Why Certify?

In a business climate where work projects grow in complexity and responsibilities are constantly expanding, certification stands as a clear testimony to your qualifications, knowledge, and skill level. IPC Designers and Advanced Designers Certification is a powerful credential in promoting your role, expertise, and commitment to excellence to everyone involved in the production of printed circuit boards and assemblies. Printed circuit board designers deserve the benefits and recognition of certification as industry trends such as outsourcing and concurrent engineering are elevating the importance of the designer.

Who Should Certify...

The PCB Designer Certification exam is a challenging exam. It is recommended for designers with at least some experience designing PCBs who have a good understanding of electronics and manufacturing issues.

Certified Interconnect Designer (CID)

This program assesses a designer's knowledge of how to transform a schematic into a reliable rigid PCB design, which can be easily manufactured, assembled and tested. The IPC Designers Council recognizes that the most effective designers must have a solid foundation in PCB fabrication and assembly. The certification test is based on several critical IPC documents that link design principles to the end product use of the printed circuit assembly. Designers may purchase study materials and prepare on their own or enroll in a two-day IPC Designer Certification Preparation workshop. All designer certification testing is done on-site at a workshop location the day after a course concludes. Individuals who do not feel prepared to take the test immediately after the training may choose to keep their exam voucher and take the test at a later date. The workshop training provides an in-depth view of the principles contained in the examination and is strongly recommended for anyone interested in obtaining the certification.

Advanced Certified Interconnect Designer (CID+)

The C.I.D. designation is an important recognition of a designer's accomplishments. Yet with the industry changing at an ever-faster pace, continuing education becomes necessary to maintain a designer's effectiveness and marketability. That's why the IPC Designers Council has introduced the Advanced PCB Designers Preparation Workshop and Examination. The Advanced Module covers forty key objectives beyond the CID. Participants who successfully complete the exam are awarded the CID+ designation.

The Advanced Certification is open to anyone possessing a valid CID credential. It is recommended for designers with at least three to five years of experience designing PCBs. The format is similar to the CID course, where a participant can choose to purchase study materials and prepare on their own for the examination. The preferred (and highly recommended) option, though, is to attend the two-day workshop with the exam administered on-site on the third day. A participant may also keep the exam voucher and take the test at a later date.