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| Brian and Kathy Lawrence meet with
Professor Wen Xun Zhang (far right), IEEE EMC Nanjing Chapter
Chair, during his recent visit to Cambridge University. |
There is no doubt that certification of your
proficiency in specific technologies can be of significant value
in boosting your career and exposing you to more opportunities.
However, it is very important when considering this step that
you understand the commitment you will need to make and that you
investigate the relative values of the different certification
options that exist today.
Certain industries present a confusing range of certification
options. The IT sector is one example where hundreds of certification
programs exist for software, hardware, for general computing knowledge
and for very specific systems competency.
Here also the major industry suppliers offer many network and
system specific certification programs. As a result, certification
in this sector may in fact limit your future options. The advice
in these circumstances is to know where you want to go and be
prepared to regularly update your certification credentials.
Fortunately, the EMC community is not such a confusing arena.
Far fewer certification options exist and, generally speaking,
the technology is less dynamic. Certainly new products are coming
on line, platforms are changing and becoming more complex, and
the standards are adapting to recognise these changes. However,
the basic EMC science, design and measurement principles remain
valid.
Given these circumstances, is certification important for you
as an EMC technologist?
Yes it is, but not as a stand-alone qualification. It is essential
that before considering certification, you have a solid education
background applicable to the discipline, together with appropriate
work experience. At that point, certification can be the extra
credential that will separate you from the competition as your
career develops.
Consider a situation where you are happy with your employment,
have no intention to enter the job market, yet you need to be
recognised at review time and see that there are advancement opportunities
for you. Certification could be the answer, whether you pursue
it independently or suggest that your company sponsor you, it
will set you aside as a dedicated individual with an eye to the
future.
On the other hand, if you are one who is prepared to jump from
ship to ship in order to advance your career, certification can
be the one thing that sets you aside from other job applicants.
In fact, it may be the one factor that offsets any doubts in the
mind of your next employer if there is a pattern of job changing
in your past.
There are other career options in the EMC field where certification
can be of value for the individual, such as consultancy, authorship,
lecturing, etc. However, in all instances the value of certification
is only there when your employer, the end customers and the community
at large appreciate it. So choosing the right certification and
the right time to acquire it is most important.
For a company seeking to staff an EMC department, there could
be very many applications to sift through. Perhaps the Human Resources
office could even conduct the first review. In such a circumstance,
having the right independent certification of your professional
excellence could make the difference between early rejection and
getting a personal interview.
There is no doubt companies seek to employ certified engineers
and technicians in order to be assured of having the most qualified,
dedicated and motivated staff. If the business involves marketing
services in competition with others, certification of the staff
needs to be prominently featured in company literature, proposals
and quotations. This is particularly important in our global economy
where products can be manufactured on one continent, tested and
validated on another, and appear in markets all over the world.
For manufacturers and government agencies that purchase these
services, seeking providers with a certified staff can assure
performance of a high value, executed accurately and competently.
As a result, products with improved reliability can be on the
shelves faster.
For the community at large, the more certified professionals there
are involved in the supply chain, the better and more reliable
the products are that come to market and go into service.
In the EMC industry, certification programs offered by NARTE have
significant advantages:
• NARTE certification is applicable to the whole industry
and requires competency in as many as 26 EMC disciplines.
• NARTE certification involves the validation of an individual’s
education and work experience in addition to testing their knowledge
and problem solving abilities.
• NARTE certification requires the individual to have demonstrated
motivation and a dedicated work ethic.
• NARTE is the only EMC certification that is internationally
recognised.
• NARTE certification is available for both Engineers and
Technicians.
• NARTE is a contractual partner with the IEEE EMC Society
to co-promote technical awareness, education and achievement in
EMC.
In addition to its other activities, NARTE regularly holds a Certification
Preparation Workshop and a Certification Examination in conjunction
with the EMC Society International Symposium. During the week
beginning Sunday July 8th, EMC 2007 will be held in Hawaii in
celebration of the Society’s 50th anniversary.
NARTE will also be celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2007 and
we have arranged that our Preparation Session will be presented
on July 8th as a part of the “Fundamentals of EMC”
tutorial. This arrangement will allow a larger audience and students
of the Global EMC University to benefit from the NARTE presentation
without conflicting schedules.
The NARTE Certification Examinations will be held on Saturday,
July 14th at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel. Advance registration
for the examination is recommended, but on site applications will
be available.
Your registration fees for the EMC 2007 Symposium will include
access to the examination room. Candidates will only need to pay
the regular NARTE certification application fees with no added
proctoring costs.
Visit www.narte.org for more information about EMC certification
programs, study guides and other NARTE products and services.
EMC
