1. ISA Certified Automation Professional® (CAP®) Program

2. Why a Certification Program?
Benefits Employers
Ensures a high level of skill and competency
Promotes safe practices
Serves as an objective third-party tool to bring employees to the same level of accountability
Qualification tool for new hires and contractors
Way to establish a pay for performance system
Let’s first answer the question – What’s the Value of a Certification Program to both individuals and industry?
Certification programs provide benefits to the employer and to the individual.
A certification program provides a mechanism for an employer to ensure a high level of skill and competency of employees and set a standard level of knowledge and skill for employees. Highly skilled employees help ensure that proper safety practices are used in a facility, protecting the workplace and public safety.
As you all know, more and more outsourcing of engineering functions has occurred in recent years. A certification program provides a standard tool to qualify new hires and contractors and can be used by industry to establish a pay for performance system.
Certification will have a tremendous impact on the entire industry in the years to come, because as competition for market share increases, so does demand for proven, qualified employees.

3. Why a Certification Program?
Benefits Individuals
Establishes a professional identity
Provides documentation and recognition of knowledge, experience and education
Opportunities for promotion, pay increases, job portability
Encourages life long learning and professional development
Certification programs also provide benefits to the individual by establishing a professional identity and providing documentation of the individuals knowledge, experience and education to current and prospective employers.
A recent survey done by NSPE, the National Society for Professional Engineers, confirmed that the more education and certifications that engineers have, the higher their annual income is. So certification provides the individual a greater opportunity for promotion, pay increases, and job portability.
Most individuals study and prepare for certification exams and renewals. So, certification programs encourage life long learning and professional development.

4. CAP Definition
Certified Automation Professionals (CAPs) are responsible for the direction, definition, design, development/application, deployment, documentation, and support of systems, software, and equipment used in control systems, manufacturing information systems, systems integration, and operational consulting.
The first thing that the team of subject matter experts who worked with ISA on developing the CAP program had to do was to define what automation is and what the automation professional does and then the critical job skills needed to be proficient.
CAPs are responsible for direction, definition, design, development/application, deployment, documentation, and support of systems, software, and equipment used in control systems, manufacturing information systems, systems integration, and operational consulting.
The CAP program covers the entire field of automation for all industries, not just instrumentation in the process industries.
The certification will be available and valuable to automation professionals worldwide.

5. About the CAP Program Developed in 2004 by automation professionals
Eligibility requirements
5 years experience, 4 year technical degree OR
10 years experience, with 2 years in position of responsible charge
Pass multiple-choice exam
Exam now available electronically or private offerings
Electronic testing through Prometric network of testing centers
Renewal required every 3 years
The CAP program was developed in During the development phase, ISA worked with leading subject matter experts to define the key job tasks and skills of the automation professional. A national survey of automation professionals was completed to validate key job tasks that automation professionals perform. A test item development committee developed questions for the identified job tasks and a test assembly committee selected questions for the exam based on the results of the national survey.
The applicant eligibility requirements for the automation certification are:
Education/Experience-A combination of
Four year technical degree – this degree can be in engineering, or an engineering technology, math, computer science, physics, or other technical areas
AND
Five years of professional experience in automation OR
There will be an introductory period for the first two years of the certification program, where applicants who have at least 10 years experience in automation but do not have a four year degree will be eligible to apply to the program. They must show evidence of being in a position of responsible charge for 2 of their 10 years of experience
Knowledge
Passing a comprehensive exam that covers key areas of automation
CAPs will need to renew their certification every 3 years

6. Market Support
78% believed certification would enhance recognition and respect of the automation field
72% reported that a certification would be valuable to them
68% thought certification would increase their competitive edge in the market
72% said they expect to seek certification
A survey of potential applicants for the certification program was conducted in May Almost 2,000 survey responses were received with the following results
78% believed certification would enhance recognition and respect of the automation field
72% reported that a certification would be valuable to them
68% thought certification would increase their competitive edge in the market
72% said they expect to seek certification
Market support and interest continues to be high.

