What EGSA Certifications Are Available and Who Are They For?

Updated

EGSA (the Electrical Generating Systems Association) lists two certification paths on egsa.org: Generator Technician Certification and Load Bank Certification. Both are aimed at people who service, test, or maintain on-site power equipment — generator technicians on one side, load bank technicians and operators on the other. If you are choosing between them, the deciding question is which equipment you actually work on day to day.

The Two Certifications at a Glance

Certification Primary audience Focus of the credential
Generator Technician Certification Technicians who service, troubleshoot, and maintain generator sets and related systems Generator set knowledge and hands-on technician competency
Load Bank Certification Personnel who operate, test with, or maintain load banks Load bank use and testing practice

Both sit under the Education section of the site, alongside the EGSA course catalog and the Onsite Power Generation Schools. That placement is a useful signal: the certifications are designed as part of a broader training and education program, not as standalone credentials with no coursework behind them.

Generator Technician Certification

This is the more natural fit if your work centers on generator sets — engines, alternators, controls, and the supporting systems listed in the EGSA Buying Guide categories (fuel systems, governors, voltage regulators, switchgear, and so on). The certification is structured around the technician role, so it makes most sense for people who are already doing or preparing to do generator service work and want a recognized way to demonstrate that competency.

Load Bank Certification

Load banks appear as their own product category in the EGSA Buying Guide, and this certification addresses the people who work with them directly. It is the better choice if your responsibilities involve load testing, commissioning support, or maintaining load bank equipment rather than generator repair itself. Some technicians will touch both areas; in that case, pick the certification that matches the majority of your work and treat the other as a later addition.

Who Each Certification Suits

Use these conditions to decide:

  • Choose Generator Technician Certification if your job is generator service, maintenance, or troubleshooting, or if you are an employer building a baseline competency standard for a generator service team.
  • Choose Load Bank Certification if your role is load testing, commissioning, or load bank operation and maintenance.
  • Consider both if you work across generator and load bank testing — for example, in a service company that commissions generator installations with load bank testing.

The site does not publish detailed eligibility rules in the material available here, so confirm prerequisites before committing. The FAQ pages linked from the certification section are the place to check.

Practical Next Steps

  1. Read the certification pages under Education → EGSA Certifications to confirm the scope of each credential.
  2. Check pricing — the site maintains a dedicated Pricing page at egsa.org/Education/EGSA-Certifications/Pricing. Fees and any membership-related terms are stated there; do not assume the certification is free or open without login.
  3. Review the FAQ for the certification program before registering, especially if you need to know about eligibility, exam format, or renewal.
  4. Look at the course catalog if you want preparation options — the Education section lists courses that support the certification paths.

Common Pitfalls

  • Assuming the two certifications are interchangeable. They cover different equipment. A generator technician credential does not substitute for load bank certification in a load-testing role.
  • Skipping the pricing page. Costs and any conditions are published separately from the certification descriptions, so check before you plan a budget or a team rollout.
  • Overlooking the education ecosystem. The certifications sit alongside courses and the Onsite Power Generation Schools; if you are new to the field, training may be the more sensible first step than certification.

For the broader question of what the site offers overall, the certifications are one part of a larger set of member resources, publications, events, and a product buying guide — but for training and credentialing decisions, the two certifications above are the relevant starting point.