- Obtain a total of at least 150 PDPs during your three-year certification period
- Include activities in at least 3 of the 6 CPD categories
- Claim no more than the maximum PDPs allowed in each CPD category
- Maintain documentation of all CPD activities
- Report your CPD activities every 3 years (during certification renewal) on your CAP CDP Activity Record
- Submit documentation for your CDP Activity upon request (if selected for audit)
Continuing Professional Development Program
The ISA Certified Automation Professional® (CAP®) Continuing Professional Development (CDP) Program and its Professional Development Points (PDPs) requirements are designed to be as dynamic as the automation profession the CAP certification program represents and credentials, and to ensure and enforce continued, relevant professional development in our dynamic professional context.
PDPs serve as a common denominator because there is a broad range of educational and professional opportunities in automation/instrumentation where credits for professional development activities can be obtained. The following text defines the PDP equivalencies for the accepted activities. The CAP CPD Program establishes a PDP reporting process that includes minimum professional development benchmarks. These minimum requirements do not constitute or imply a competency level adequate for all certified individuals. To maintain relevance and competency, it is recommended that you assess your professional development needs while planning and executing your unique CPD program as you practice in the automation profession. In assessing your individual needs, input from mentors, supervisors and colleagues may be helpful.
CAP CPD Program Requirements
CPD Categories
1. Professional Practice Category
Active professional practice in automation is a significant factor in maintaining and improving your knowledge and skills. You may be an actual automation practitioner or someone "influencing" the practice of automation. In this context, "influencing" means having an effect on how the automation profession is practiced, without necessarily performing technical work (i.e., management or teaching).
Professional practice is further defined as:
- The directing, designing, preparation of plans and/or specifications, constructing, inspecting or the operations and maintenance of any automation-related structure, work or process. Examples of automation-related work or processes may include instrumentation, instrument and control, process control, process automation, control systems, automation and control, manufacturing control, manufacturing automation and online process data analysis and system integration.
- Performing formal, technical instruction on automation-related subject matter.
2. Formal Automation-Related Activity Category
Formal automation-related activities should be included in your CPD program. They include activities that are typically educationally-oriented and may include an exam or other evaluation. When no evaluation process is offered, credit may still be claimed in this category for activities that are over four hours in length. Non-evaluated activities lasting less than four hours should be categorized as informal automation-related activities (see the next section below).
Examples of Formal Automation-related Activities include:
- Professional development programs, courses and seminars.
- Additional certification/licensing in related areas. (Certification must be recognized and administered by a professional organization similar to ISA. "Certifications" offered by vendors fall into other categories.)
- Courses offered by universities, continuing education vendors, technical institutes, colleges, suppliers, employers or technical societies. Courses must be greater than four hours in length and/or include an evaluation process. Courses may be offered in traditional classroom settings, by correspondence, by video or online.
- Serving as an instructor for an automation-related training course or seminar that is over four hours in length.
3. Informal Automation-Related Activity Category
Unlike formal automation-related activities, informal ones are shorter in duration and do not involve an evaluation process.
Examples of informal automation-related activities include:
- Documented, self-directed study.
- Attendance at conferences and/or industry tradeshows.
- Training seminars, technical presentations, talks or workshops that are less than four hours in duration and do not include an evaluation mechanism.
- Membership in technical, professional or managerial associations or societies, including ISA.
- Attendance at meetings of technical, professional or managerial associations or societies.
- Documented and structured discussions on technical or professional issues with your peers.
4. Participation Category
Participation in activities promotes peer interaction and provides exposure to new ideas and technologies. These activities enhance the automation profession and serve the public interest.
Examples of participation activities include:
- Service as a mentor to a less-experienced automation professional or technologist or as an advisor to a school/school group, including FIRST® Robotics teams.
- Service on public bodies that draw on professional expertise (e.g., planning boards, development appeal boards, investigative commissions, review panels, community building committees).
- Service on professional or technical committees of professional or managerial associations and societies.
- Community service: Any activities that contribute to the community that require professional and ethical behavior, but not necessarily the application of technical knowledge. This includes active service for charitable, community or service organizations or elected public service at the municipal, provincial or federal level or on a school board.
5. Presentation Category
Eligible presentations are those of a technical or professional nature that are discretionary (outside of your normal job functions). Presentations must be developed by the CAP receiving the PDPs. Presentations developed by others will not qualify for PDPs.
Examples of presentations include:
- Delivery of a paper, authored or co-authored by the CAP, to an audience at a scheduled meeting
- Technical presentations at a conference, meeting, course, workshop or seminar
- Technical presentations within a company or at an event sponsored by a technical or professional organization
6. Contributions to the Automation Body of Knowledge Category
Contributions to the Automation Body of Knowledge activities are those that expand or develop the technical knowledge base of the automation profession.
Examples of contributions to the Automation Body of Knowledge activities include:
- Development of automation-related codes and standards
- Patents (credit can be claimed once per patent)
- Publication of papers in a peer-reviewed technical journal
- A thesis at the master’s or Ph.D. level (on a one-time basis, upon successful defense and approval)
- Publication of a technical automation-related book
- Publication of technical papers/articles in non-reviewed journals or an internal company report
- Reviewing articles for publication
- Editing papers for publication
- Reviewing papers/presentations for a technical conference
- Serving on the program committee for a technical conference
Professional Development Points Summary
You must earn 150 Professional Development Points (PDPs) total across three of the categories below during your three-year certification period. You may not exceed the maximum allowed in each category.
