The Who, How, Where, and When of CP Certification Courses

In this series of blogs discussing ICorr’s Cathodic Protection Certification Courses, we have examined:

• Establishing competence in cathodic protection
• Choosing which course is right for you
• Charting your career with the CP certification scheme

In this last blog, we look at the who, how, where, and when of these groundbreaking courses.

A triumvirate of experience delivers exceptional CP training

We started updating our courses so that they would align perfectly with the new ISO 1527:2017. As is often the case, the planning and execution have taken a little longer than anticipated. We certainly were not helped by the interruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

What we had hoped to deliver in 2020 was delayed. It’s here now, though, and courses have got off to a flying start.

For this latest phase in delivery of exceptional training in all things corrosion, we have partnered with the Corrosion Prevention Association (CPA). If you don’t know who CPA are, here’s a brief rundown – the CPA:

• Represents consultants, contractors, and engineers working in the field of corrosion prevention [primarily in the reinforced concrete industry]
• Acts as the leading authority and source of information on cathodic protection and other corrosion prevention techniques
• Shares the Institute of Corrosion’s values of encouraging a better understanding of corrosion and sharing of knowledge

CPA has extensive experience in the industry, including delivering seminars, demonstration days, holding industry events, providing CPD presentations, and, of course, online and in-person training programs.

To deliver the groundbreaking CP courses, the CPA partnered with Corrosion Control Services Limited (CCSL) to provide training facilities.

Best-in-class training facilities

CCSL has established an examination and test centre in Telford, Shropshire, and it really is a state-of-the-art facility. It is here that all our CP courses are delivered.

The Gary McKenzie Training and Examination Centre is an innovative development. We had no hesitation in approving it for courses in cathodic protection in reinforced concrete, and on-land (buried) and marine metallic structures.

Officially opened in May 2021, course delegates have already experienced all it has to offer. This includes ‘real-world’ testing grounds. Yes, course attendees will work on pipes and structures in settings that replicate being in the field. If it’s raining, be prepared to get wet!

When are our cathodic protection courses held?

The Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 courses last between two and five days. If you are taking the exam, this is a separate one-day event with exam days tagged to the end of each course.

Course dates have been announced for through to September 2022, and there will be more to come. The courses are selling fast, and some are already fully booked. You can find out available dates for your chosen course here:

• Institute of Corrosion
• Corrosion Control Services
• Corrosion Prevention Association

At the time of publication, depending upon the course, the course cost is £575 and £1,200, with exams costing between £330 and £375. Once you have completed the course and been successful in the exam, you will need to apply to the Institute of Corrosion for appropriate certification.

To book a course, please contact CPA on 01420 471614 or send an email to admin@corrosionprevention.org.uk.

For any further information, or to enquire about membership of the Institute of Corrosion, please contact us.

Certification to Support and Enhance Your CP Career

A career in cathodic protection can be developed with an employer or as a self-employed contractor. The work is interesting, often challenging, and well paid. As industry around the world seeks to combat the environmental, safety, and financial impact of corrosion, a career in this specialisation is supported by high demand for skilled operatives at all levels.

Specialising in cathodic protection offers a career path that could take you around the world, working for diverse companies in locations that stretch from pole to pole. As you climb the career ladder – possibly to establish your own company or, perhaps, as a senior lecturer in university – your career growth must be supported by additional qualifications and certification.

In fact, the structure of ICorr’s Certification Scheme for Cathodic Protection Personnel is designed to be an enabler of career progression in this specialisation. Effectively, your career advancement can be charted by each level of certification.

Starting out – Cathodic Protection Data Collector/Tester (Level 1)

As a starter in the industry, you don’t yet have any experience in cathodic protection.

The role of data collector or cathodic protection tester is likely to be combined with other duties. For example, as an electrical .

To be classed as competent for cathodic protection data collection and testing, you will need to be certified as a Level 1 Tester/Data Collector. This is the course intended for very new entrants to the CP industry. It’s also appropriate for staff who, on a part-time basis, collect and test as part of a wider job description.

