Date: 8/2/2011

Title: NICET Releases Electrical Power Testing Certification Program

NICET Releases Electrical Power Testing Certification Program

NICET RELEASES ELECTRICAL POWER TESTING CERTIFICATION PROGRAM
Certification Program Will Add Value for Test Technicians, Employers, and the Electrical Power Industry

ALEXANDRIA, Virginia—August 15, 2011—NICET, the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies, is pleased to announce that its newest technician certification program, Electrical Power Testing, is now available. Certification will be conferred at four Levels, representing progressively greater technical capabilities and responsibility. Levels I and II are available now for testing and certification, with Level III scheduled to become available in September, and Level IV in January of 2012. NICET Electrical Power Testing certification will be open to qualified test technicians regardless of their employer, and will stay with the technician as long as he/she continues to develop as an electrical testing professional.

The certification was designed to recognize qualified technicians who perform inspection, testing, and periodic maintenance of equipment used in the production, transmission, and distribution of electrical power, and evaluation of such equipment for acceptance for service, continued serviceability, or required maintenance. “Keeping this high-value power infrastructure working reliably and efficiently requires highly-skilled engineering technicians,” says NICET Chief Operating Executive Michael Clark. “NICET-certified technicians set the standard in other fields; we hope to bring the same status, the same level of recognition, to the qualified individuals who perform this important work.”

Test technicians who meet testing and experience requirements are eligible to receive this nationally-recognized certification. To achieve a particular Level of certification, a test technician should possess the job knowledge and experience to:

Level I: Under the supervision of a higher-level technician, work safely around electrical power equipment and cabling; identify test equipment; and make simple electrical connections.
Level II: Under general supervision, isolate and ground power equipment safely; connect test equipment; and conduct and document standard tests of basic (single-function) equipment.
Level III: Manage switching procedures; conduct tests of complex (multi-function) equipment in non-standard situations; analyze test and equipment data; and plan a job and lead a team.
Level IV: Conduct tests of complex metering and relay systems; evaluate tests, test equipment, test results, and power system performance; recommend actions to maintain or improve system performance; and lead multi-team projects.

Work experience criteria include: length of appropriate work experience, verification of “performance measures” by a supervisor, a personal recommendation (Level III and IV), and a major project (Level IV).

The content and requirements were developed by teams of working professionals who volunteered their time and effort because they considered a nationally-recognized certification program—open to all qualified testers—to have real value for test technicians, employers, and the electrical power industry. As President of Grapevine, Texas-based National Field Services, Doug Powell sees it this way: “For me NICET certification has always stood for qualified and reliable technicians. Having NICET certified technicians brings a high level of industry creditability to our entire service organization. It also provides our customers with the added level of confidence and assurance that our technicians are specifically qualified for the unique work our industry performs. Our employees see it as an investment in their ongoing professional development, which builds long-term loyalty and trust.”

Support for the many meetings required for the development of this program has been provided by NETA, Dashiell Corporation, Independent Testing Agency, National Field Services, Schneider Electric, Shermco Industries, Testronics, Inc., and Western Electrical Services.

NICET is celebrating its 50th year of developing and operating certification programs for engineering technicians and technologists. Electrical Power Testing brings the number of programs to 28, including a wide range of civil, mechanical, and electrical specialties. More than 46,000 currently active certifications are listed in NICET’s registry.

Additional information about NICET and the Electrical Power Testing program, including application forms, procedures, and fees, is available at www.nicet.org.

---