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Certification with IfSE

ASEP/CSEP/ESEP Emblems
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IfSE offers a professional Certification programme for its members. Certification is based around the need to ensure that those working in a given discipline have a basic level of competence and experience to call themselves practitioners. For UK Systems Engineers, it provides recognition of competence in Systems Engineering which may be a useful specialist differentiator when applying for work in combination with Professional Registration (CEng, IEng etc.).

ASEP

If you have recently started practising in the field of Systems Engineering or graduated with a related degree, then ASEP Certification represents a great way to supplement your developing Systems Engineering skills.

The INCOSE Associated Systems Engineering Professional (ASEP) is an exam-based assessment of Systems Engineering knowledge. It provides an opportunity to formalise your learning and understanding of the INCOSE Systems Engineering handbook. It is often seen as an ideal first challenge when embarking on a career in Systems Engineering. The knowledge-based exam is computerised and is 2 hours long with 120 multiple choice questions. The examination used for ASEP is identical to that for CSEP accreditation and successful candidates can go forward and upgrade to CSEP once the required level of experience is achieved without resitting the exam. For more information on the examination click here. The time allowed to complete ASEP is one year from the application date in up to three attempts. Once achieved it is valid for 5 years. Application and payment can be made directly through the IfSE website.

CSEP

If you are already a practising system engineer with typically five or more years of Systems Engineering professional work experience, then CSEP Certification represents an excellent way to recognise your growing Systems Engineering capability.

The INCOSE Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP) assesses both core systems engineering knowledge and work-based experience, providing an internationally accepted way to formally recognise your Systems Engineering competence. It comprises two assessable components. Firstly, the Certification examination, a knowledge-based assessment. Also required, is a written submission of workplace evidence, supported by a minimum of three qualified references. The exam used for ASEP is identical to that for CSEP accreditation and successful candidates can go forward to upgrade to CSEP once the required level of experience achieved. Submissions of experiential evidence are assessed by a team of reviewers. Whilst individual work experiences vary, reviewers will be looking for candidates to demonstrate both breadth and depth in work experience and also to check that any claims made can be validated by references. There are 15 areas of Systems Engineering Competence defined by INCOSE against which experience will be tested. These can be found here. The time allowed to complete CSEP is one year from the application date including both the exam and the review. Once achieved CSEP is valid for 3 years. Application and payment can be made directly through the IfSE website.

ESEP

If you are already a Systems Engineering leader with substantial recognised systems engineering accomplishments then ESEP is the best level for you. This certification is designed to recognise individuals who have made a substantial contribution to the systems engineering discipline over their career.

The INCOSE Expert Systems Engineering Professional (ESEP) certification typically demands 25 or more years of experience gained explicitly in the field of Systems Engineering as well as a demonstrable record of Systems Engineering leadership. This 25-year requirement is reduced to 20 years if you have already achieved recognition as an INCOSE Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP). In addition, candidates need to demonstrate both breadth and depth in their systems engineering experience and show a commitment to personal professional development over many years.

The ESEP accreditation comprises a formal assessment of evidence contained in your written submission and those of your references, which if passed is followed by a formal competence-based telephone interview exploring your experience in more depth. The interview is conducted by three accredited ESEP professionals and is designed to enable INCOSE to ensure that both knowledge and competence requirements for ESEP-level accreditation have been met. References will also be interviewed if further evidence is required of either your experience or your accomplishments. After award ESEP certification is maintained by continuing INCOSE membership and no renewal is necessary.

For more information, please call 01460 298217, or the Professional Development Team.