Certification

Home > Certification > What is certification? > Benefits of professional certification > How to become certified

Mechanical Technologist & Electrical/Instrumentation Grade IV Reintroduced

The single management level Plant Maintenance Grade IV will be replaced by two separate specialty certifications: Mechanical Technologist Grade IV and Electrical/Instrumentation Grade IV. The tests for the new certifications will be available beginning January 2007. Splitting the Plant Maintenance Grade IV certification into two specialties allows more in-depth technical content to be tested. The last test for the Plant Maintenance Grade IV was given July 2006.

A Review Panel of plant maintenance subject matter experts analyzed the Plant Maintenance test content (subject) areas as part of a test validation process that takes place for each vocation every few years. The review panel compared the test content areas with current practices and technology to determine if the test subject areas need to be modified. They also considered feedback from many test takers and employers regarding the usefulness of the Plant Maintenance grade level structure. Test takers can expect the same subject areas as the Plant Maintenance Grade IV, but with more emphasis on the technical content for each specialty.

Existing Plant Maintenance Grade IV certifications will remain valid as long as the annual renewal fees are paid and the contact hour requirement is still met. Individuals holding a Plant Maintenance Grade IV must take the new test to become certified as a Grade IV Mechanical or Electrical/Instrumentation Technologist.

Grade I-III Subject Areas Remain The Same
The Grade I-III tests content areas were also reviewed with no significant changes. Some minor adjustments were made mostly to clarify some items for test developers. There were no changes that are significant enough to affect test takers.

Study Material Revised
All of the materials used to prepare for the tests will be updated this Fall to reflect the relatively small amount of revisions to the test content areas. The Grade I-III study guides will be modified slightly and supplementary material will be added to the Grade IV Plant Maintenance Study Guide to cover the content for the Mechanical and Electrical/Instrumentation tests. The candidate handbooks, and study session moderator guides will also be modified to reflect the revised vocation structure.

Revised Test Content Specifications
The Test Content Specifications (TCS) outline the subject areas covered on the test. Click on the links below to see the Plant Maintenance Grade IV TCS revised as the Mechanical Technologist Grade 4 and the Electrical/Instrumentation Grade IV.

Mechanical technologist Grade IV Revised TCS
Electrical/Instrumentation Technologist Grade IV Revised TCSs

Questions?
Send us an email to tcp@cwea.org