2025 Price Increase and Policy Update information are available in CQI News

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

CQI News


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.

Exam Type

Member 

Non-member 

CIS Computer Based 

$90

$115

CIS Paper 

$130

$155

CIS Remote Proctoring 

$120

$145

CIS Computer-Based Retest Fees 

$90

$115

CIS Paper and Pencil Retest Fees 

$130

$155

CIS Computer-Based Retest Fees (Remote Proctoring) 

$120

$145

CIT Computer Based 

$630

$790

CIT Paper 

$665

$805

CIT Remote Proctoring 

$660

$800

CIT Computer-Based Retest Fees 

$95

$125

CIT Paper and Pencil Retest Fees 

$130

$150

CIT Computer-Based Retest Fees (Remote Proctoring) 

$120

$145

CSE Computer Based 

$175

$210

CSE Remote Proctoring 

$200

$235

CSE Retest 

$90

$115

CSE Retest Remote Proctoring 

$155

$180

CSE Additional Endorsement Exam Fees 

$160

$180

CSE Additional Endorsement Exam Fees (Remote Proctoring) 

$175

$210

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.

Exam Type

Member 

Non-member 

CIS Computer Based 

$85

$110

CIS Paper 

$120

$145

CIS Remote Proctoring 

$115

$140

CIS Computer-Based Retest Fees 

$85

$110

CIS Paper and Pencil Retest Fees 

$120

$145

CIS Computer-Based Retest Fees (Remote Proctoring) 

$115

$140

CIT Computer Based 

$585

$735

CIT Paper 

$620

$760

CIT Remote Proctoring 

$615

$755

CIT Computer-Based Retest Fees 

$90

$120

CIT Paper and Pencil Retest Fees 

$120

$145

CIT Computer-Based Retest Fees (Remote Proctoring) 

$115

$140

CSE Computer Based 

$165

$200

CSE Remote Proctoring 

$190

$225

CSE Retest 

$85

$110

CSE Retest Remote Proctoring 

$145

$170

CSE Additional Endorsement Exam Fees 

$150

$170

CSE Additional Endorsement Exam Fees (Remote Proctoring) 

$165

$200

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.

Exam TypeMember Non-member 
CIS Computer Based $80 $105 
CIS Paper $110 $130 
CIS Remote Proctoring $110 $135 
CIS Computer-Based Retest Fees $80 $105 
CIS Paper and Pencil Retest Fees $110 $130 
CIS Computer-Based Retest Fees (Remote Proctoring) $110 $135 
CIT Computer Based $550 $690 
CIT Paper $580 $715 
CIT Remote Proctoring $580 $715 
CIT Computer-Based Retest Fees $85 $115 
CIT Paper and Pencil Retest Fees $110 $130 
CIT Computer-Based Retest Fees (Remote Proctoring) $110 $130 
CSE Computer Based $155 $190 
CSE Remote Proctoring $180 $215 
CSE Retest $80 $105 
CSE Retest Remote Proctoring $135 $160 
CSE Additional Endorsement Exam Fees $140 $160 
CSE Additional Endorsement Exam Fees (Remote Proctoring) $155 $190 
     In addition, both the MIT and SCSE application forms will increase by $10 respectively. 

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.

Exam Type

Member

Non-member

CIS Computer Based

$75

$95  

CIS Paper

$100

$120

CIS Remote Proctoring

$100

$120

CIT Computer Based

$515

$640

CIT Paper

$540

$665

CIT Remote Proctoring

$540

$665

CSE Computer Based

$145

$175

CSE Remote Proctoring

$170

$200

CSE Retest

$75

$95

CSE Retest Remote Proctoring

$125

$145

--------

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

VP, Education

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

VP, Education

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

VP, Education

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

certification help desk ticket  

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

VP, Education

Dear Colleagues

 IPC would like to thank the education community for your continued support during these difficult times, and for your patience as we implement new solutions for the industry. We are pleased to announce the following updates:

 Remote Proctoring. The team spent this week finalizing the integration of remote proctoring into the IPC EDGE platform and testing the solution. Beta testing will begin next week at the Certification Centers that volunteered to perform testing. Remote proctoring will be made available to all instructors beginning on April 6, 2020.

 Registration for remote proctoring will be done through CQI and will follow the same process as setting up certification testing. We are currently finalizing the user interface updates on CQI and will provide details next week.

 In order to aid the industry through this difficult time, IPC will be subsidizing part of the cost of the remote proctoring service. We are finalizing the contracts and will have more details next week.

 IPC is preparing a “How To” guide and video and will make it available through the CQI News tab on CQI on Friday, April 3rd.

 Remote Proctoring Webinar. On Apr 2, 2020 - 10:00 AM Central Time (USA), IPC will be hosting the “Remote Proctoring” walkthrough webinar for all CITs, MITs, and Certification Centers. We will review the basics of how the new remote proctoring system works, how instructors can register their students, and the student experience.

 

Register for the Webinar

 

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

 

Best Practices for Virtual Training Webinar

 

A copy of the PowerPoint presentation used during the webinar can be downloaded through the following link:

 

Best Practices for Virtual Training PPT

 

If you are experiencing any challenges, please reach out to the IPC Education Team for support 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. As conditions change, we will adapt to meet the needs of the industry. Please also visit IPC EDGE or IPC Certification for the latest updates.

 

Please stay safe.

 David Hernandez

VP, Education

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

VP, Education

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

VP, Education

Dear Colleague:

IPC's lastest Certified Electronics Program Manager class is about to start.

Build and refine skills in project planning, success metrics and much more, all with emphasis on the best practices of the electronics manufacturing industry.

Take advantage of this online, instructor-led course and in six weeks, your best managers can earn IPC Certification in Electronics Program Management (CEPM).  

Class starts April 14, 2020 and runs through May 21, 2020 (Tuesdays and Thursdays) - 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm ET. Additional class schedules are also available.

Learn more and apply.

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

VP, Education

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

IPC 

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

Please direct your customers to the link below for additional detailed information about the program. CSE Explained

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.

Let us know if you have any questions about the webinar by emailing ipcmail@ipc.org

Dear MIT and CIT Colleague:

IPC is simplifying the process and lowering the cost for IPC certified MITs and CITs to obtain their training materials.

IPC is pleased to announce on April 22, MITs and CITs will gain digital access to the training materials that correspond with their certification status.

Once the new process is deployed, MITs and CITs will no longer purchase the required training materials from IPC or an IPC Training Center. The MITs and CITs will download the course materials at their discretion from the IPC EDGE 2.0 online platform.

By replacing the distribution of materials on CD with online downloads and combining the cost of certification exams and renewal fees, IPC reduces the overall cost to MITs and CITs by as much as 26% over the current price structure.

Under the new plan, the CIT certification exam and renewal fee will be $475 for members and $600 for non-members. As part of this upgrade the cost for adding or renewing the MIT designation and accessing the corresponding materials will be reduced to $400 for each program.

