What is it like to sit the CTCB-I Professional exam?
It looks and sounds scary! Daunting! Intimidating! One or two months of distance learning before the day of revision then a two-hour written exam. Airflow practical, HEPA filter testing practical and not to mention the report writing – all under exam conditions. The last time you sat an exam was likely either at school or during your previous CTCB-I Professional. It’s enough to make your head wobble. Testers who’ve worked in the industry for 30 years still get nervous about sitting these exams and that’s because it’s the gold standard. If you hold a CTCB-I Professional qualification you’re part of an elite group of cleanroom testers maintaining the highest standards in the industry.
Is it so scary?
The reality is that there is a lot to know. The standards are always available to you but the test requires a deep understanding of ISO 14644 parts 1 and 3 and GMP annex 1. All explained in Bill Whyte’s book, and the course text book; ‘Cleanroom testing and monitoring’The exams are prompting and guiding you to demonstrate that you can apply your knowledge to a professional standard. The standards are available to you in certain parts of the exam, but you would be expected to know the airflow equations that are used in day to day testing. And so if you are prepared it is not scary. These are questions that you have likely been asked by customers and colleagues as you go about your everyday tasks.
Is it daunting?
There is a minimum requirement of hours that you must have spent testing in the field. The reason for this is to make sure that you are ready. Once you have reached the minimum required hours testing you are ready to demonstrate and be recognised as the professional you are.
Is it intimidating?
The CTCB-I examiners work in the Cleanroom industry alongside you. They are willing you on. As your peers they are routing for you. They want you to show them what you do day-to-day when you are out testing. Essentially that you are competent to highlight any issues and make educated recommendations to the customer of how to deal with them.Our customers rely on the integrity of their cleanroom and separative devices, in some cases it is literally life saving equipment and so we need to get it right. You could be signing off a cleanroom as safe to produce medicines without compromising a patient’s life, or safe for nuclear containment saving thousands of lives.
So what is it like to sit the CTCB-I professional course?
I would describe it as intense but rewarding. The yin and yang of the ever evolving cleanroom world. The reason I am so keenly involved in the CTCB-I training is that although our standards are updated regularly the true innovation is seen in the field and the CTCB-I courses offer a melting pot of knowledge and experience shared amongst professionals.
Written by Toni Horsfield. CTCB-I professional. Owner of ISO Cleanroom and part of the CTCB-I examining team.
