What Standards, Training, and Certification Programs Does ISA Offer?

Updated

ISA (the International Society of Automation) offers three main resource families: standards for defining technical and compliance requirements, training for building specific job skills, and certification and certificate programs for validating professional competence. Which one you need depends on your goal: if you must meet a technical or regulatory requirement, start with standards; if you need to learn a skill, start with training; if you need to demonstrate competence to an employer or client, start with certification. ISA describes its mission as advancing technical competence by connecting the automation community to achieve operational excellence.

ISA Standards

ISA standards are the reference documents that define accepted practice in automation and related fields. They are most useful when you need a shared technical basis for design, procurement, or compliance work.

  • Who they suit: engineers, integrators, plant and operations staff, and anyone whose work must align with recognized automation practice.
  • How to access them: ISA notes that one membership benefit is free viewing of most ISA standards, available through its Member Access to ISA Standards page. If you only need occasional reference, membership may cover your needs; if you need to cite or distribute standards organizationally, check the specific access terms for each document.
  • Current example: ISA's site highlights a Cybersecurity Awareness Month offer of 10% off select cyber standards, valid through 31 October. This shows that standards are also sold individually, so buying a specific standard is an alternative to membership.

ISA Training

Training is the right choice when the gap is a skill rather than a document. ISA's training catalog spans general automation topics and specialized areas such as operational technology (OT) cybersecurity.

  • Cybersecurity training example: During Cybersecurity Awareness Month, ISA advertises a 300 USD saving on ISA cyber training, valid through 31 October.
  • Targeted course example: IC31C is presented as a course for identifying cybersecurity risks and strengthening defenses for water and wastewater operations, positioned as an addition to an ASE experience.
  • How to choose: match the course to your actual system. If you work in water or wastewater, a sector-specific course like IC31C addresses risks in that environment directly; if your need is broader, look for foundational automation training first.

Certification and Certificate Programs

Certification and certificate programs are for people who need to show evidence of competence, not just attend a course. ISA lists "ISA Certification and Certificate Programs" as a distinct area alongside membership, standards, training, publications, and events.

  • Who they suit: professionals preparing for role changes, consultants who must demonstrate credibility, and employers building a qualified team.
  • How to decide: treat certification as the end goal and training as the path. Confirm the specific program's prerequisites and scope before committing, since the site presents certification as a separate offering from individual courses.

Choosing Between Them

Your need Start with Why
Apply recognized technical requirements or support compliance ISA Standards Standards define the accepted practice you must follow
Learn a specific skill, such as OT cybersecurity for water/wastewater ISA Training Courses like IC31C target defined operational risks
Demonstrate competence to employers or clients Certification and Certificate Programs Credentials validate capability rather than teach it
Ongoing access to most standards ISA Membership Free viewing of most ISA standards is a listed member benefit

Practical Next Steps

  1. Define the outcome first. Decide whether you need a document to work from, a skill to acquire, or a credential to present.
  2. Check timing on current offers. The cybersecurity training discount (300 USD) and the 10% discount on select cyber standards both expire 31 October, so confirm eligibility before budgeting.
  3. Use ISA's own navigation. The site organizes resources under "I am Interested in" (Membership, Standards, Training, Certification and Certificate Programs, Publications, Events and Conferences, Technical Content Topics), which is the fastest route to the relevant program page.
  4. Ask a specific question if unsure. ISA provides Mimo, an AI-powered assistant trained on ISA content including standards, training, reports, articles, and presentations, for questions about industrial automation.

One caution: the site does not publish prices for membership or most programs in the material available here, so confirm current costs and access terms on the relevant page rather than assuming any resource is free.