Launch Date: April 22, 2019

When I become certified as a CIT when do I gain access to the materials?

Newly certified individuals, or individuals completing a renewal of their certification will gain access to the training materials within 24 hours of obtaining their certification.

Will course materials be available on CDs?

CDs will no longer be used for delivery of course materials. CDs are being replaced with online digital delivery.

How do I download the training materials?

CITs will have a new course added to their IPC EDGE 2.0 dashboard 24 hours after gaining or renewing their CIT certification. The CIT Instructor class will host all available revisions and translations of the instructor materials for download. Each program will have a separate course. Enter the class and select the files you wish to download.  

Will I gain access to the training materials for all programs?

MITs and CITs will only gain access to the training materials you are certified to.

If I am already a CIT when will I gain access to the new materials?

Beginning on April 22nd, any individual obtaining or renewing their CIT certification will be given access to materials within 24 hours. CITs that obtained their initial certification or certification renewal after the IPC EDGE 2.0 launch on August 27, 2018 will be the second group added. We project that this will begin in late April and continue into May. CITs that were certified prior to August 27, 2018 and have not renewed their certification since the launch of IPC EDGE 2.0 will start to be added to the system after the first two groups. This will occur over several weeks, as new batches of already certified CITs are added to the platform.   

How often will new revisions of the materials become available?

The digital distribution of training materials through the IPC EDGE 2.0 platform allows the IPC Training Committees to update materials on an ongoing basis. When materials were distributed via CD, the lead-time for updated materials was significant. With digital distribution, newly revised training materials will become available immediately upon approval by the corresponding IPC Training Committee. Given the frequency of updates, corrections, and the release of revised standards, our expectation is that all programs will undergo at least one revision each calendar year.

How will I know that a new revision of the materials is available?

All MITs and CITs certified in the program will receive a notice on the IPC EDGE 2.0 platform. This information will also be posted on the new IPC Education Blog.

Does a CIT need to pay a separate fee to gain access to each translation or revision?

No. Upon obtaining a CIT Certification, the CIT may download all available translations and revisions for the program to which they are certified. For example, a candidate who earns a CIT 610 Certification, may download the training materials for the latest revision of the 610 standard in all available languages at no additional cost.

If I fail my initial certification exam attempt and my complimentary retest, do I need to pay an additional $475 for retesting?

No. The cost for retesting is not changing and will remain the same for online testing $65 for IPC members and $85 for non-members.

What if I am a CIT, but have no intention of providing training?

IPC is offering a new certification for you, the Certified Standards Expert (CSE) program. This alternative certification is for individuals who do not train others but nonetheless want to obtain a certification from IPC acknowledging their proficiency and skills.

IPC is excited to offer the digital download of training materials and reduction in pricing to the IPC licensed training community. We look forward to implementing these changes and the continual improvement in our processes.

 

                                                           

 

 


Title: IPC Answers Industry’s Call for a New Certification Program

Dear Colleague:

Training & Certification is a key part of IPC’s mission on behalf of the electronics industry. We have been developing and delivering quality certification products for over 40 years and we continue to build on that tradition. In response to the industry’s evolving needs and requests from member companies, IPC has developed an important new certification for individuals called the IPC Certified Standards Expert (CSE). The new program is due for release in the first quarter of 2019 with Beta testing beginning in January 2019.

What is an IPC Certified Standards Expert?

A CSE is an individual who has demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to act as a subject matter expert for a specific IPC standard or group of standards. Unlike a Certified IPC Trainer (CIT) or Master IPC Trainer (MIT), a CSE is not required to conduct training during their two-year certification period.

An IPC Certified Standards Expert:

  • Is the subject matter expert on a specific IPC Standard  
  • Is the Standards Liaison between your organization and industry experts
  • Updates your organization on the latest standards and best practices
  • Provides feedback to IPC Standards Committees  
  • Interfaces with designers and process engineers
  • Judges organizational conflicts and provides expert opinion on IPC standards

A CSE can be certified in one or more of the following IPC Standards:

  • IPC-A-610
  • IPC J-STD-001
  • IPC/WHMA-A-620
  • IPC-A-600
  • IPC-6012
  • IPC-7711/21

How does the CSE certification differ from the IPC Certified IPC Trainer (CIT)?

  • While both a CIT and CSE are required to demonstrate the same level of proficiency in understanding and applying a given IPC standard, there are some differences between the programs:
  • CSEs are not trainers, therefore, CSEs are not required to train IPC Certified Specialists (CIS) as a requirement for certification maintenance.
  • Unlike a CIT, a CSE is not required to complete training prior to sitting for the certification exam.   

CSE candidates must successfully complete the following exams:

  1. Enhanced Policies and Procedures Exam
    • assesses knowledge of IPC P&P document and IPC Essentials program
    • closed book, 30 questions, 1 hour  

  1. General Knowledge Exam
    • assesses knowledge of content and structure common to all IPC standards  
    • closed book, 30 questions, 1 hour

  1. Standard Endorsement Exam
    • assesses knowledge of content and structure of a specific IPC standard
    • open book, 70 questions, 2.5 hours to complete

Other Requirements/Information

  • Certification is valid for two years
  • Exam retakes are possible and explained in the Enhanced Policy and Procedures
  • Candidates are only required to take the Standards Endorsement Exam for certification in additional standards
  • CSE certification candidates are advised, but not required, to take the CSE training program in order to sit for the CSE Certification Exams    

Watch for our upcoming CSE Webinars to learn more about the CSE Certification Program due for release in the first quarter of 2019!

Still have questions, use this link: CSE Explained  

Dear Certification Colleague:

Temporary CIS Updates

As discussed in the training committee meetings and the Hot Topic webinar in October, IPC implemented some temporary measures to address operators enrolled in the CIS program. The CIS program was originally designed for inspectors, supervisors, technicians, and engineers, yet a significant portion of CIS candidates are operators. The Essentials program was not built for the operators. Therefore, IPC is temporarily providing instructors with the ability to bypass the Essentials training, or to decide which sections of the training to review with their students. We believe by granting the instructor the ability to control which content is taught, we can create a better education experience for the student.  

SUGGESTION: In order to provide a better educational experience for these students, instructors will temporarily be able to bypass the Essentials training and decide which sections of the training to review with their students.

As part of these efforts, EP&P exam has been removed from all CIS courses, and the policy and procedures questions that were previously in the EP&P exam, have been moved back into Module 1.  

To provide instructors with more flexibility in their classes, we are also temporarily removing the restrictions on testing optional modules until module 1 is completed successfully. Certifications are still dependent on Module 1 being successfully completed.  

SUGGESTION: We are also temporarily allowing students to complete optional modules before completing module 1. Students must still complete module 1 to receive a certification.