7. CAP Performance Domains
Feasibility Study
Definition
System Design
Development
Deployment
Operation and Maintenance
There are six key job performance domains that CAPs will be tested on. The domains are listed on the slide. The Certified Automation Professional must demonstrate knowledge and skills in
Feasibility Study – identify, scope and justify the automation project
Definition – identify customer requirements and do high level analysis of the best way to meet those requirements
System Design – do the complete conceptual design of the control and information systems including hardware and software specifications
Development – software development and coding
Deployment – field installation, checkout and startup of the systems
Operation and Maintenance – long term support of the system

8. CAP Technical Categories
Basic Continuous Control
Discrete, Sequencing, and Manufacturing Control
Advanced Control
Reliability, Safety, and Electrical
Integration and Software
Deployment & Maintenance
Work Structure
Various automation technologies are covered in the six performance domains. This slide lists the CAP technical categories that the exam covers.
They are:
Basic Continuous Control – process and continuous control, analytical instrumentation, control valves, control system documentation
Discrete, Sequencing, and Manufacturing Control – discrete input and output devices, discrete and sequencing control, motor and drive control, motion control
Advanced Control – process modeling, advanced process control, batch control, environmental, building automation
Reliability, Safety, and Electrical – alarm management, reliability, process safety, electrical installations, electrical safety
Integration and Software – digital communications, industrial networks, MES integration, network security, operator interface, data management, software
Deployment & Maintenance – operator training, digital system testing, commissioning, and software management, checkout and startup of field equipment, troubleshooting, maintenance
Work Structure – automation benefits and project justification, project management, interpersonal skills

9. How Can I Prepare for CAP Exam?
List of Resources on
A Guide to the Automation Book of Knowledge
CAP Review Course
CAP Study Guide
CAP Learning System – Self-directed or Instructor-assisted options
Since the CAP program covers a broad range of automation technologies, most professionals will need to spend some time preparing for the exam.
You can visit the ISA website to find a list of possible books and resources to study. ISA has several resources that can help with your preparation. ISA recently published a new book, A Guide to the Automation Body of Knowledge. This book provides broad coverage of the key technical categories tested in the CAP program. A three day instructor-led review course, and a study guide with sample questions are also available. And now available --- the CAP Learning System which is an interactive program with 500 online practice questions accompanied by text modules.

10. How Do I Apply?
Apply online or download an application from
Complete and return the application to ISA
You will be notified of your eligibility to take the exam
Schedule your exam at a Prometric test center near you
To apply for the CAP exam:
-Download an application from
-Complete and return the application to ISA
-ISA will be notify you of your eligibility to take the exam
-New in 2006, the CAP exam is available through the Prometrics testing network. Over 250 test centers worldwide offer the CAP exam. Once your application is approved for CAP, you are given a registration code that allows you to go online and schedule a test date at a Prometrics test site near you.

11. ISA Certification Programs
CSE Licensure
CAP
CCST
Available U.S. Only X
Available Globally
Focus on Process Control
Focus on Automation
Focus on Maintenance
Engineering License
Work Experience Required
Engineering Degree Required
Varies by State
4 Yr Technical Degree Required X*
No Degree Required
As many of you know, ISA currently offers a certification program for control systems technicians, the Certified Control Systems Technician Program (CCST). ISA also supports the development of the Control Systems Engineer (CSE) license exam and most recently added the Certified Automation Professional (CAP) and the Certified Industrial Maintenance Mechanic (CIMM) program. Each of these programs address a different audience and market.
The Certified Control Systems Technician program is a certification program for control systems technicians. It is not required that CCST applicants hold an educational degree and most applicants to the program work in a process industry.
The Control Systems Engineer license is offered through state engineering boards and is a legal license to practice engineering. This engineering license can only be granted by a state engineering board. The degree requirements to sit for the CSE vary by state. Some states require an engineering degree and others do not. Again, the focus is on process control and most of the applicants work in process industries.
CAP is a certification, not a legal license to practice engineering. CAP is available globally and focuses not only process control but discrete control, motion control, drive control, systems integration, etc. While CAPs require a 4 year technical degree (except for the initial two years of the program) it must be a technical degree but does not have to be an engineering degree.
CIMM is a certification for maintenance mechanics who perform work that is primarily mechanical in nature such as corrective, preventive and predictive maintenance. CIMMs are not required to have a degree. They must have a combination of 5 years work and education experience to be eligible to sit for the certification exam (a minimum of 3 of the 5 years must be work experience as a maintenance mechanic).
*Without 4 Yr Technical Degree 10 years of Automation experience is required

12. For More Information Certified Automation Professional® (CAP®)
Online:
Phone:
For more detailed information on the CAP program, the ISA website has detailed information or you can ISA.