CERTIFICATION
                                                         by Richard Goldy

    The next certification exam period is coming fast upon us. It will be administered by the local chapters. Thus far Chapter 105 has only one application for exam.  The last Certification Update from SBE national informed about a special program to be called "Certification Night". A special presentation has been designed and will be downloaded from the national website for use by local chapters. The intent is to provide presentation of the scope of the Certification Program and to answer the most frequently asked questions. Chapter 105 is tentatively scheduling this event for the month of July night meeting.
   Members have told the national office that they preferred the computer-based sample tests over the paper versions that have been available recently. A new series of such sample tests on computer discs are available. Each sample exam contains 100+ questions designed to aid you in preparation for a specific certification exam. My experience is that this is an excellent way to review and highlight areas for more study before the exam. Each disc costs $25.00 plus $2.00 for shipping and handling and can be ordered from the National Office. I would expect that you could order over the phone by calling Linda Godby-Emerick at 317-2531640 or she would send you an order form. With the cost of exam applications as high as it is, this sounds like a good investment to me. It would also be nice to donate the disc you buy to the chapter after you are finished with it.
  The Millennium Certification Project is reportedly off to a great start. This is the program whereby those of you who were formerly certified by SBE as Broadcast Technologist, Broadcast Engineer, or Senior Broadcast Engineer, in either radio or television, may be able to regain your certification without taking another exam. The application form is much the same as a standard one, except that it includes a narrative section for you to detail your experience in broadcast technology over the past years. When you submit the application, a member of the National Certification Committee reviews it, and if satisfactory, your former certification is restored.
  If you previously held Professional level certification, you can not be re-certified at that level. You can however, be re-certified at Senior level and then obtain CPBE at a later date by going through the application process.
   Starting next year, 25% of the certification exams will contain questions on digital technology. Sample tests and reading lists will be upgraded to prepare for those changes.
   An additional level of certification will be offered next year. This will be called Broadcast Networking Technologist. It is aimed at those who have demonstrated mastery of the basics of computer networking, especially in the area of audio and video servers. The exam will not have software or vendor specific questions, because it is intended to show knowledge of the fundamentals of LAN hardware, etc.
                                                                                      Richard Goldy, Certification ------------------------------------------------------------------