CIS Pricing

Over the last week, we have received some questions about pricing after the temporary relaxation of the Essentials requirement for the CIS program. However, the Essentials program represents only a small part of the costs on which the increase is premised. Over the last several years, we have received feedback from students, instructors, and the industry about areas where future improvement and investment were needed. As such, we have begun to invest in several improvements to Certification and Education, some of which includes:

  • A new flexible and expandable internal platform hosted on AWS
  • A distributed cloud architecture for improved global performance
  • A full time LMS Administrator
  • A psychometrician
  • Multiple additions to the certification customer service team
  • The Job Task Analysis Committee
  • Workforce development programs

As a non-profit designed exclusively to serve the electronics industry, IPC strives to meet the evolving needs of its constituents as efficiently and effectively as possible. Our proudly lean Certification and Education Teams will convert this relatively modest investment in new programs, platforms, and personnel into large improvements in the quality and timeliness of IPC products and services.   

Scheduling Exams

Since the launch of EDGE 2.0, we have received many questions and issues surrounding scheduling exams on the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). As an international organization, IPC chose to utilize UTC as the baseline in our system because it represents the zero point for time zones globally.  

Many instructors travel to different time zones to deliver training. As most PCs are set to the home time zone this creates a time conflict which we resolve by using a single time zone, in this case UTC.  

The current UTC time is always displayed on the EDGE 2.0 home page as well as on the exam scheduling page. This is to aid you in converting the time from your time zone to the UTC time zone. Help and examples lists the different time zones along with how much time should be added to your local time to reach the UTC time.  

Instructors are strongly encouraged to double check the time before the exam begins to make sure the time was scheduled properly. If needed, the time can be edited to make sure the students are not timed out of the exam prematurely. Instructors should also inform their students that when there is 30 minutes or less remining before the close of the test, a time clock will appear. This is the countdown before the close of the test. If the student will not complete the exam before the close time, they should alert the instructor immediately so that the instructor can edit the close time. Once the close time is reached, the exam will close, and the scores will be saved. If the student did not finish the test, they will need to wait for the cool off period (24 hours CIS/30 days CIT) before they can begin the test again.  

Missed Question Review

Training and Certification are independent from one another.

Training Definition: The purpose of training is to ensure students obtain pre-determined knowledge and skills. In training, reviews of any missed questions are vital to a good training program.

Certification Definition: The purpose of certification is to validate the knowledge and skills an individual possesses against a predetermined criterion. In certification, missed questions are not reviewed.  

Trainers should go through the training material, the content of the standards, the hands-on skill building, and any other necessary reviews prior to the CIS or CIT candidate attempting the exam.

During the exam, instructors may not, “help” the candidate in any way. A certification exam is a pass/fail determination of the student’s knowledge, skill, and ability. If the candidate understands the content and the techniques well enough to meet or exceed the measurements as set by the certification committee, that student should pass the exam

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.

The IPC certification team would like to thank you for joining our webinar and we look forward to answering your questions. We encourage you to pass this on to others in your organization who will benefit from this 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.

The IPC certification team would like to thank you for joining our webinar and we look forward to answering your questions. We encourage you to pass this on to others in your organization who will benefit from this 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.    

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. If you have questions about the new system go here or contact certification@ipc.org.   

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:

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.   

We will be sending out another communication toward the middle of August with additional details about the launch. Thank you once again for your continued support as we make improvements to the IPC certification systems.   

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.    

Thank you once again for your continued support as we make improvements to the IPC certification systems. We recognize that the success and growth of our industry relies upon the partnership we have built with you. We look forward to expanding this partnership in the coming year.   

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.   

We will be sending out another communication toward the middle of August with additional details about the launch. Thank you once again for your continued support as we make improvements to the IPC certification systems.   

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.

We are providing this early notification so you have an opportunity to review and understand the coming changes in the Policy and Procedures. IPC looks forward to better serving you as we continue to make improvements throughout the year.   

Dear Certification Colleague:

 

The IPC Certification team is excited to bring you another Hot Topics Webinar. We will cover topics that are critical to your day-to-day use of the Certification Online Portal.  

This Hot Topics webinar is scheduled for June 19, 2017 at 9:00 am Chicago time.

REGISTER NOW

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about how to join the webinar online.

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

  • EDGE 2.0
  • Reset password
  • Updating company/profile info
  • Purchasing Exam Credits online
  • Cost increase  
  • Scheduling of classes
  • Add opt in   

Thank you once again for your continued support as we make improvements to the IPC certification systems. We recognize that the success and growth of our industry relies upon the partnership we have built and hope to expand this partnership with you in this coming year.   

 

Dear Certification Colleague:

 

The IPC Certification team is excited to bring you another Hot Topics Webinar. We will cover topics that are critical to your day-to-day use of the Certification Online Portal.  

This Hot Topics webinar is scheduled for June 19, 2017 at 9:00 am Chicago time.

REGISTER NOW

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about how to join the webinar online.

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

  • EDGE 2.0
  • Reset password
  • Updating company/profile info
  • Purchasing Exam Credits online
  • Cost increase  
  • Scheduling of classes
  • Add opt in   

Thank you once again for your continued support as we make improvements to the IPC certification systems. We recognize that the success and growth of our industry relies upon the partnership we have built and hope to expand this partnership with you in this coming year.   

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.

Dear Colleague:

As valued members of the IPC Training and Certification community, we are reaching out to keep you informed on the key initiatives for 2018. As we have mentioned in the past, IPC wants to keep you informed of the progress we are making with EDGE 2.0 and certification enhancements.   

We continue to beta test the enhancements to the system and have just completed 3 webinars explaining EDGE 2.0. One of the many questions we received from the webinars was, when is the system going to be launched?   

Through the eight weeks of Beta testing we have received positive feedback from users, but we have also received several requests for enhancements and new features. We want to ensure that the system is performing well, and that we provide instructors and students with all the tools needed for a successful transition. Therefore, we expect to launch EDGE 2.0 with certification enhancements in mid to late Q2, 2018.    

IPC will be sending out a specific launch date in the coming weeks. Please keep an eye out for the launch announcement from IPC.   

Thank you once again for your continued support as we make improvements to the IPC certification systems. We recognize that the success and growth of our industry relies upon the partnership we have built and hope to expand this partnership with you in this coming year.   

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.

There were some comments that were in error or were misleading in the communication entitled "Explaining Why CQI Credits Expire" which was distributed November 7, 2017. I wish to reissue that statement below. Thank you for your understanding.

David W. Bergman
  Vice President Standards & Training

Background of CQI Exam Credits

Since launching CQI in 2015, IPC has allowed our customers to purchase exam credits and bank them for future use in the online certification portal (CQI). With those credits our customers can access testing for current and future classes.  The credits are available for your use for up to one year if purchased in 2017, and through year end 2017 if purchased in 2015 or 2016.

