ISA Certified Control Systems Technician® (CCST)

ISA’s Certified Control Systems Technician® (CCST®) Program provides a non-biased, third-party, objective assessment and confirmation of a technician’s skills. CCSTs are skilled in pneumatic, mechanical, and electronic instrumentation. They understand process control loops and process control systems, including computer-based systems.

ISA’s three levels of CCST certification require differing degrees of technical experience, education, and training-with CCST Level III requiring the most. To help you demonstrate your specific level of experience and expertise, the program allows you to apply for and test at the level for which you qualify.

Thousands of automation and control systems technicians worldwide have leveraged the CCST program to:

• Establish a professional identity
• Provide documentation and recognition of knowledge, experience and education
• Access opportunities for promotion, pay increases, job portability
• Encourage life-long learning and professional development

Who are CCSTs?

Working in process automation and manufacturing automation industries around the globe, CCSTs are an elite group of automation and control technicians that have proven they possess an extensive knowledge of automation and control systems. CCSTs calibrate, document, troubleshoot, and repair/replace instrumentation for systems that measure and control level, temperature, pressure, flow, and other process variables. Many companies prefer candidates with a CCST certification because they can trust their documented knowledge of automation and control systems.

How was the CCST exam created?

The CCST certification exam reflects the documented knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for competent job performance. Questions on the exam were derived from the actual practice of technicians as outlined in the CCST Role Delineation Study and job task analysis. Using interviews, surveys, observation, and group discussions, ISA worked with technicians to delineate critical job components to develop test specifications to determine the number of questions related to each domain and task tested. This rigorous program development and ongoing maintenance process ensures that CCST certification accurately reflects the skills and knowledge needed to excel as an automation and control systems professional.

What kinds of topics are covered on the CCST examinations?

CCST exams cover four major domains that have been organized based on the findings in a recent CCST job task analys
is study:

• Calibration, Maintenance, Repair, Troubleshooting
• Project Start-up, Commissioning, Loop-check, Project Organization, Planning
• Documentation
• Administration, Supervision, Management

To see a complete explanation of the domains and the percentage of exam questions included from each domain, visit the Body of Knowledge page.

Which companies support the ISA CCST Program?

The following companies – along with dozens more – support the CCST program:

• Air Products & Chemicals Inc.
• Alyeska Pipeline Service Co.
• Ashland Chemical
• BASF Corp.
• Bay-Tec Engineering
• BP Oil
• Bechtel Construction Company
• Boehringer-Ingleheim-Roxanne Lab
• Cargill
• Chevron Texaco
• Chiron Corporation
• Coates Electrical & Instrumentation
• Colorado Springs Utilities
• Columbia Gas Transmission
• Coors Brewing
• CrossPoint Engineering Corp.
• Cytec Industries
• Dist. of Columbia Water & Sewer Authority
• Dupont
• Eli Lilly
• Emerson Process Management
• FMC Corp.
• General Electric
• G and F Services, PLLC.
• Honeywell
• Jacobs Engineering
• Kellogg, Brown, and Root
• Las Vegas Valley Water District
• Maverick Technologies
• Meade Electric
• Merck
• Michigan Consolidated Gas Co.
• Noramco
• Oklahoma Gas & Electric
• Pfizer
• Prime Controls
• Raytheon
• Rohm & Haas
• Siemens-Westinghouse
• Solutia
• Southern Company
• Tesoro Hawaii
• Total Petrochemical
• Tropicana Products Inc.
• Valero Port Arthur
• Xcel Energy