What is Certification?

Certification is a voluntary, national program of industry recognition covering 8 occupations of designing, contracting, installing, operating, managing, retailing, providing advice and auditing.

Certification identifies the minimum skills and knowledge for people working in these occupations so as to perform their job to the satisfaction of water managers and customers.

Certification works regardless of irrigation system type, crop grown or region, for both rural and urban areas. The skills can even be negotiated to better suit particular industries.

Certification is the best opportunity to take the industry forward to a more sustainable future.

Certification is often confused with qualifications, accreditation and licensing. The two following tables will help you to differentiate between the each of these different but related concepts.

Type of credential	Recipient	Credentialing body	Required or Voluntary	Example	Lifespan	Consumer protection
Licensing	Individuals	Political body	Required	Driver’s licence	Periodic renewal	Can be withdrawn for misconduct
Accreditation	Programs/ organisations	Association/ agency	Voluntary	Quality assurance programs	Periodic renewal	Regular audits Can be withdrawn for misconduct
Certification	Individuals	Association/ Agency	Voluntary	IAL CID CPA	Periodic renewal	Regular skills updates Can be withdrawn for misconduct
Qualification	Individual	Training group	Voluntary	Degree/diploma	No renewal	None

Table 1. IAL standard definitions for professional development

Qualifications	Certification
Qualifications are developed and awarded by training institutions	Certification programs are developed and credentials bestowed by an industry association Standards may be higher than those of a qualification
Qualifications can be gained by school leavers or new entrants to the industry	Certification is for experienced people only
Qualifications are gained for life, there is no further learning required	Certification is only renewed if a person is active in their industry, keeping their knowledge and skills up to date
Qualifications cannot be taken away	Certification can be revoked if accepted industry codes or standards are not met

Table 2. How certification adds value to academic and vocational qualifications