Step 01
CIS
Certify the people who build and inspect. This is where almost every team starts.
CIS courses
CIS, CSE, CIT and MIT. Which certification level do you need?
Four levels, one standard. The level decides what you are allowed to do with the standard: apply it, interpret it, or teach it to other people inside your company.
In short
CIS certifies an operator or inspector to work to the standard. CSE certifies an engineer or quality specialist to interpret it. CIT certifies a trainer to teach and certify specialists inside their own company. MIT certifies the trainers themselves, and every Blackfox course is led by one.
Side by side
The four levels compared
| Criterion | CISCertified IPC Specialist | CSECertified Standards Expert | CITCertified IPC Trainer | MITMaster IPC Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who it is for | Operators, technicians and inspectors on the floor | Process, quality and manufacturing engineers | Internal trainers and quality leads who train others | Instructors at an authorized training center |
| What it allows | Work and inspect to the standard | Interpret the standard and answer questions about intent | Train and certify CIS candidates inside your own company | Train and certify CIT candidates |
| Typical length | 2-5 days | 3-5 days | 3-5 days | Follows CIT program |
| Exam | Open book | Timed open and closed book | Open and closed book | IPC process |
| Validity | Two years | Two years | Two years, renewal required to keep training | Two years |
| Prerequisite | None | Working knowledge of the standard | Production experience | Held by IPC |
| Available with Blackfox | All six programs | All six programs | All six programs | All six programs |
MIT is issued through IPC rather than through a training center. Our instructors hold it and teach at that level.
Progression
From the bench to teaching your own team
Step 02
CSE
Give engineering and quality a person who can interpret the standard, not just follow it.
CSE courseStep 03
CIT
Bring certification in house. Your trainer certifies your own specialists from then on.
CIT coursesStep 04
MIT
The trainer of trainers. Issued by IPC. Our instructors hold it and teach at this level.
Our instructors
By program
Which level is available in which program
| Program | CIS | CSE | CIT | Renewal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPC-A-610 | 3 days | 4 days | 3.5 days | 2 days |
| IPC J-STD-001 | 4 days | 4.5 days | 5 days | 2.5 days |
| IPC/WHMA-A-620 | 3 days | 3.5 days | 4 days | 2 days |
| IPC-A-600 | 2.5 days | 3 days | 3 days | ON REQUEST |
| IPC 7711/7721 | 4.5 days | 5 days | 5 days | 2 days |
| IPC-6012 | 3.5 days | 3.5 days | 3.5 days | On request |
Questions
Certification levels, asked often
Is a CIS certificate mine or my employer's?
The credential is issued to the person and stays with you if you change employer. The training record is held by the company that paid for the course.
Can a CIT certify people at another company?
No. A CIT can train and certify specialists inside their own organization. Certifying people outside it requires an authorized training center.
Do I need CIS before CIT?
Not formally, but we recommend it. The CIT course assumes you already work to the standard daily, and candidates without that background usually struggle with the taught presentation.
Which level do auditors ask for?
Auditors usually ask for evidence that the people doing the work are certified to the current revision, which is CIS, and that whoever trained them was qualified to do so, which is CIT or an authorized center.
Not sure which level
Answer four questions and we will tell you
The course finder asks what your team does at the bench, then names the level and the programme that fits.
Take the course finder