How to Become a Certified Calibration Technician

The Certified Calibration Technician (CCT) program was created by the American Society for Quality (ASQ) and serves as a standardized way for calibration technicians to demonstrate their understanding of concepts related to their field. Although certification is not necessary to get an entry-level job in calibration, it can be a major advantage for those looking to advance in their careers. Having certified calibration technicians on staff is a clear benefit to organizations, improving their workforce’s capabilities and, by extension, the organization’s reputation. It also benefits the industry overall, for a large portion of the technicians working in calibration to have this extra qualification. It improves confidence in results and builds a more consistent and knowledgeable community of mentors for any new technicians entering the field. 

Calibration technicians need between three and five years of on-the-job experience to qualify for the certification exam, depending on their level of education, but the certification process itself is very straightforward. Applicants who can demonstrate that they meet the experience/education requirements must take a multiple-choice exam with 125 scored questions. The test is generally available both in-person and online, but with concerns due to COVID-19, only the online test may be available at the time this article is published. Regardless of whether it is taken in-person or online, the test will be scheduled at a specific time and have a designated time limit. The exam covers a wide range of topics related to calibration, including relevant mathematics, industry practices and regulations, quality systems, safety, and more. This requires applicants to demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of their field that may go beyond the knowledge they were using in their day-to-day job. The full list of topics covered on the exam is available in this brochure from ASQ

Even for experienced technicians, the test can be challenging. After all, certification is meant to demonstrate that you have more than a basic functional knowledge of calibration practices. If you are seeking to become a Certified Calibration Technician, the best way to prepare is to take a CCT Exam prep course. There are several such courses available online, but the prep course trusted by ASQ and offered on the ASQ website itself is the one developed by AWPT. Our approach is practice-based, providing two tests based on questions in the actual CCT exam, with a self-directed study module organized clearly by topic. Technicians planning to become certified should take their own learning style into account when choosing a prep course, but the most important consideration to keep in mind is how closely the prep material matches what will be on the test itself.  

More information about AWPT’s CCT Exam prep course is available on our web page, as well as on ASQ.org