Why are CQI exam credits going to expire?

To efficiently and effectively manage, track and account for the credits, IPC is limiting the time for usage to one year, which classifies these credits as a current liability on IPC's books versus some as long-term liabilities if aged beyond one year. This one year window is a best practice in the training industry and we have adopted this best practice.

What changes were made?

Beginning in October 2016 we began communicating to our customers that this change would take place on January 1, 2017. The new policy stated that any CQI Exam credits purchased before January 2017 will expire December 31, 2017. All credits purchased on or after January 1, 2017 will expire one year from the month of purchase.

IPC updated our Terms of Service to provide a statement that unused CQI exam credits would expire 12 months after being applied to an account. In April 2017 we updated, in section 9, the Certification Policies and Procedures to state: Online Exam credits appear as invoices in the certification portal and will be available for one year after purchase date after which point they expire.

What has IPC done?

First, we've updated our terms and Policy and Procedures manual, to reflect this new policy change. Here are the highlights with respect to CQI exam credit expiration:

      
  1. All CQI exam credits, purchased on invoices, on or after January 1, 2017 will expire one year from date of purchase
  2.   
  3. All CQI exam credits, purchased on invoices, before January 1, 2017 will be available for use until December 31, 2017, at which point they will expire
  4.   
  5. Classes must be submitted before CQI exam credits expire
  6.   
  7. There will be no refunds for CQI exam credits after they have expired

Additionally, you can check your exam credit expiration dates by accessing your invoices in the certification online portal (CQI), Also, all credit expiration email notifications from now on will link to our Certification Policy and Procedures manual (Section 9) about credit expiration so our policy is clear to all customers.

If you are not sure when your invoice will expire, follow the directions below to check the purchase date of your invoice.

   

   
      
  1. Logon to https://certification.ipc.org
  2.   
  3. Click View/Edit Class
  4.   
  5. Enter New Class
  6.   
  7. Move down to the invoice field
  8.   
  9. Click the arrow to see the invoices available

We are notifying all of our customers through the certification newsletter and on the front page of the certification online portal with more details about changes in our policy. Our goal is to provide a minimum of 90 days' notice for any expiring credits.

If you have CQI exam credits that are expiring and you would like to utilize them we encourage you to contact the Certification Helpdesk. We want to help with your certification and training needs and provide feedback on our programs and policies.

   
     

IPC Logo

     
     

CQI Performance
      In June 2017, IPC underwent a database migration. Though we tested the new database's interaction with the certification portal thoroughly, CQI has suffered some major performance challenges. We are diligently working on improving the performance of the site daily. We need your feedback so if you are experiencing slowness, please let us know by creating a help desk ticket. Please provide detailed information such as the page URL, and what you were doing when the page began to slow down.

     

Because of our database migration students are required to register themselves in the portal. The new registration form now only captures their name and email. This has impacted the way instructors enrolled students. Anyone who self-registered would result in an error when the instructor tried to enroll that student in the class. Therefore, we removed the registration link so that we can create a new registration form. This registration form is expected to be available in September.

     

Any student who registered themselves by only providing their email and name will need to be modified by the instructor upon new enrollment. If a student does have address and/or company information, the instructor will be prompted to enter the student details. We will demonstrate this at our next Hot Topics Session.

     

Certificates
      Now that certificates can reliably be downloaded from the portal, certificates will no longer be presented to the students once they complete the exam. Since the instructor has the ultimate responsibility in determining if the student has met all the requirements needed for the certification, the certification will only be provided to the instructor. Display of the certificate at the successful completion of the modules will be deactivated Sept. 2017.

     

Exam Results
      To maintain the integrity of IPC Certification, when online exams are completed, students will no longer be provided with all the questions and answers. By the end of Sept 2017, all exams will be updated to only display questions that were answered incorrectly and the incorrect answer that was chose.

     

Policies and Procedures
      The Policies and Procedures document was updated in June. Anyone accessing the portal will need to agree to the new revision of this document.

     

Reminder: CQI Invoice Expiration
      All exams purchased on an invoice on or before December 31, 2016 will expire December 31 2017.

     

All exams purchased on an invoice on or after January 1, 2017 will expire one year from the month of purchase. Exams credit will always expire the last day of the month regardless of the purchase day.

     

Tip:
      It can be time consuming to enter grades then go back to the class details page to select the next student. You can save time if you right click on the student's name and select open in a new window. When you do this, the student's grade page will open in a different window, allowing you to enter the grade, save it, then close the window without leaving the full list of students. Note that after you enter grades, you will need to refresh the class list to see the grades and certificate numbers updated.

     

Coming Soon:
      Announcing the next Hot Topics session.

     

CQI Improvements

     
          
  • Allow entry of workmanship in main page so that you don't have to click on each student name
  •       
  • Bug Fix we are working on to resolve the missing certification in the Company Summary
  •       
  • Bug Fix we are working on to resolve the error that is received on occasion after trying to enroll a student by first and last name
  •      
     
   



   
     
       

IPC Logo

       
       

CERTIFICATION PORTAL PERFORMANCE

       

After completing a major system update IPC has discovered several performance issues with the certification portal. We have been working diligently to resolve the issues. Due to the unusually high volume of help desk tickets, we will respond to them within 48 hours. We appreciate your patience while we work to resolve all system performance issues.

       

We know many of you are experiencing a longer time for pages to load when you are using the portal. We realize the impact of this latency issue and we are currently working to find a way to resolve this performance issue. If you are experiencing other types of performance issues, please contact the IPC Certification Helpdesk immediately.

       

We apologize for the inconvenience these issues are causing and by working together we will resolve these performance issues quickly.

       

REMINDER: PASSWORDS WILL NO LONGER BE EMAILED
        With the system upgrade, IPC is no longer able to email passwords for those who made the request of IPC in the past. This process is now automated so it is critical for everyone who is using the certification process has a valid email address

       

When a student is enrolled in a class, they will receive an enrollment that shows the email they have been registered with and a link that will direct them to the page below.

       
         

         
       

After entering their email address, they will be sent an email with information on how to reset their password. The email will contain a link that must be selected so that they can enter their password in a screen that appears as shown below.

       
         

         
       

After entering their password, they will select Change Password and this will finalize the process and they will be able to sign in to take their exam(s).

       

***IMPORTANT***The emails to reset passwords are generated through our website. Therefore, it is important to "whitelist" the emails so that they are not caught in the spam folder or blocked by your network. Please, inform your IT department to make sure that emails sent from webmaster@ipc.org are accepted.

       

If you train for multiple locations, and your student states that they didn't receive their enrollment email, you can inform them to work with their IT Dept.

       

As an alternative, you can also instruct student to

       
            
  1. Go to https://certification.ipc.org/
  2.         
  3. Click Login
  4.         
  5. Click "Click here if you don't know your password"
  6.        
       

This will give them the same opportunity to change their password as described above.

