Certified CIP Technician (C2T)

Course Information

Certified CIP Technician is designed for those with responsibilities for specific technical aspects of NERC CIP Compliance, including SMEs within transmission, generation, system operations, networking, telecommunications, information technology, physical security and cybersecurity.

This program signifies competence in implementing technical aspects of the NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) standards. This credential contains a subset of the C3P competencies and adds additional technical competencies.

Upon completion of this program, recipients will:

  • Demonstrate knowledge of the standards, including a deep understanding of the technicalrequirements and the operational and technology contexts in which they applied.
  • Have a general awareness of compliance oversight and enforcement processes.
  • Apply regulatory and compliance oversight processes used to enforce the standards.
  • Be qualified to implement, on a day-to-day basis, technical controls necessary to meet CIP requirements.

Related Certifications and Experience

A broad range of prior certifications and experience may constitute prior learning for this credential, including CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, GIAC certifications, CCNA, MCSE, etc. Previous experience in information systems or operational technology support will map to this credential.

Target Staff Functions

Cybersecurity, Operational Technology, Networking and Communications, Regulatory Compliance, associated management.

Program Elements:

Credential Elements

Online Self-Assessment Tests

We are developing online knowledge tests that students can use to gauge their level of learning and understanding of the course material. These will be available in early 2022.

Monthly CIP Chats Call

Our monthly CIP Chats are a 1-hour live discussion on recent developments or hot topics related to NERC CIP compliance. These will be led by EnergySec staff and instructors but will allow for discussion amongst all participants.

OJT Work Experience Guide

Work experience is a key component of developing mastery of CIP concepts and the body of knowledge. Program participants have access to a roadmap of specific tasks and experiences they should seek to participate in to fully develop their CIP competencies.

Competency Assessments for Credential Award

Program participants seeking to earn the associated credentials will have access to the required competency assessments. In some cases, proctored testing may be required which will entail an additional fee.

Courses in Development

Additional courses are being developed as part of our CIP credentials program. We currently plan to launch five new courses in beginning in early 2022. Each of these are currently in various stages of planning and development.

Industry Fundamentals for CIP

Target Course Length: 1 day

This course is intended to provide background information on industry operations to enable a better understanding of the context and relevance of CIP standards. The target audience is compliance professionals that lack background in some or all areas of utility operations.

Supplemental Elements for Credential

Access to Class Recordings

Since Spring of 2020, our CIP courses have been offered online. Online classes are recorded for later viewing by attendees.

On-Demand Course Access

In addition to the recorded classes, individual recordings of each class unit are being developed for on-demand viewing.

Additional On-Demand Video Library

In addition to recorded course presentations, additional videos that delve deeper into specific topics are being developed. These videos will build on the information presented in course materials providing more extensive and thorough discussion than can be accomplished in limited class time. More than 50 topics have been identified and the first videos will be released in late 2021

Self-Study Guide and Resource Library

The self-study guides for CIP courses provide a roadmap for further study and review of topics presented in class. All referenced documents are available directly from the class repository for convenience.

Email Access to CIP Instructor

Our CIP instructors are available via email to program participants. This allows a convenient resource to get quick answers to questions that arise between or after class sessions.

Monthly Zoom Open Q&A

Program participants have access to regular online Q&A sessions with our CIP instructors. These willbe held at least monthly, but possibly more frequently based on demand