Next step – Cathodic Protection Technician (Level 2)

As you gain experience, your role will expand. To take the next step, you will need to be certified as a Level 2 Technician. You will be responsible for testing and evaluation of cathodic protection systems and data. Your technical knowledge will include different CP systems, anode types, corrosion theory, reference electrodes, corrosion prevention, and an understanding of how CP works at a scientific level.

You might undertake work with specific instruction from senior staff with higher certification levels. You may also help prepare reports and make corrections to systems as approved by supervising staff.

This is a big step up from the duties of a data collector/tester, though you don’t need any specific experience in cathodic protection to take the course that certifies your competency to perform this role. However, before being certified as a Level 2 Technician [i.e. after the course and successful examination] you will require to have a minimum of one year of approved experience.

Supervisory roles – Senior Cathodic Protection Technician (Level 3)

At this stage of your career, you will now be expected to supervise lower-level staff in their cathodic protection work. Your knowledge bank will be substantial, and your duties may include:

• Instructing work crews on the installation of cathodic protection systems, and maintenance.
• Inspecting technician surveys and written documentation
• Inspecting contractor procedures for corrosion compliance
• Identifying problems and determining corrective action
• Testing existing CP systems
• Overseeing and instructing corrosion team members and CP technicians in corrosion-related requirements

You may also be required to provide feedback and training to other employees, and help to maintain safety standards. You could be responsible for reviewing, maintaining, and updating records, ensuring data integrity and adherence to controls, practices, and policies.

There are several ways in which you may be qualified to take the Level 3 Senior Technician Course and examination:

• You should have at least six years’ experience (less, if suitably academically qualified)
• You must hold Level 2 Cathodic Protection Technician Certification for the applicable sector in which you will be working

Or:

• You should have at least one year’s experience and have attended the Level 2 training course to satisfy the educational and experience requirements to qualify for the Level 3 training course and examination.

Experienced senior roles – Cathodic Protection Specialist (Level 4)

Your career has led you to senior and management roles. At this level, you will be designing CP systems and providing technical expertise and guidance to others – such as those working in operations and engineering – to enable efficient and effective implementation, monitoring, and troubleshooting of cathodic protection assets.

Your experience is likely to include subjects and tasks such as:

• Corrosion control regulations
• Assessment and repair of pipeline defects
• Technical support, training, and evaluation of corrosion technicians
• Working knowledge of corrosion control databases and field data collection devices
• Ability to consistently analyse and resolve corrosion control issues involving multiple components, personnel, and operations

Currently there is no course for this level of certification. You will, however, need to demonstrate your experience and expertise when applying for certification as a Level 4 Cathodic Protection Specialist as follows:

• If progressing from Level 3, you will need three to eight years’ experience
• If applying directly, you will need five to 12 years’ experience
• Examination is required
• You will need to supply evidence of work (including detailed complex design)
• Validation by two referees is also required

The pinnacle of your career – Level 5 Cathodic Protection Expert

To achieve this level of certification, you must already be certified at level 4 in the same sector. You will have advanced the state of CP by scientific work, and have a broad understanding (at least) of all other sectors of CP.

It is likely that you will have published peer-reviewed papers, and have an established reputation in at least one sector within the industry.

This is not presently recognised/offered in the UK and many believe it to be an honorary title.  However, BS EN ISO 15257 states that there are activities that a Level 5 is competent to undertake that a Level 4 is not.

ICorr – Leading the way in CP career development through certification

A career in cathodic protection has much to offer. You’ll work on diverse projects, with the opportunity to work in all four corners of the globe. With a high demand for your skills and experience, you should never be short of rewarding opportunities to advance your career.

To maximise the benefits of a career in CP, you should gain certification as you progress. We have developed CP certification to an internationally recognised standard (ISO 1527:2017). Your certification validates that you have the minimum skills, knowledge, and experience to be certified as competent across all the disciplines within the CP field, including survey, design, installation, testing, maintenance, and the science of cathodic protection, at each successive rung of the career ladder.

At each level as detailed above, you must apply to the Institute of Corrosion for certification. Successfully completing the course and passing the exam is not enough on its own.

In our next article discussing cathodic protection courses, examination, and certification, we examine how the CP courses are delivered.