       

STUDENT REGISTRATION
        Students who are new to IPC will be directed to create their own profile. By doing so, the instructor or administrator enrolling the student can simply enroll them using their email address.

       

The page to create a new customer record has changed. It can still be accessed by clicking "View IPC Profile" in the top right hand corner of the portal. By selecting "View IPC Portal", the screen below is shown. They should follow the instructions on the right side of the screen that states "New Customer".

       
         

         
       

POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
        The
IPC Policies and Procedures has been updated to Revision 6.

       

Deployed on June 5, 2017, the new revision includes clarifications, editorial changes, and updates to some of the policies.

       

All changes are noted in the last section of the Policies and Procedures document, "Revision Tracking".

       

For the latest revision of the IPC Policies and Procedures document, please use the link on the certification portal, from the instructor support pages, or here.

       

MITs and CITs can also download the latest training module for P&P training in certification courses. Navigate to the instructor support page and select the IPC certification course you will be presenting. You can then scroll to the, "Updates to Training Materials for Policy & Procedures" section and download the ZIP file for the MIT to train CIT or for the CIT to train CIS.

       

IPC ESSENTIALS
        The IPC Essentials course in now available in over 11 different languages.   Please go to
IPC EDGEto access the course in your preferred language.  Please note, all MIT/CITs should have received a communication indicating when their language became available.  If you have any questions about compliance deadlines, please contact the IPC Certification Helpdesk.   Trainers who do not complete the Essentials course by the deadline will be permitted to schedule classes in CQI after they successfully complete IPC Essentials.  Please Note:  The deadline for IPC Essentials compliance for Chinese is July 31st.

       

NEXT HOT TOPICS WEBINAR: JUNE 22ND AT 10:00 am CT
        The next Hot Topics Session is scheduled for Thursday, June 22nd at 10:00 am CT.
Register Nowfor the webinar.

       
     
   

   
     

IPC Logo

     
     

Dear IPC Colleague

     

IPC Certification Portal Will Be Affected by the System Upgrade

     

IPC will be undergoing a system upgrade from May 26, 2017 through June 1, 2017.
      This upgrade will cause some disruption in service for the IPC Certification Portal.  
      If you have classes scheduled on the dates listed below, we are asking if you would reschedule the class to avoid any disruption in service during the system upgrade.

     
          
  • Friday, May 26th
  •       
  • Saturday, May 27th
  •       
  • Sunday, May 28th
  •       
  • Monday, May 29th
  •       
  • Tuesday, May 30th
  •       
  • Wednesday, June 1st
  •      
     

            If you are unable to reschedule you will still have the option to do online print at the $35-dollar rate. Any online class already scheduled, with any of the dates listed above, will need to be changed to online print  by the instructor . If you schedule an online class during these dates you will automatically be put into the online print with the special rate of $35. You will enter grades and retrieve certificates after June 1st. You will not be allowed to update records in the CQI portal, from May 26 through June 1, 2017.

      Exams must be printed by May 25th no exceptions. The portal will be OFFLINE during the transition.

      Please finalize all changes by May 25th.  Select
MORE DETAILS  for online print

      If you have any questions and/or concerns, please feel free to contact IPC Certification (certification@ipc.org) directly.

     

Best regards,

     

Ayana Signature

     

Ayana Nickerson
      Sr. Director, Certification and Training
      IPC, Inc.

     
   

Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on Other Social NetworksSocial Network
 
or
  Forward to a Friend...

This e-mail is from IPC - 3000 Lakeside Dr, Bannockburn, IL 60015. To ensure you receive future e-mails, please add ipcmail@ipc.org to your address book or safe-sender list. If you wish to be removed from furtherIPC Technical Department notifications, unsubscribe.
 
  Note: After opting-out, you may receive e-mails that you have specifically requested from IPC. For example, if you make a purchase online, you will receive a transactional e-mail confirming your purchase. Opting out of all e-mails may jeopardize committee participation.
 
  Please DO NOT REPLY back to this message as the mailbox is not monitored and no one will see your reply.

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


   
     

IPC Logo

     
     

CQI Exam Credit Expiration: Clarification

We have received questions regarding last month's announcement surrounding the expiration of purchased CQI exam credits.

  • All CQI exam credits, purchased on invoices, on or after January 1, 2017 will expire one year from date of purchase
  • All CQI exam credits, purchased on invoices, before January 1, 2017 will be available for use until Dec. 31 2017, at which point they will expire
  • Classes must be submitted before CQI exam credits expire
  • There will be no refunds for CQI exam credits after they have expired

Upcoming Certification Requirement Deadline: May 1st

For MITs and CITs who's second language is English are required to complete IPC Essentials in their native language by May 1st. The translated languages of IPC Essentials will be available in IPC EDGE starting on April 1st. If the translated IPC Essentials course is not completed by May 1st you will not be able to schedule any future classes in the CQI portal.

Program updates:


IPC has released IPC-7711/21C training and certification kit. This kit revision brings the training up to date with the new guideline document. The training includes videos, animations, and an instructor guide in the Notes Section of the PowerPoint slides. More information about the course including the instructor support content can be found on the IPC website or use this link: IPC-7711/21C Training  

IPC has released IPC/WHMA-A-620C training and certification kit. This kit revision brings the training up to date with the new IPC/WHMA-A-620C standard. A brand new, optional but certified hands-on training module for CITs is available. The CIT can take an 8-hour course to be authorized to deliver the modular training to the CIS. More information about the course including the instructor support content can be found on the IPC website or this link:  IPCWHMA-A-620C Training

Training kits for the IPC-7711C/7721C and the IPC/WHMA-A-620C can be purchased by contacting IPC Customer Support and Member Service through email (orderIPC@ipc.org) or by calling 847-597-2862.

Policies and Procedures PowerPoint Slides:


The PowerPoint slides for the updated Policies and Procedure 5.1 are available for download. Please use the following for additional information.

Helpful Tips:

Certificate Name:


Review the certificate name before submitting your class. If you need to update the student's name, click edit for that student and update the name with the appropriate changes. Clicking on the student's certificate number will generate the new certificate for that student.

Class start and end dates
: When scheduling classes, do not schedule classes for the same course with the same start and end date. The start and end dates are used to differentiate the classes when signing in to take the online exam.


IPC Emails: IPC makes every effort to ensure that everyone is included in IPC communications. If you are not receiving our newsletters, please make sure that the ipc.org exchange is white listed within your organization.

Hot Topics Webinar—The Next Hot Topics Webinar is scheduled for April 13, 2017. REGISTER NOW Webinar Details will be sent by separate email.

 



   
     

IPC Logo

     
     

IPC Certification Updates

     

New Policy: CQI Invoice Expiration
     
      In section 9 of the Certification Policies and Procedures,  invoices will now expire one year from date of purchase. This policy went into effect as of January 1, 2017. Any invoice purchased on or after this date will expire one year from the purchase date. There will be no refund if funds are not used by the expiration date.
     
