Conformity Magazine - March 2009 - (Page 30) The Headquarter News Informer Provided by the International Association for Radio, Telecommunications and Electromagnetics We are happy to report that iNARTE ended 2008 in a stronger position than at the end of 2007. We were gratified to see that so many of our certificate holders appreciate the value that this credential has for them, and have made the positive investment in their future by renewing their membership. We are planning to introduce new programs this year that will extend iNARTE benefits to other disciplines and practices. Watch for these announcements in the coming months. Our new Associate Engineer and Associate Technician certificates have been well received, and a number of universities and training institutes have already applied for iNARTE accreditation in order to offer these credentials to their students. Associate certification is available to graduates who achieve a high GPA and who are endorsed by a senior member of faculty. This credential enables new graduates to enter the work force and build their careers, while enjoying the advantages of iNARTE membership as they accumulate the necessary experience for full certification. Danny Ding, Rohde & Schwarz, Shanghai, receives his iNARTE Certificate, watched by Dr. Zhou, adminstrator of iNARTE programs at Southeast University, Nanjing Getting the Most From Your Certification Among the several thousand certificates that come up for renewal each year, we have a few who consider allowing their certification to lapse. For example, we sometimes hear that a person has been a member for many years but got nothing out of it. In response, we have to ask what that member has done to promote their credentials. iNARTE offers an independent validation of an individual’s skills and experience, and we offer opportunities for promotion of certificate holders within the community. But many do not realize that these opportunities exist. Last June, we received a call from a consultant who did not want to renew after a 10 year membership. But, when we visited his web site, there was no mention of iNARTE certification, no iNARTE logo and no link to us whatsoever. Further, this consultant had not even posted information on our iNARTE consultants’ web page. No wonder he got little out of his certification. Each time a member renews, we offer to notify their employer of that person’s renewed achievement and commitment; yet less than 5% take advantage of this service. Companies regularly post job openings on our web site. They see this posting as a way to solicit applications from a wellqualified group of engineering professionals. But how many of our members regularly scan these pages? Our web site gets thousands of hits, but how many go to that page? 30 Conformity marCh 2009 Every certificate holder is entitled to use our logo on business cards, letterhead and other forms. Every time anyone asks what that logo means, it provides an opportunity to promote this unique credential. It is a badge of distinction and a way to differentiate oneself. In these difficult times, self-promotion and differentiation are important. If you have the credentials, they need to be promoted, recognized and appreciated. Have you considered iNARTE merchandise as a way to promote your achievement? The iNARTE golf shirt is one of the more visible items, but we also have embossers and stampers that can be used with your signature on letters, forms, reports and certificates. Visit www.narte.org/h/ merchandise.asp to see what is available. Fees iNARTE is a non profit association. We receive no subsidies or donations from government or industry. 90% of our income is from new certification, certificate renewals and licensure testing. The FCC regulates our licensure testing fees, so a balanced budget is achieved only by matching fees to our carefully controlled costs. We are pleased to report that our fees for 2009 will remain unchanged. Do our fees represent good value? That depends upon how each individual makes use of our services. Certification in a technical field should result in a salary level 15% to 20% above non-certified practitioners. In a recent independent survey, NOCA reports that half of all credentialing agencies have seen an increase in applications during the recent employment crisis. These figures demonstrate the value of certification if used to best advantage. http://www.narte.org/h/merchandise.asp http://www.narte.org/h/merchandise.asp
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