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IST

CEDIA CERTIFIED INTEGRATED SYSTEMS TECHNICIAN (IST)

CEDIA is proud to introduce the new global standard of excellence for experienced technicians who want to stand out from the crowd, be recognized for their expertise and earn the respect of their clients, employers, and industry partners.  

The CEDIA Certified Integrated System Technician (IST) was designed by integrators who believe that a truly successful technician is not only competent in a broad range of essential skills but is also committed to professional ethics and ongoing learning.

It doesn’t matter if you are a one-person shop or work for a large integration firm. If your job involves installing and connecting technology in the home, this is your certification. We invite you to join a community of certified technicians who take pride in their work and what it means to be a professional.

Description

This certification represents a technician who can work independently to perform all functions related to the pre-wire (First Fix) and trim-out (Second Fix) phases of a project including troubleshooting common errors and verifying system functionality. Certified technicians follow best practices to properly mount and install a wide range of home technology equipment in racks and throughout a residence. They understand the basic concepts of how audio, video, and communication and control devices work, and perform the basic configuration of various integrated systems and equipment. This certification indicates to employers that a person has experience, possesses a broad range of essential technical skills, and is able to pursue more specialized and advanced training on specific technology systems.

Features of the IST

The IST was released in November 2021 and is the result of a year-long process involving input from hundreds of residential integrators around the globe. The IST replaced CEDIA’s ESC-T as the primary intermediate-level technician certification for the industry. 

  • Updated – The content of this exam has been thoroughly vetted by a team of over 20 global subject matters experts.
  • Aligned – This certification is the next step for technicians who have already earned the entry-level CEDIA Cabling & Infrastructure Technician (CIT) certification. Likewise, all of CEDIA’s specialist credentials such as the ESC-N and ESC-D will build directly on top of the core knowledge represented at the IST level. Overlapping content between certifications has been removed.
  • Supported – Apart from the Certification process, CEDIA’s Education and Standards departments have used the IST blueprint to create new curriculum and reference materials that align to this framework and give learners a clear pathway to follow.
  • Global - CEDIA has worked hard to ensure that, as much as possible, the content is representative of a global audience.
The CEDIA Certified Cabling & Infrastructure Technician (CIT) is accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) has having met the global standard for personnel certification bodies as defined by the ISO/IEC 17024 standard.
The CEDIA Certified Integrated System Technician (IST) is accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) as having met the international standard for personnel certification bodies defined by the ISO/IEC 17024 standard.
  • Exam Cost

  • Exam Length and Format

  • Eligibility

  • Experience Level

  • Duration and Renewal

  • Transition from ESC-T

  • Preparing for the Exam

  • Exam Blueprint Summary

  • Application and Scheduling

Contact certification@cedia.org or enter your information below and a certification staff member will be in touch with you.

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