      All account holders will be notified prior to the expiration date.
     
      Please note, if you have a class scheduled against an invoice that is due to expire, it must be submitted, prior to the invoice expiration date.
     
      Exam Retests /Auto Submission of Classes.

     
      Each student is allowed to take one free retest if the student does not successfully pass the first exam. If the student does not pass the retest exam, a new class will need to be scheduled and a $10 charge will be assessed for new each exam.
     
      As noted in previous notifications new exam pricing structure became effective January 2017.  The purpose of the change is to allow our customers that choose optional modules to add them to their certification anytime within the two-year certification period for no additional cost. By implementing this change, it is no longer necessary for classes to be scheduled out more than two months at a time. If you have a class that will exceed the two-month time frame schedule you can now schedule the optional modules in a separate class. Please remember, classes should be submitted within one weeks of completion. Classes that are more than 30 days past the end date will be auto-submitted and all charges will be final. If circumstances prohibit you from submitting the class by the end date, edit the class and change the end date accordingly.
     
      IPC Essentials Language Translations

     
      IPC will release IPC Essentials in 15 different languages.  The translated course will be available April 1, 2017.  All ESL (English as a second language) MITs and CITs will have until May 1, 2017 to complete the IPC Essentials course.
     
      New: Billing Category
     
      Effective January 2017 the pricing structure was changed and we added an additional field titled Billing Category. The billing category has two options--Initial and Retest. TheInitial category is the default and should be used for the first attempt of taking a test. If a student fails the first test and the free retest, a new class must be scheduled. When setting up this new class the Retest category should be selected from the billing category.
     
      Online Print Waivers

     
      Online print waivers are no longer required to be submitted. Thus, the waiver form has been removed from the certification portal.
     
      While we encourage the use of online exams we recognize that this is not always possible and have decided to allow unlimited use of the online print. Making the exams available in a printable format involves additional development and maintenance for IPC, therefore, the fee for online print was increased to $50 per student.

     
   

IPC Essentials Update on Language Translations for ESL

As you are aware, on November 1, 2016, IPC Essentials, a required course for all MITs and CITs, was introduced in the IPC EDGE online education portal. In order for current MITs and CITs to maintain certification privileges and status, the IPC Essentials course is to be completed by February 1, 2017.  All future CIT's and MIT's are required to successfully complete the course during their certification training.
 
  IPC has recognized the need to provide IPC Essentials in additional languages to accommodate those individuals who are unable to speak or read English.
 
  We are currently working on translations including Spanish, German, French and Chinese. The IPC Essentials course in those four languages is expected to be available by April 1, 2017. You will be notified by email when the IPC Essentials translated versions are available.
 
  Therefore, if you need to take the course in one of these four languages and have not previously taken your CIT exam in English, the mandatory date for completion of IPC Essentials will be extended from February 1, 2017 to May 1, 2017. 
 
  If you have questions or concerns related to language translations, please create a help desk ticket or email ipcedge@ipc.org 
  
  Thank you for your continued support in providing the highest level of training and certification to the electronics industry.

IPC Logo

CQI Price Restructuring
 
  Online Certification Exams:  Effective January 1, 2017, a flat fee of $35.00 will be charged for all online certification exams. The fee includes any and all exams that will result in a certificate.  All mandatory and optional modules are included and can be taken anytime within the 2-year certification cycle. As part of the flat fee, students will be entitled to one free exam retake if they fail on the first try.  Once the free exam retake is used, an additional charge of $10 is applied for each retake.
 
  Online Print Exams
: Due to increased cost of programing and maintenance of the online print exam program, effective January 1, 2017, the online print exam charge will be $50 per student. Students will still be entitled to one free exam retake. Once the free exam retake is used, an additional charge of $10 is applied for each retake. All optional modules are included and can be taken anytime within the 2-year certification cycle.
 
  IPC Essentials

 
  All CITs and MITs are required to complete the IPC Essentials Course in IPC EDGE. The course must be completed by February 1, 2017. Any instructor who does not complete the course by this deadline will be prohibited from scheduling classes in CQI after the deadline. Once the course is completed and passed, you will be able to schedule classes.
 
  The cost for the course is $95 for non-members and $75 for members.
 
  Please NOTE: You are able to use the same login credentials for both the Certification Portal and IPC Edge.
 
  New Policy: CQI Expiration of Invoices
 
  As stated in the lasts version of the IPC Policies and Procedures, CQI invoices will expire one year after purchase. This change will become effective as of February 1, 2017. Please keep this update in mind as you place your orders for CQI Exams.
 
  Please NOTE: Any invoice ordered prior to February 1, 2017 will be valid until the funds are completely used.

   
      IPC LogoIPC Logo      IPC LogoIPC Logo
     

IPC Certification Exam Pricing Change

     

At IPC, we are investing in and continually looking for ways to improve the certification portal and our processes. We are sending this communication to you regarding pricing for 2017.

     

On Line Certification Exams:  Effective January 1, 2017, a fee of $35.00 will be charged for all online certification exams. The fee includes any and all exams that will result in a certificate.  All mandatory and optional modules are included and can be taken anytime within the 2-year certification cycle. As part of this program students will be entitled to one free exam retake if they fail on the first try.  Additional exam retakes will be charged at $10 each.

     

On Line Print Exams: Due to increased cost of programing and maintenance of the online print exam program, effective January 1, 2017, the online print exam charge will be $50 per student. As part of this program as well, students will be entitled to one free exam retake. Additional exam retakes will be charged at $10 each. All optional modules are included and can be taken anytime within the 2-year certification cycle.

     

We want to thank you for your participation in the IPC certification programs. We will continue to improve the IPC certification programs as well as delivering new certification products.

     

Thank you from the IPC Certification Team

     
   

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.

IPC Logo

IPC EDGE

  • Certificates offered in IPC Edge IPC Edge provides both a printable certificate for the learner and an additional PDF certificate for employee training records. 
  • As an operator-level credential, certificates demonstrate completion of the online IPC Edge course.  
  • The certificate does NOT qualify instructors or students to teach or interpret IPC standards, or assure proficiency in the physical skills required to create products to the requirement of IPC standards

Certification Portal

Downloads:
Certificates and Online Print Tests can now be downloaded and will no longer be emailed. You have the option to download the test and certificates on a student by student basis or for the whole class at once.  Please note, the download button only appears within the start and end dates of the exam. If you do not see the button, you can edit the class date to make the button visible.

Student Enrollment:
If a student does not show up to a class, instructors should not have someone else take the test in that student's name. The student should be deleted and the new student should be enrolled. Failure to follow this process will result in additional cost.

Tips!
Trainers – Don't forget to check the expiration date of the student's previous certificate when conducting a recertification. If the student is recertifying within 90 days before or 90 days after the last expiration date, the new certificate expires 24 months from the original certificate expiration date.

