This education & training roundup was compiled by Joel Don, ISA's social media community manager.

December features ISA’s last Technician Training Boot Camp for 2014. The course focuses on the knowledge required by a control systems technician with five years experience in performing maintenance, calibration and troubleshooting tasks typical of a plant floor environment. Other educational opportunities include CCST and CMRT exam preparation courses plus ISA's class on  Safety Instrumented Systems offered in Spanish.

Onsite Training

In addition to taking ISA classroom training at ISA headquarters, regional locations and industry events, you can also receive customized ISA training at your facility through ISA Onsite Training.  This option can bring any ISA course or combination of courses – along with ISA’s world-class instructors, training materials and portable laboratories – directly to you.  Simply pick the time and place.  Contact ISA at +1 919-549-8411 or info@isa.org.

Note: If a class date is not showing in the course offerings page or registration appears closed, contact ISA at info@isa.org or call customer service at +1 919-549-8411 to get a registration update or waiting list status.

Automation and Control Training – Instrumentation Maintenance

Instrument Calibration and Documentation for FDA-Regulated Industries (TI24)
Do you want an untrained technician working on equipment that directly affects the quality and integrity of the product being manufactured at your facility? This course offers a combination of practical information and hands-on experience, covering fundamental principles of electronic process control instrumentation used in pharmaceutical and other life science industries. Proper calibration will be covered in hands-on lab exercises using common electronic instrumentation including analyzers. You will examine characteristics of electronic control systems and procedures for configuring transmitters, transducers, and controllers. A good portion of time is spent working hands-on with typical industry equipment. The 4.5-day class starts December 8 at ISA headquarters in Research Triangle Park, N.C.

Installing, Calibrating, and Maintaining Electronic Instruments (TI25)
This popular course offers a combination of practical information and hands-on experience, covering proper installation, calibration, and maintenance of electronic instruments. You will examine characteristics of electronic control systems; techniques for installing electronic instruments; and procedures for configuring and calibrating transmitters, transducers, and controllers. Approximately 40 percent of your time in this course is spent working with equipment. The 4.5-day class starts December 15 at ISA headquarters in Research Triangle Park, N.C.

Automation and Control Training – Industrial Communications

IT Survival Basics for I&C Personnel (TS14)
This course will provide I&C personnel with a basic understanding of IT concepts and technology including Ethernet networking, switches, routers, servers, PCs and firewalls, as well as wireless Ethernet networks and TCP/IP communications. The student will learn how to configure them and how cybersecurity is applied to protect them. Upon completion of this course, individuals will have a familiarity with basic IT concepts and technology which will enable them to effectively collaborate and communicate with IT personnel and perform basic IT functions essential in a modern plant and with modern control systems technology. The five-day class starts December 8 at ISA headquarters in Research Triangle Park, N.C.

Automation and Control Training – Cybersecurity

Using the ANSI/ISA99 (IEC 62443) Standards to Secure Your Industrial Control System (IC32)
The move to using open standards such as Ethernet, TCP/IP, and Web technologies in supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and process control networks has begun to expose these systems to the same cyberattacks that have wreaked so much havoc on corporate information systems. This course provides a detailed look at how the ANSI/ISA99 standards can be used to protect critical control systems. It also explores the procedural and technical differences between the security for traditional IT environments and those solutions appropriate for SCADA or plant floor environments. The two-day course starts December 1 in Houston, Tex.

Automation and Control Training – Safety

Advanced Safety Integrity Level Selection (EC52)
This course focuses on further hands-on examples of safety integrity level (SIL) selection using a variety of different techniques. Students will be better able to save their companies time and money through the optimization of system performance requirements. This course is a follow-on to EC50 (Safety Instrumented Systems − Design, Analysis, and Justification). The course is required for the ISA84 Safety Instrumented Systems Certificate Program 2. You can register for the course only or for the certificate program which includes course and exam. The two-day course starts on December 1 in Houston, Tex.

Advanced Design and SIL Verification (EC54)
This two-day course focuses on more detailed design issues and further hands-on examples of system analysis/modeling. Students will be better able to perform system design and analysis thus saving their companies time and money in optimizing system designs. This course will enable you to analyze any system technology and configuration to see if it will meet the required SIL (safety integrity level) and determine if existing systems are safe enough, if they need to be upgraded, and whether proposed systems will meet the performance requirements. The class will start December 3 in Houston, Tex.