In the meantime, to learn more about our ground-breaking CP Certification Scheme and our comprehensive Cathodic Protection Certification Courses – and discuss which is right for you – email the Institute of Corrosion at admin@icorr.org.

5 Levels of CP Certification

If you work in cathodic protection, you must be certified as competent to do so. This applies around the world, and the Institute of Corrosion (ICorr) has upgraded its courses to fully meet the requirements of the rewritten cathodic protection competence standard – BS EN ISO 15257:2017.

In this article, we introduce the standard and discuss who it applies to.

The aim of BS EN ISO 15257:2017

The standard defines five levels of competence for those working in cathodic protection (CP), and specifies a framework within which competence is established at each of these levels.

It specifies the minimum skills, knowledge, and experience a person must have to be certified as competent across each of the disciplines within the CP field, including survey, design, installation, testing, maintenance, and monitoring of CP.

The standard started as a British Standard and European Normative (BS EN) in 2006. “The rewritten ISO standard gives objective criteria and credentials that allow clients to know who is legitimate and who is selling snake oil,”, says Chris Wozencroft, Principal Engineer at Corrosion Engineering Solutions Ltd. and member of ICorr’s CP Governing Board (CPGB).

Do you need to be certified?

If you are a ‘cathodic protection person’, you should be certified as competent. The standard defines a cathodic protection person as someone ‘who devotes a regular and significant percentage of professional activity to the practical application of cathodic protection within one or more of the application sectors’.

Levels of competence

The standard sets out the five levels of competence with each step up in level including competence in the levels below. The competence levels are set out as follows:

Level 1: Cathodic Protection Data Collector (or Tester)

This certification allows you to collect CP performance data and perform other basic CP tasks requested of you by someone of Level 3 or higher. At this level, you won’t be responsible for analysing data, but you should have a good understanding of the measurements and causes of errors in them.

Level 2: Cathodic Protection Technician

When certified at Level 2, you shall be deemed competent to undertake a range of CP measurement, inspection, and supervisory activities that are delegated to you by persons at Level 3 or higher. However, you will not be responsible for determining the test method or technique to be used, or for the preparation of technical instructions and interpretation of results.

Level 3: Cathodic Protection Senior Technician

At Level 3, you will demonstrate that you have knowledge of the:

• General principles of corrosion and CP
• Principles of electricity
• Significance of coatings and their influence on CP

You will also possess a detailed knowledge of CP test procedures and safety issues, and be able to prepare technical instructions for all lower-level CP persons, as well as assess all data collected from these tasks.

Level 4: Cathodic Protection Specialist

With a detailed knowledge of corrosion theory, principles of electricity, CP design, installation, commissioning, testing, and performance evaluation (including systems affected by interfering conditions), you could be certified at Level 4.

You can now design CP systems, define guidelines for monitoring them, and prepare technical instructions for all CP persons of lower levels.

Level 5: Cathodic Protection Expert

This is an honorary title for PhD qualified CP professionals, who have demonstrated all the competencies required in at lest one sector, together with a range of competencies in other sectors at the highest level, such as

• Undertaking a range of high-level activities such as management of R&D projects
• Publications in technical or scientific journals or books, lectures at congresses or training courses
• Participation in standardisation or technical committees
• Leading in the development of new technology or new applications
• Editing scientific journals

Are you certified as competent in CP?

As you can see, ISO 12527:2017 provides a linear path of certification at specified levels of competence. This means that clients are better able to identify the person they need for specific projects and tasks, and you can prove your competency with your certification.

Under the previous standard, there were only three levels, which equate to Levels 2, 3, and 4 in the new standard.

The new scheme that has been developed based on ISO 15257:2017 has three elements:

• Training
• Examination
• Certification

Certification is important because you need to prove you have experience before being certified as competent. With a discipline like CP, and a science that still holds so many uncertainties, it is unacceptable that someone should be able to leave college, take an exam, and be immediately deemed as competent.

“You really do need a few years on the ground before you know what you’re doing in this game,” says Chris Wozencroft.

In our next article, we discuss the double-edged approach of certification in CP, and examine the application sectors to which the competence levels apply.

In the meantime, to learn more about the Certification Scheme for Cathodic Protection Personnel, email the Institute of Corrosion at admin@icorr.org.