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Electrical/Instrumentation Grade 3

Plant Maintenance (PM) Electrical/Instrumentation Technologist Grade III Certification is designed to demonstrate competency at the lead or advanced technical level. More specifically, Grade III certification implies competence in the knowledge, skills and abilities required to perform the Essential Duties of a lead or advanced Electrical/Instrumentation Technologist.

Eligibility Criteria For Taking The Test
The basic requirement is six years of full-time work experience performing the Essential Duties of a Grade III Electrical/Instrumentation Technologist (listed below). You may also qualify by having four years of experience and holding any Grade II Plant Maintenance Certificate for two years, OR having four years of full-time experience and holding an Associate’s degree in a related field, OR having three years of full-time experience and holding a Bachelor’s, or higher, degree in a related field.

Eligibility criteria are summarized in the table below. You may qualify by meeting either Education/Experience Combination A, B, C, or D. If you do not meet any of the combinations of experience and education, then you do not qualify for Grade III:

Qualifying With Your Education
Holding a college degree, or its equivalent, in a field related to your vocation will reduce the number of years required for your test (see the table above). Your degree must be in a field that is related to the certificate for which you are applying. If you are uncertain if your degree is related to your vocation you should still include your degree information in your application. The Technical Certification Program Committee will determine if your degree qualifies. If it does not, you will be accepted for the next highest grade level for which you qualify. Associate’s and Bachelor’s degrees in technical fields are usually accepted. Degrees are evaluated on a case-by-case basis upon receipt of the application. College credit without a degree is not accepted unless it can be demonstrated that the credit is equivalent to a degree.

Essential Duties
Individuals certified as Grade III PM Electrical/Instrumentation Technologists are expected to possess acceptable competency when performing the tasks that are necessary for lead or advanced level electrical/Instrumentation Technologists. These necessary tasks are known as the Essential Duties. The certification test measures knowledge, skills and abilities required to perform the Essential Duties.

1. Supervises electrical instrumentation and power production systems staff to ensure division plans, goals, and objectives are met, including the development of recommendations regarding work organization, assignments, work schedules and staff training needs.
2. Conducts staff training and develops written training manuals.
3. Prepares performance evaluations and initiates disciplinary actions.
4. Assigns and participates in the work of skilled subordinate staff who design, install, test, adjust, modify and maintain digital and logic circuitry, microprocessor controlled devices and elements, such as programmable logic controllers, process control equipment, telemetering devices, recorders, sensors, alarms, and controllers on water and wastewater treatment process instruments and devices.
5. Performs and instructs staff in the safe, effective and efficient methods of hand and power tool operations and maintenance, electrical system testing and meter calibration.
6. Recognizes abnormally operating equipment and used advanced troubleshooting methods and skills to diagnose, analyze and recommend required repairs.
7. Assists in budget preparation with recommendations to include personnel requirements, tools, equipment, contract services, warehouse spare parts and future plant and pump stations capital expenditures for equipment and repairs required.
8. Performs the more complex corrective maintenance by inspecting equipment, checking voltage and amperage, tightening and cleaning equipment and locating potential problems.
9. Performs the more complex electrical circuit installation for additions or modifications by bending and installing conduit, pulling wire, wrings in circuit as shown on blueprints and testing systems for proper installations.
10. Maintains and repairs electrical equipment at pump stations such as motors, swithgears, substations and control equipment.
11. Generates power at pump stations during outages by connecting emergency generator to pump stations.

Complexity Of Test Questions
At the Grade III level, certificate candidates are expected to have the knowledge, skill and ability to safely and effectively accomplish and coordinate complex tasks as listed in the Essential Duties above. Grade III candidates are also expected to be familiar with the Grade I Plant Maintenance and Grade II Electrical/Instrumentation knowledge, skills and abilities. Examinees will have to answer multiple choice questions that test application, analysis, and synthesis of the subject matter. The complexity of the questions will cover the ability: to abstract in particular and concrete situations; to clarify and organize theories and ideas; and to put facts together to form a new solution.

Test Content Areas
The following list is an outline of Test Content Areas. Each content area is a Knowledge, Skill, or Ability that is required to perform the Essential Duties listed above. Since all of the Knowledge, Skills, or Abilities are required to perform the Essential Duties they are all equally important in the demonstration of acceptable competency. Thus, all of the content areas listed below are equally weighted on the test. Candidates should also be thoroughly familiar with the Grade I Plant Maintenance and Grade II PM Electrical/Instrumentation Test Content Areas.

1. Knowledge, skills and abilities identified on the Test Content Specifications for Plant Maintenance Grade I, and Electrical Instrumentation Technology Grade II.
2. Advanced electrical and instrumentation principles and methods, precision measuring devices, special and general electrical and instrumentation test meters, and gauges and current generators.
3. Safe and proper use of electrical and instrumentation test equipment, power and hand tools.
4. Preventive maintenance and repair of electrical and instrumentation equipment related to power productions systems for large stationary internal combustion engines, pumps, centrifugal blowers and compressors.
5. The operation and maintenance requirements of wastewater treatment plant and lift station equipment and motors.
6. Establish and maintain effective working relationships.
7. Communicate effectively both orally and in writing, in the English language.
8. Use electrical and instrumentation test equipment and design basic electrical and instrumentation controls.
9. Read, interpret and follow complex blueprints, electrical and instrumentation schematics, plans and drawings, equipment troubleshooting guides and parts lists.
10. Accurately detect, diagnose and repair electrical and instrumentation equipment problems.
11. Supervise, train and develop plant maintenance personnel.
12. Read, interpret, and follow complex servicing requirements, electrical and instrumentation testing and calibration routines.

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