Fieldbus training facility in Europe!

The Fieldbus Foundation has announced that the STC-Group has opened new and renovated facilities at its premises in Brielle (NL). The improved process and maintenance industry training facilities at Brielle will enhance the training experiences of delegates attending the fieldbus training courses offered by STC-Group under the FOUNDATION™ Certified Training Program (FCTP).

In 2009, STC-Group's Brielle facility was one of the first educational institutions worldwide to offer fieldbus training courses certified under FCTP. This program establishes uniform standards for fieldbus educational curriculum around the globe, and defines acceptable levels of learning for students of the technology.

Earlier this year, the Fieldbus Foundation certified Dr. Bindert Douma as a FOUNDATION certified instructor on behalf of STC-Group. Dr. Douma has an extensive process automation background at Shell Global Solutions, a leading global energy company.

Recognition under the FCTP means that FOUNDATION fieldbus training courses are taught at a certified training site, by a certified instructor, using certified curriculum. The core instructional content, developed by a team of qualified instructors from various institutions worldwide, is consistent across all the training facilities. Through the program, educational institutions, curriculum and instructors are all audited to ensure they meet standardised educational requirements.

The FCTP currently offers three types of certification: FOUNDATION Certified Professional, FOUNDATION Certified Support Specialist, and FOUNDATION Certified Technical Specialist. Additional certifications may be added in the future. Any certified trainer can teach all of these certifications.

For educational institutions, there are rigorous procedures for gaining FCTP status, and for certifying course instructors and curriculum. Certified training centers are required to maintain multiple hosts and devices onsite in order to demonstrate competence with fieldbus technology. They are also audited to ensure their course material adheres to set instructional standards covering fieldbus segment limits; device replacements; commands, icons, menus and screen designs of different software packages; and communication, scheduling and function block assignments enabling configuration.

In addition, certified instructors are audited to see if they have achieved specified Fieldbus Foundation training goals. Instructors must demonstrate expertise in areas such as Human-Machine Interface (HMI) tools, fieldbus troubleshooting, simple device configuration, and device deployment and functionality across a fieldbus network

At its facility located in Brielle close to the Rotterdam-Europoort industrial areas, STC-Group has established a unique training centre for process control and automation. The combination of complex simulation facilities and hands-on training gives students a chance to enhance their theoretical knowledge and gain user experience by working on real fieldbus equipment and configurations. Dr. Douma commented, "Certification is important for STC-Group because we are recognised by the foundation as a high-quality training centre. This gives our customers a guarantee that the content of our courses, the materials used, and the knowledge of our trainers are up to date. For most of our customers, it is essential to be certified because of the value in their professional environment." He added, "It's a rewarding experience to be making a significant contribution to the skilled industrial automation workforce of the future!"

As adoption of FOUNDATION technology expands throughout the process industries, there is a corresponding need to train plant personnel on its use and implementation. Fieldbus Foundation-certified training courses and workshops are offered at certified centres located around the world and through certified trainers at other nominated locations. To ensure complete accessibility to certified training, the use of portable FOUNDATION systems allows certified trainers to conduct training courses for multiple students at a company's own premises or appropriate venue.