Therefore, you should hire certified experts.

The demands for competence are increasing in working life. This also increases the need to be able to evaluate and verify this competence. By hiring a certified professional, you as a buyer of the service can feel confident that you are getting what you pay for. Several of Swetic's members are accredited to certify people and we have gathered these companies in the technical committee for personal certification.

A certification body for personnel certification accredited by Swedac meets the requirements set out in the ISO/IEC 17024 standard and decided upon by Swedac. Swetic's Technical Committee for Personnel Certification consists of the member companies that are accredited to certify personnel. These may be inspection technicians, welders, control managers or energy experts. What is required to become certified depends on the professional or area of expertise in question.

– We, the member companies, check that the professionals meet the requirements set for them to retain their certificates. The checks are carried out regularly and apply, among other things, to knowledge requirements, impartiality and equivalent technical assessment, compliance with legal requirements and credibility. After passing the check, a personally certified professional receives a certificate with a validity period of usually five years, says Magnus Jerlmark, technical manager for personal certification at the member company Kiwa Certification.

There are also requirements placed on professionals during the validity period of the certificate.

– For example, they must report on completed assignments within the framework of the certification and, if necessary, undergo further training in the area. We, as a certification body, also have the option of revoking certificates if the certified person, for example, fails to perform their assignment, explains Magnus Jerlmark.

Increased career opportunities

It is not only buyers of services who benefit from certification. The industry and professionals can also benefit from increased requirements and continuous knowledge verification.

– A certification gives you as an expert increased confidence and more career opportunities. In turn, industries can use certification to raise the quality within a professional area and replace old routines and systems with new ones by updating the requirements in the certification, says Magnus Jerlmark.

– From Swetic's side, we believe that the application of personal certification will be expanded to new areas in the future. Certification is a method that is based on an established and well-functioning approach. It inspires trust and ensures quality, which we see the benefits of throughout the supply chain, says Jörgen Backersgård, chairman of Swetic.

Everyone can become certified

The opportunity to apply for certification, regardless of professional field, is open to everyone and there are no requirements for membership or employment in a particular organization. However, a certification under accreditation always includes an examination where both theoretical knowledge and practical experience are checked. Monitoring of the certificate takes place during its validity period and recertification takes place after a renewal examination.

– Authorities are responsible for supervising the work that certified persons perform and we, the certification bodies, are responsible for the certification. However, there is great variation in the quality of the work of professionals and since some interpret applicable legislation based on their own circumstances, the content is not always what one would wish. Within TK Personcertifizierung, we therefore work, among other things, to harmonize the assessments and ensure that competition takes place on equal terms for those who are certified, concludes Magnus Jerlmark.

Personal certification