Lost certificate -. If you need a new, printed copy of your lost certificate, please contact the CIT or MIT who conducted your class. Your instructor should be able to retrieve an e-copy of the certificate.

As a reminder: the next Certification Portal QA session will be held on Tuesday, September 20th at 10:00am CT. The meeting information for this session is below. QA sessions are now held on the third Tuesday of every month.

  1. Please join my meeting.
    https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/110347429
  2. Use your microphone and speakers (VoIP) - a headset is recommended.  Or, call in using your telephone.
  3. The GoTo meetings will be every 3rd Tuesday of each month.

United States: +1 (312) 757-3117
Australia: +61 2 8355 1039
Austria: +43 7 2088 1033
Belgium: +32 (0) 28 93 7001
Canada: +1 (647) 497-9379
Denmark: +45 69 91 89 21
Finland: +358 (0) 923 17 0555
France: +33 (0) 170 950 585
Germany: +49 (0) 692 5736 7208
Ireland: +353 (0) 19 030 050
Italy: +39 0 693 38 75 50
Netherlands: +31 (0) 208 080 208
New Zealand: +64 9 925 0481
Norway: +47 21 54 82 21
Spain: +34 911 82 9890
Sweden: +46 (0) 853 527 817
Switzerland: +41 (0) 435 0167 65
United Kingdom: +44 (0) 330 221 0099
Access Code: 110-347-429
Audio PIN: Shown after joining the meeting
Meeting ID: 110-347-429
GoToMeeting®
Online Meetings Made Easy®


   
     

IPC Logo

     
     

Certification Portal Issues and Answers

     

     

A4 Certificates

     

IPC is now offering the A4 certificates for all languages except for the English and Spanish languages.

     

Old Pending Classes

     

If you have pending classes over 6 months old, please submit the class or delete them. If for any reason you are unable to delete the class, please create a help desk ticket so that a certification team member can assist you.

     

Tips!

     

Workmanship for J-STD-001:

     

When submitting a class, please mark the workmanship portion as Passed/Failed and then you can submit.   

     
          
  1. Click on the name of student
  2.       
  3. Click the pencil to the left of the module
  4.       
  5. Select Passed/Failed from Workmanship drop down menu
  6.       
  7. Click the check mark to save your changes. CIT extension procedure:
  8.      
     

Need an Extension Request

     
          
  1. Log on to the IPC Certification portal at http://certification.ipc.org
  2.       
  3. Enter your email and password.
  4.       
  5. Once you are logged in click My Certification Summary
  6.       
  7. Click on the Request Extension link located in the date column
  8.      
     

Once you click on the request extension link, the website will be updated with an asterisk by your expire date to indicate the extension has been granted and you will receive an auto-generated extension notification via email.

     

*Please note, as long as you are recertifying within 90 days prior to or 90 days after your recertification date the extension link will be available.

     

Q&A session schedule change

     

The IPC Certification Team has decided to reduce the recurring weekly Q&A session to once a month due to low participation.  We plan to continue our weekly calls as scheduled through August of 2016 and will do our first monthly call on Tuesday beginning on August 16th at 10:00am Central Standard Time.

     

In these scheduled Q&A sessions, the IPC staff will answer any question about the Certification Portal, and if required, guide you through the use of the Certification Portal. The information below is for the Q & A sessions.

     

Recurring Q&A Session

     

Tuesdays – 10:00 am CST

     

Join the meeting: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/110347429

     

Use your microphone and speakers (VoIP) - a headset is recommended. 

     

Or, call in using your telephone.

     

United States: +1 (312) 757-3117
      Australia: +61 2 8355 1039
      Austria: +43 7 2088 1033
      Belgium: +32 (0) 28 93 7001
      Canada: +1 (647) 497-9379
      Denmark: +45 69 91 89 21
      Finland: +358 (0) 923 17 0555
      France: +33 (0) 170 950 585
      Germany: +49 (0) 692 5736 7208
      Ireland: +353 (0) 19 030 050
      Italy: +39 0 693 38 75 50
      Netherlands: +31 (0) 208 080 208
      New Zealand: +64 9 925 0481
      Norway: +47 21 54 82 21
      Spain: +34 911 82 9890
      Sweden: +46 (0) 853 527 817
      Switzerland: +41 (0) 435 0167 65
      United Kingdom: +44 (0) 330 221 0099

     

Access Code: 110-347-429
      Audio PIN: Shown after joining the meeting

     

Meeting ID: 110-347-429

     

GoToMeeting®
      Online Meetings Made Easy®

     
   

IPC Logo

Certification Portal Hot Topics Webinar Series:

The IPC Certification team is excited to bring you another monthly Hot Topics Webinar. The first Hot Topics Webinar was very successful and we will continue to cover specific topics of interest on the certification portal each month.

The hot topic webinar will be Thursday, June 2, 2016 at 12:00 pm CDT zone. Topics to be discussed are:

      
  • Online Print
  •   
  • Improvements to the portal
  •   
         
    • Updating a Student's Name
    •    
    • Entering Workmanship
    •    
    • Printing Certificates
    •   
      
  • Updating student contact details
  •   
  • Updating/Correcting CIS Expiration Dates
  •   
  • Help Resources

Register Now for the Webinar
  Webinar ID: 146-478-179

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about how to join the webinar online.

The IPC certification team would like to thank you for joining our webinar and we look forward to answering your questions. We encourage you to pass this on to others in your organization who will benefit from this webinar.

Training & Certification
Certification Portal ISSUES and ANSWERS

April, 2016

At IPC, we continue to identify system issues and make continual improvements
to the IPC Certification Portal.  As this program evolves, we will work
hand-in-hand with you to achieve maximum success. Please look for this
Newsletter in the certification portal in the task bar “CQI News”, we will
be providing updated information on a continuous basis.

Did you know ...

There are multiple ways to contact the IPC Certification Group? 


  1. IPC Helpdesk
    Contact the IPC Helpdesk
    Please contact us for Certification Portal
    and/or Online Testing related questions and/or issues.
  2. IPC Certification Hotline: +1-847-597-2982
    Please
    contact our hotline for all urgent requests.
  3. IPC General Inquiries: certification@ipc.org
    Please contact us via email for all
    general IPC certification & training related inquires.

There is a simple way to update a student’s email
address

You can update your student’s email right in your class. It
is simple and easy to do. You won’t have to contact us or have to submit a help
desk ticket.
To update the email address:


  1.  Click on the pencil to the right of the student’s name
  2. Update the email address
  3. Click the check mark to save your changes

Paper Certificates No Longer Accepted
As of May
1, 2016
, IPC will no longer exchange paper certificates for credit in
the Certification Portal. If you still have paper certificates and would like a
credit issued, IPC must receive them by April 30, 2016. No
Credits or refunds will be offered after May 1, 2016.

