGE 2.0 is scheduled to launch on August 27, 2018. IPC is currently performing Beta testing on the new platform.  

What this means to you?

If you have scheduled classes on or after August 27, 2018, you will have to reschedule these classes in the new IPC EDGE 2.0 platform – contact the IPC certification team, they are ready to help.    

• You will need to delete any class that is not completed by August 22, 2018. Credits will be returned to the exam credit that was used to schedule them.   
• If a class is scheduled and the student has not completed the mandatory test before August 22, 2018, the student should be removed from the class and scheduled in another class after IPC EDGE 2.0 is launched on August 27, 2018.  
• If you have a student who has completed the mandatory test(s) prior to August 22, 2018 there are no changes for you to make.  
• We expect to launch IPC EDGE 2.0 with certification enhancements August 27, 2018   

Need help with IPC EDGE 2.0? Register for one of the IPC webinars which will demo how to use the platform.   

August 14, 2018 at 10:00 am Central Time  

OR

August 21, 2018 at 7:00 am Central Time

OR

August 23, 2018 at 3:00 pm Central Time   

The current IPC EDGE platform will still be available for enhanced learning opportunities through video training. IPC EDGE 2.0 will replace the current standard based testing platform.    

Dear Certification Colleague:

IPC Certification System Update

As a valued member of the IPC training and certification community, we are reaching out to provide an update on the IPC EDGE 2.0 platform development. Over the last several months the IPC development team worked on incorporating feedback and feature requests we received from our first quarter Beta testing. Through this process we have made substantial upgrades and additions to the new IPC EDGE 2.0 platform and significant upgrades to our existing certification portal.    

On Friday, July 27 IPC concluded a month of internal Alpha testing of the IPC EDGE 2.0 platform. On Monday, July 30 we began a period of external Beta testing with volunteer training centers. Beta testing will run the weeks of July 30, August 6, 13, and 20. If you are interested in Beta testing the new platform with your students over the next three weeks, please contact Kris Roberson at KrisRoberson@ipc.org. We may not be able to accommodate all volunteers but will do our best to make sure all that want to participate are given the opportunity.   

Release Date

IPC is committed to only releasing the new IPC EDGE 2.0 platform, and the upgraded certification portal when we are confident that it will provide a stable, well-tested, and secure platform. Upon successful completion of Beta testing and no failures occur we expect to release the IPC EDGE 2.0 platform on Monday, August 27, 2018. Please be aware that should any significant issues/failures arise during the Beta testing and IPC cannot rectify prior to August 27, we will not launch the program on that date. We will notify all of you immediately if the launch is delayed.   

Webinar Training  

To prepare for the potential launch on August 27 of IPC EDGE 2.0, IPC will hosting a series of “how to” webinars for trainers and training centers. It is critical to you as a trainer that you are familiar with the new IPC EDGE 2.0 platform. Each webinar will review the entire certification process from the perspective of the instructor and the student. Don’t be left behind. Register for one of the webinars today using the following links:    

Register Now for IPC EDGE 2.0 the New Certification System Demo Webinars:

(Each webinar will cover the same material – you only need to sign up for one)   

August 14, 2018 at 10:00 am Central Time  

OR

August 21, 2018 at 7:00 am Central Time

OR

August 23, 2018 at 3:00 pm Central Time   

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about how to join the webinar online. If you miss the webinar, recordings of the webinar will be sent by email to all people who sign up.

Policy and Procedures V6.1 The new policy and procedures requirements, which are outlined in the Policies and Procedures Version 6.1 document and the new pricing model will go into effect with the launch of IPC EDGE 2.0. If you would like to preview the P&P V6.1 please use the following link: Policy and Procedures 6.1   

Affiliate Marketing Program

As a reminder to all users, the IPC Affiliate Marketing program codes, which many of you used in IPC EDGE for the Essentials course, cannot be applied to certification products. These codes will not be accepted with the transition to the new IPC EDGE 2.0 platform.    

Next Update We recognize that the success and growth of our industry relies upon the partnership we have built with you. IPC continues to seek ways of expanding this partnership as we grow the certification programs and this new platform.   

Dear Certification Colleague:

As a valued member of the IPC certification community, IPC has been communicating with you at various times this year about key certification initiatives/changes for 2018. One of those changes is the release of revision 6.1 of Policy and Procedures. Revision 6.1 will be activated on the same date as the activation of IPC EDGE 2.0, the online testing system.   

