CertificationIEEE Certified Biometric Program: Meeting a growing demand

The growing trend of using fingerprints, voice identification, iris scans, and more to identify people and protect valuable information has caused the security industry to recognize a growing need for trained biometric professionals. In a ZDNet article, Steven Hayes, managing director at recruitment consultancy IT&T careers, comments on the dilemma many IT companies face when hiring new employees, which is reflective of those who have acquired biometric certifications through similar programs: “I think someone with good hands-on experience may not necessarily be considered because they don’t have the certification, likewise, someone with the certification, but without hands-on experience, won’t be considered either.”

With biometric technologies fast becoming the standard identity authentication method in both government and private organizations, the demand for employees versed in biometrics grows; the IEEE offers a first-of-its kind biometric certification program.

With more than 395,000 members in 160 countries, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE) is an association for the advancement of technology in aerospace, computers, telecommunications, biomedical engineering, and more. First introduced at the 2009 Biometrics Consortium Conference in Tampa, Florida, IEEE’s Certified Biometrics Professional^® (CBP) is a certification program that enables individuals to meet the training, hiring, and evaluation needs of professionals and companies throughout the biometrics industry.

Catherine J. Tilton, vice president of standards and emerging technologies at Daon and one of the professionals who helped to develop the program commented on the program’s growing popularity: “For one thing, it’s a statement. It’s saying that biometrics is a real profession, and that is something that we have lacked in the past. This actually proves that you have some base-level of the technology.”

The certification program offers comprehensive print and Web-based materials that prepare an individual for a 3-hour long standardized test which consists of 150 multiple choice questions. The course, which covers various biometric modalities and applications, serves as a broad educational baseline and aims to fill the gap between a basic introductory overview and the biometric education received at a graduate engineering level.

In an interview with Homeland Security NewsWire interview, Richard Ringold from the IEEE CBP program described the program as gaining “global traction.”

Ringold continued: “We’re very pleased by the positive response so far, with CBP candidates from North America, Europe, Africa, Middle East, Asia, Australia and Latin America. It provides a credible, standard way to prove your knowledge and skills in this important, emerging field.”

Although there is not a specific educational or experience requirement to take the CBP exam, most candidates have been from homeland security, border control, defense, law enforcement or IT security backgrounds. Those earning the CBP have included government contractors, system integrators, suppliers, engineers, government employees, and consultants.

The IEEE certification is a stand-alone professional development and credentialing program, yet some academic institutions are also looking to integrate the program’s materials into their biometrics curriculums. Ringold commented on the increasing rate of enrollment for this year: “By the end of the year we should be somewhere around 400 candidates.”

The exam is $495 for IEEE members and $595 for non-members, and the learning system is $795 for IEEE members and $895 for non-members. For those interested, IEEE CBP offers a free demo online of the software and print components of the training.