Category CPD Activities and PDP Values Maximum Allowed per Category per Year Maximum Allowed per 3-Year Certification Period
Professional Practice Professional practice: 16 Hours = 1 PDP 35 PDPs 105 PDPs Formal Automation-Related Activity General Formal Automation-Related Activities: 1 Hour = 1 PDP0.1 CEU = 1 PDPCollege Courses1 Semester Hour = 15 PDPs1 Quarter Hour = 10 PDPsInstructor for an automation-related training course/seminar over four hours in length2 PDPs x Number of Contact Hours with StudentsAdditional Certification/License in related areasEach certification/license = 2 PDPs 20 PDPs 60 PDPs Informal Automation-Related Activity General informal automation-related activities: 1 Hour = 0.5 PDPs Membership/participation in a professional society Each membership = 2 PDPs Each national society meeting attended = 2 PDPs Each local/regional society meeting attended = 1 PDP Each national appointed or elected position served = 2 PDPs Each local/regional elected position served = 1 PDP Each local/regional appointed position served = 0.5 PDPs 20 PDPs 60PDPs Participation Activity Participation activities: 1 Hour = 0.5 PDPs 15 PDPs 45 PDPs Presentation Activity Delivery of a paper to an audience at a scheduled meeting: 10 PDPs x number of deliveries (for published papers)Delivery of a paper to an audience at a scheduled meeting, 5 PDPs x number of deliveries (for non-published papers). 15 PDPs 45PDPs Contributions to the Automation Body of Knowledge Development of automation-related codes and standards1 Hour = 0.25 PDPsPatents (claim once per patent)Each Patent = 10 PDPsPublication of reviewed papersEach Paper = 10 PDPsPhD/master's thesisEach thesis = 20 PDPsBook publicationEach book = 40 PDPs over two yearsPublication of non-reviewed papers (limit 2/year)Each Paper = 5 PDPsArticle review (limit 10 per year)1 Article = 1 PDPPaper editing (limit 5/year)Each Paper = 2 PDPsReviewing papers/presentations for a technical conference (limit 10/year)Each reviewed paper/presentation - 1 PDPServing on a program committee for a technical conference (limit 2 terms/year)Each term of active service = 5 PDPs 20 PDPs 20 PDPs
CPD Activity Record
Concerned that you may not have enough CDP credits?
Use the web form below to see if your earned PDPs are enough to qualify for CAP renewal (150 PDPs required over 3-year certification period).
| Category | CAP® Renewal Professional Development Points |
PDPs Earned | Total PDPs per Category | Maximum Allowed/Year | Maximum Allowed/3-year period |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Active professional practice in automation is a significant factor in maintaining and improving your knowledge and skills. You may be an actual automation practitioner or one that is “influencing” the practice of the automation. In this context, “influencing" means having some effect on how the automation profession is practiced without necessarily performing technical work (i.e., management, teaching). Professional Practice is further defined as:
|
Professional Practice: 16 Hours = 1 PDP | 35 PDPs | 105 PDPs | ||
|
Formal Automation-related Activities should be included in your CPD program. Formal Automation-related Activities are typically educationally associated and may include an exam or other evaluation process. When no evaluation process is offered, credit may still be claimed in this category for activities that are over four hours in length. Non-evaluated activities of less than four hours should be categorized as Informal Automation-related Activities (see the next section, below). Examples of Formal Automation-related Activities include:
|
General Formal Automation Activities | 20 PDPs | 60 PDPs | ||
| College Courses | |||||
| Instructor for an automation-related training course/seminar over four hours in length | |||||
| Additional Certifications / Licenses in related areas | |||||
|
Unlike Formal Automation-related Activities, Informal Automation-related Activities are shorter in duration and do not involve any evaluation process. Examples of Informal Automation-related Activities include:
|
General Informal Automation Activities | 20 PDPs | 60 PDPs | ||
| Membership / Participation in a Professional Society | |||||
|
Participation activities are those that promote peer interaction and provide exposure to new ideas and technologies. These activities enhance the automation profession and serve the public interest. Examples of Participation activities include:
|
Participation Activity: 1 Hour = 0.5 PDP | 15 PDPs | 45 PDPs | ||
|
Eligible presentations are those of a technical or professional nature that are discretionary (outside of your normal job functions). Presentations must be developed by the CAP receiving the PDPs. Presentations developed by others will not qualify for PDPs Examples of Presentations include:
|
General Informal Automation Activities | 15 PDPs | 45 PDPs | ||
| Delivery of a Paper to an Audience at a Scheduled Meeting | |||||
|
Contributions to the Automation Body of Knowledge activities are those that expand or develop the technical knowledge base of the automation profession. Examples of Contributions to the Automation Body of Knowledge activities include:
|
Development of automation related codes and standards | 20 PDPs | 60 PDPs | ||
| Patents | |||||
| Publication of reviewed papers | |||||
| PhD/Master’s Thesis | |||||
| Book Publication | |||||
| Publication of non-reviewed papers (limit 2/year) | |||||
| Article Review (limit 10 per year) | |||||
| Edit of Paper (limit 5 /year) | |||||
| Reviewing of Papers/Presentations for Technical Conference (limit 10/year) | |||||
| Serving in Program Committee for Technical Conference (limit 2 terms/year) | |||||
| Total PDPs |