Fire and Gas System Engineering – Performance-Based Methods for Process Facilities (EC56P)
Fire and gas detection and suppression system design techniques that are currently in use are often considered to be unsatisfactory due to their nature of being rule of thumb and experience-oriented without any real ability to quantify risk. This has resulted in systems that are either over-designed or under-designed. Only after the ISA TR 84.00.07 was a comprehensive framework for performance-based fire and gas design established. This three-day course describes the techniques recommended in the technical report, along with hands-on use of the techniques and associated software tools. It will be held in Columbus, Ohio starting on December 9.

Sistemas Instrumentados de Seguridad – Diseño, Análisis y Justificación (EC50SP)
Este curso esta enfocado en los requerimientos de ingeniería para especificar, diseñar, analizar y justificar el uso de sistemas instrumentados de seguridad para la industria de proceso. Los estudiantes aprenderán como determinar los niveles integrales de seguridad funcional y como evaluar si los sistemas existentes o propuestos alcanzan los requerimientos de desempeño o rendimiento. Este curso es requerido como parte del programa ISA 84 "Certificado como experto en fundamentos en Sistemas Instrumentados de Seguridad funcional." El estudiante puede inscribirse para tomar el curso solamente o para el programa del certificado, que incluye el examen. Aquellas personas que completen el curso y pasen el examen, recibirán el reconocimiento como "Especialistas en Fundamentos ISA84" (ISA84 SFS por sus siglas en Ingles). Este curso es requerido para obtener el certificado como “Especialista en Fundamentos ISA84” (ISA84 SIS Fundamentals Specialist Certificate Program). La clase comienza 15 de Diciembre en Houston, Tex.

Certification and Licensure Preparation

Certified Control Systems Technician® (CCST®) Level I Review Course (TS00)
This is a fast-paced review of the knowledge and practical skills necessary to install and maintain standard measurement and control instrumentation. It is intended for practicing technicians preparing for the CCST Level I exam. An explanation of the examination process and practice certification-type exams are provided. The four-day course starts December 1 at ISA headquarters in Research Triangle Park, N.C.

Certified Maintenance and Reliability Technician (CMRT) Exam Review Course (TM00)
This course is designed as a fast-paced review for the experienced maintenance mechanic. It provides a thorough overview of the knowledge and mechanical skills required in today’s industrial maintenance environment. It is designed specifically for industrial maintenance mechanics preparing for the CMRT exam. An explanation of the examination process and practice taking a certification-type exam is provided. The three-day class starts December 8 in Burbank, Calif.

Certified Control System Technician (CCST) Level II Exam Review Course (TS02)
This is a fast-paced review of the knowledge and skills necessary for technicians with 7+ years of practical experience who are preparing to sit for the CCST Level II exam. An explanation of the requirements, examination process and practice certification-type exams are provided. The four-day course starts December 11 in Houston, Tex.

Special Training Event

ISA Technician Training Boot Camp (TTBC)
ISA Technician Training Boot Camp (not just for technicians) combines a unique technical training course − minimum lecture and maximum hands-on experience − with bonus features, including a plant tour, technical library, and social events, to enhance the learning experience and to maximize knowledge gained. More than 75 percent of your time will be spent on equipment labs. This week of intensive training will cover a broad range of technical topics needed to get the job done right. Starting with basic instrumentation fundamentals and ending with the advanced and ultimate in smart technology, this comprehensive program will serve as a vital building block to your professional development and skills enhancement efforts. This course also serves as a solid introduction to other ISA courses that will help you advance your automation and control career. ISA Technician Training Boot Camp starts December 8 in King of Prussia, Penn.

Live Webinar Series – Introduction to Measurement & Control Series

Note: This series started in October and concludes with the December 3 pressure measurement webinar.

Introduction to Flow Measurement (FG05W4)
This webinar provides an introduction and overview of flow measurement as current practice in measurement and control systems. Terminology, technology, and applications are covered in this concise presentation. The webinar will be held November 19.

Introduction to Pressure Measurement (FG05W5)
This is an introduction and overview of pressure measurement as current practice in measurement and control systems. Terminology, technology and applications are covered in this concise presentation. The webinar will be held December 3.

ISA Training Partner: IDC Technologies

ISA has teamed up with IDC Technologies to bring an array of technical-related training courses to various U.S. locations, with special discounts for ISA members.

When you become an ISA member, you’ll join thousands of automation and control professionals who collaborate to share ideas and insights, and solve technical challenges. And, you’ll receive up to 20 percent off on ISA products, including training courses. To review the complete array of ISA member benefits, click the link below or contact ISA customer service at +1 919-549-8411 or info@isa.org.

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