Policy and Procedure Reminder
As a reminder, it is a
violation of policy for anyone other than a currently certified CIT or MIT to be
in possession of training materials. This includes, but is it not limited to,
Instructor Guides. The training material should only be used to deliver training
that will lead to an official IPC certificate. Please review the Policies and Procedures and feel free to contact us with any
questions. 

Have a question? We want the IPC Online Certification Portal
to meet all of your needs.
In order to achieve this, IPC has regularly
scheduled Q & A sessions. These sessions take place on Tuesdays at 10:00 am
Central Time. IPC staff will answer any question about the Certification Portal,
and if required, guide you through the use of the Certification Portal. The
information below is for the Q & A sessions.

Recurring Q&A Session
Every Tuesday — 10:00 am CST

1. Please join my meeting.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/347753245

2. Use your microphone and speakers (VoIP) — a headset is recommended. Or,
call in using your telephone.

United States: +1 (312) 757-3119
Australia:
+61
2 9091 7603

Austria:
+43
7 2088 0716

Belgium:
+32
(0) 28 08 4372

Canada:
+1
(647) 497-9380

Denmark:
+45
69 91 84 58

Finland:
+358 (0) 931 58 1773
France:
+33
(0) 170 950 590

Germany:
+49
(0) 692 5736 7300

IPC Logo

Certification Portal Hot Topics Webinar Series:

The IPC Certification team is introducing a monthly Hot Topics Webinar series.

The webinars will cover specific topics certification portal each month.

The first hot topic webinar will be Thursday, April 28th at 12:00pm CT. Topics to be discussed are:

      
  • How to schedule a class
  •   
  • How to retrieve your password/student password
  •   
  • How to get Certificates
  •   
  • Troubleshooting Online Exam – Internet Connection

Register Now for the Webinar
  Webinar ID: 127-809-563

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about how to join the webinar online.

The IPC certification team would like to thank you for joining our webinar and we look forward to answering your questions.

We encourage you to pass this on to others in your organization who will benefit from this webinar.

IPC has updated the IPC/WHMA-A-620 and IPC - A-610 Training files. The changes made are for both CIS and CIT training programs.

As the instructor, you will need to replace the existing slides with the slides provided in the link below. To assist you with this, each link also includes a “How to” PowerPoint. Please be sure to follow these instruction carefully. It is important to note that the process for CIT courses is different from CIS courses.

The exam questions affected by the amendment have been modified so that they do not conflict with either the base document or the amended training

If you have any questions related to these changes, please visit the Certification Help Desk and select Training Material Questions

IPC/WHMA-A-620 wam 1

To train CIT

To train CIS

IPC-A-610 wam 1

To train CIT

To train CIS

March, 2016

We at IPC continue to identify system issues and make continual improvements to the IPC Certification Portal. As this program evolves, we will work hand-in-hand with you to achieve maximum success.

Certificates

Now that we have certificates being emailed consistently, certificates will no longer be displayed to the students as they complete their online exams. Instructors will only receive the certificates via email once the class has been completed. We will begin removing the certificates from the online exam one week from this notification date.

When adding new student, please note that their name will be printed on their certificate exactly as it is typed. Please use proper case when entering your student's information.

Translations

IPC has made a number of exams available for online testing in different languages. In some cases, we have the translated exam, but do not have translated training material available. The list below contains current exams available for online testing that will not have translated materials available. This means your student can test in the language that they are comfortable, but you as the instructor will not have training materials in that same language.

Danish 600H CIS

Danish 7711/21B CIS

Danish 620B CIT

Danish 620B CIS

Danish 7711/21B CIT

Estonian 620B CIS

Estonian 620B CIT

Estonian 610E CIS

Estonian 610E CIT

Korean 610F CIT

Korean 610F CIS

Korean J001F CIT

Korean J001F CIS

Romanian 7711/21B CIT

Romanian 610E CIT

Romanian 610F CIT

Romanian J001F CIT

Romanian J001F CIS

Romanian J001E CIT

Thai 610E CIS

Thai J001E CIS

Vietnamese 610E CIS

Vietnamese J001E CIS

 

CQI Q&A Sessions and Demos

The last full demo of the Certification portal was offered on Wednesday, February 24th. Full demos will not be offered live by IPC after this date. Demos of the portal will be posted under the Help tab for anyone who is interested.

The question and answer sessions will be reduced to once a week. These will be offered every Tuesday. Interested parties can use the call information at the bottom of this email to join the call.

New students

IPC has noticed an increase in duplicate records in our database. It is the trainer's responsibility to check to see if the student already exists in the IPC database before adding them as a new student or having them create a new profile.

You have two options to see if a student exists on the Add Student page:

  1. Look the student up by last name first name
    1. If you see the student's record, click on their name to add them to your class
      1. If changes are needed to the student's record, you can note the needed changes in the "Student Comment Box: or create a help desk ticket
  2. Look the student up by email
    1. The ability to lookup a student by email is a feature that was added to the portal in December. It is located at the bottom of the Add Student page.

IPC Certifications Counts by company

IPC Certification counts by company is offered on IPC's main site. This look up provides the ability to see how many certified employees a company has by program. New records added to the Certification portal will not display until their record has been added to the company by an IPC staff member. Due to the large volume of records, this may take several months to display. We are currently working on the back log and have a process in place to decrease the amount of time it takes to display these records going forward.

Have a question? We want CQI to meet all of your needs. In order to achieve this, IPC has regularly scheduled Q & A sessions. These sessions take place every Tuesdays at 10:00 am Central Time. IPC staff will answer any question about CQI, and if required, guide you through the use of the Certification Portal. The information below is for the Q & A sessions.

Recurring Q&A Session

Every Tuesday – 10:00 am CST

1. Please join my meeting.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/347753245

2. Use your microphone and speakers (VoIP) - a headset is recommended. Or, call in using your telephone.

United States: +1 (312) 757-3119
Australia: +61 2 9091 7603
Austria: +43 7 2088 0716
Belgium: +32 (0) 28 08 4372
Canada: +1 (647) 497-9380
Denmark: +45 69 91 84 58
Finland: +358 (0) 931 58 1773
France: +33 (0) 170 950 590
Germany: +49 (0) 692 5736 7300
Ireland: +353 (0) 15 360 756
Italy: +39 0 699 26 68 65
Netherlands: +31 (0) 208 080 759
New Zealand: +64 9 974 9579
Norway: +47 21 04 30 59
Spain: +34 931 76 1534
Sweden: +46 (0) 852 500 691
Switzerland: +41 (0) 435 0026 89
United Kingdom: +44 (0) 20 3713 5011

Access Code: 347-753-245
Audio PIN: Shown after joining the meeting

Meeting ID: 347-753-245

Thank you for your ongoing support.

IPC Training and Certification Team