IPC is providing access to revision 6.1 for your review, to access select Policy and Procedures 6.1. We strongly encourage that you review revision 6.1 with anyone in the certification programs, this includes all levels CIS, CIT, MIT and administrators.

NOTE: Revision 6.1 of the Policy and Procedures will not be activated until the launch of IPC EDGE 2.0.

Questions about the new revision should be submitted through the IPC Certification Help Desk. You can access the IPC Certification Help Desk through the IPC certification portal main menu bar: https://certification.ipc.org.

Dear Certification Exam Credit User

IPC is continually evaluating the products that we deliver to you our customers and would like to thank you for your continued support of IPC Certification and Training.

Over the past few months IPC created three exam credit products in our online store which allowed you, the user, to purchase exam credits through the IPC Online Store. These products consisted of purchasing exam credits in increments of $50, $35 and $1. Unfortunately, these three increment levels caused confusion with users and raised questions about the three levels. Many users mistakenly interpreted the $50 and $35 levels as an single exam unit or single exam credit. These were never intended to be a, “Seat”, “Exam”, or “Unit” purchase. These levels were intended to be used for the convenience of the customer in adding funds to an online certification account.

To alleviate the confusion, IPC will no longer offer three levels for purchasing exam credits.

IPC will only offer the $1 increment level product to purchase exam credits.

Exam credits will be decremented based on the pricing structure that exists when a class is scheduled.

Those of you who currently have purchase orders in the system which have not been processed will receive your exam credits using the $1 level product. Your exam credit value amount will not change. It will be equal to the original amount you requested. IPC will be using the $1 incremental level to process your order.

IPC would like to thank you for using the new method to purchase exam credits in the IPC online store. We apologize for the confusion created by the multiple exam credit level products. We believe by providing one method to purchase exam credits will make it simple and easy to use.

Should you have any questions please contact customerservice@ipc.org.

The IPC training & certification team is dedicated to continually improving the certification process and training programs.

In 2018, we are planning to make significant upgrades to the certification portal based on feedback from our users. IPC is working to simplify how the system is used and improve the certification process. Some of these changes will include the use of IPC EDGE, our online education portal. Expect to see these changes in the second quarter of 2018.

Regarding the CIT/CIS certification programs, IPC will introduce new IPC Policy and Essentials Modules. The modules are new requirements for both new and recertifying CIT/CIS covering all certification programs. The modules will be required to be taken at time of CIT/CIS recertification and when new CIT/CIS are applying for certification.

Why is IPC making these changes?

• Improves the integrity of the certification program
• Ensures legal defensibility of IPC certifications
• IPC certifying body content is covered by IPC freeing up classroom time
• Allows instructors to focus more time on the technical content of the standards
• Builds foundational knowledge of IPC standards globally
• Delivers consistent knowledge on IPC Policy and Procedures globally

What can I expect?

• The combination of the new IPC Policy and Essentials modules and the online exam to all modules for a specific certification program will have a fee of $65/person. The IPC nonmember fee will be $85/person.
• The same combination of modules mentioned above and the print test exam will have a fee of $80/person. The IPC nonmember fee will be $100/person.
• Upgrades and testing of the system are expected to be completed by second quarter 2018
• IPC Policy and Essentials Modules expected to be released by second quarter 2018

The IPC certification program is important to you our customers and to IPC as a certification body. We look forward to providing you the best certification programs in the electronics industry.

As a user of the IPC Certification programs we would like to thank you for your continued support and we will keep you posted as we roll out these new requirements and updates. If you should have any additional questions please contact your training center or the certification help desk.

3000 Lakeside Drive, Suite 105 N, Bannockburn, IL 60015

The IPC Professional Training and Certification Policies and Procedures document has been updated. This document is effective immediately.

Instructors will need to update the PowerPoint slides to reflect the new changes.

The updated P&P module slides for both CIT and CIS courses are available through the Instructor Support Page. Please go to the IPC Instructor Support [ link: http://www.ipc.org/ContentPage.aspx?pageid=Classroom-Training-and-Certification ]. Locate the course you will be teaching and then download the file to train CIT or to train CIS candidates.