CLD-R concerns

[SteveChandler]

I just got my certification and have not had the pleasure of going through recertification. But judging by the samples it looks more like a trivia contest. It must be extremely difficult for NI to come up with questions that are meaningful.

I have a question about recertification. What happens if you do not pass? Do you get to keep trying until your CLD expires or do you have to start from square one?

[NIDave]

Per my correspondence with NI you can take it unlimited times...

Recertification Exam Details(CLD-R😞
·        One hour,  40 multiple-choice questions, closed book exam
·        Unlimited attempts to take the exam
·        Exam cost per attempt:  $199.00
·        Scheduled by and taken at a Pearson Vue testing center (http://www.vue.com/ni/)

[JHaas]

I wonder if you can now take it unlimited times even if your CLD has expired? A few years ago I asked NI this question and they said that if you have not re-certified and the CLD has expired you have to go back to the beginning and take the 4 hour programming test again.

[SteveChandler]

---

@JHaas wrote:

I wonder if you can now take it unlimited times even if your CLD has expired? A few years ago I asked NI this question and they said that if you have not re-certified and the CLD has expired you have to go back to the beginning and take the 4 hour programming test again.

---

I thought that if it expired you have to start with the CLAD, then the CLD programming exam.

[LV_Pro]

I think there is a grace period after your CLD expires before having to start from scratch, don't remember how long though.

[NIDave]

There's a 1-year period where your CLD is "suspended" during which you can take the CLD-R.  After the two years and the additionl year of suspension pass you are, to the best of my knowledge, required to start back with your CLAD. 

-Dave

[Wes_P]

Hi Everyone,

NIDave is correct. The certification is active for 2 years after passing the certification test. After that, there is a 1 year grace period during which your certification is no longer valid, but you will still be given the opportunity to take the recertification test. If you do not recertify during that time, your certification will expire, and you will need to start over with the certification program. Lower level certifications are prerequisite for higher level certifications. For example, before being allowed to take the CLD exam, you must be CLAD certified. Before being able to take the CLA exam, you must be CLD certified. You are allowed an unlimited number of attempts at any exam (as long as you currently hold the prequisites for that exam). However, there must be a minimum of 15 days between attempts.  This link explains the Recertification Process in detail. As always, if you have any specific questions, please feel free to email certification@ni.com.

[elset191]

---

@wes P wrote:

Hi Everyone,

NIDave is correct. The certification is active for 2 years after passing the certification test. After that, there is a 1 year grace period during which your certification is no longer valid, but you will still be given the opportunity to take the recertification test. 

---

Does this 1 year window also apply if I want to take the CLA instead of recert, or do I have to do that while my CLD is valid?

[Wes_P]

Hi Tim,

That's a good question. From the "Suspended (Expired)" section from the link above, it says that your current certification must be active for you to advance to a higher certification. For example, if you are currently in the one-year grace period with your CLD certification, you must first take the CLD-R before you will be eligible to take the CLA.

[RobCole]

The other comment that I had after my failed CLD-R exam that went against what our NI rep had told us, is that you must know information from the latest version of LabVIEW. At the time I took the exam, our company had not yet moved to LabVIEW 2010, but there were two questions that were only relevant to LV 2010.

Our local rep had told us that we did not have to know and/or have the latest version.

I would have preferred to write the 4 hour CLD over again than take a test with irrelevant and trivia type of questions.

     Rob