The purpose of the Systems Software Integrator (SSI) certification is to reduce risk, improve quality, and ensure public safety from new emerging technologies as software and information technology increasingly converges with the operation of physical processes and machinery affecting our lives.
Are you or someone you know involved in this type of work? You could play a vital role ensuring this new credential meets the needs of today and into the future. Visit https://www.nicet.org/ssi to sign-up and receive the validation survey.
The need for an SSI certification program was identified by a task group within NICET’s parent organization the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). The task group determined that certifying systems software integrators using a standardized and centralized methodology will help secure the software supply chain. They identified affected industries include critical infrastructure like aerospace, automotive, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, electronics, power, and many others.
NICET began the development efforts in July 2023, that included creating a webpage and flyer, SME recruitment and vetting, and hiring new staff.
NICET hosted an in-person 3-day Job Task Analysis (JTA) workshop November 14-16, 2023. The JTA is the first step in new program development where the Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) identify the duties and tasks performed by professionals for whom this certification program is being developed for, as well as the underlying knowledge, skills, abilities, and attributes required to perform those tasks. The group also establishes the definition of the Minimally Qualified Candidate (MQC) and determines the content outline and the weightages. A total of 12 SMEs participated in this workshop. This group meets again after the results of validation survey are compiled to approve the final content outline & exam blueprint.
Based on the outcome of the Validation Survey, the item development phase could begin in March-April 2024 with the tentative timeline for the new program release in mid-2024.