Certification System

The National Robotics Training Center (NRTC) has developed an industry recognized certification system for production technicians based on ACT Work Keys assessments of industry technicians and input from subject matter experts from the robotics industry. The certification system is focused on the core skills needed by entry level or incumbent workers to enter production technician positions in the growing robotics and intelligent systems industry.

The NRTC Assessment and Certification System awards "Certified Robotics Production Technician (CRPT)" certificates to individuals for each of the three robotics assessments:

  1. Computer Systems
  2. Communications, Navigation, Mobility
  3. Sensors, Cameras, Photonics, Light Sources

To become a "Certified Robotics Production Technician (CRPT)" requires each candidate to pass all three of the NRTC assessments AND to have been awarded the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC) "Certified Production Technician (CPT)" certification which requires the candidate to pass all of the four MSSC modules: Safety, Quality Practices & Measurement, Manufacturing Processes and Production, and Maintenance Awareness.

NOTE: The Safety course and assessment includes cross-functional employability skills (e.g. communications, teamwork, customer awareness, workplace conduct, training ability). MSSC thus strongly recommends that individuals take the safety course and assessment first.

Robotics production technicians must have competencies in both robotics and production. The CPT certification fulfills the general production technician segment of the competency and the CRPT certification adds the robotics competencies. The NRTC Certified Robotics Production Technician credential will set the standard in the unmanned and intelligent systems manufacturing sector.

Benefits to employers include:

  • A pipeline of skilled workers by embedding NRTC and MSSC certification training into the schools
  • Decreased recruitment costs by providing job candidates with industry-recognized credentials
  • Elimination of remedial training costs by providing well prepared workers
  • A diagnostic tool to benchmark incumbent workers against a high-performance national standard
  • Increased ROI for training by targeting it against the gaps identified by the MSSC diagnostic tool
  • An aid to attracting, motivating and retaining qualified employees.

The credentials include:

  • A certificate for each successfully passed assessment
  • A large "Certified Robotics Production Technician" Certificate suitable for framing for each candidate passing all five of the modular assessments.