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IPC COMMUNITY 42 WINTER 2024 Additionally, standards and certification exams can be translated into 20 languages. IPC has representatives around the world who take on these responsibilities. "It's a monumental feat to do that and it takes time to accomplish," Joe says. "We want to ensure the exam is fair and equal in every language. We have representatives from all over the world, and we're always looking to grow our certification committees with sub- ject matter experts more consistently and reg- ularly." When developing the exams, IPC staff pay careful attention to how questions are worded, how often they are repeated on exams, how often exam takers answer the questions cor- rectly, and whether there is overexposure to specific questions. "We don't want people to prep for specific exam questions, but rather to study the stan- dard broadly," Joe says. "We want them to understand the material and not just focus on a handful of questions. The goal of certifi- cation is to demonstrate proficiency or mini- mum competency in an area of knowledge." Each respective endorsement serves a spe- cific purpose in your organization, so you have to choose what's right for your business. "IPC/ WHMA-A-620 is about wire and cable harness assemblies, and if you're not manufacturing wire and cable harness assemblies, you may not need your staff to earn that endorsement," he says. "However, IPC standards cover the most important parts of the electronics man- ufacturing processes." IPC utilizes more than 150 partner certifica- tion centers worldwide to prepare students for and administer the exams. These centers provide the necessary training for the work- force to be certified and earn the proper cre- dentials. Visit IPC Standards Certification Centers and search for a certification center near you. The number of certification exams admin- istered has grown steadily over the past few years, with just a minor dip in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but even then, IPC inno- vated an online proctoring system to allow participants to take their exams from home. "All that progress comes from the work that our team has put in to improve these pro- grams," Joe says. "The training materials and exams are of high quality and serve as critical assets to the industry." These certifications continue to grow and evolve with an intentional focus on qual- ity across all certifications. "Right now, for example, we're reviewing the exam for IPC- 7711/21, rework and repair," he says. "There is a hands-on proficiency assessment correlated with the certification, and we are thoroughly examining it to improve that assessment."