This new method of testing is designed to maintain the highest degree of security standards while making certification testing options more convenient and accessible for professionals. The system allows candidates to schedule and conduct IASSC Black Belt, Green Belt and Yellow Belt Certification exams from their own computers in their own locations, such as a home or office, 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Professional IASSC representatives known as a “Web Proctors” monitor exam sessions through web cameras. Candidates enter into a controlled interface through the Internet where the Web Proctor checks for personal identification and the testing environment where the candidate will be performing the exam for compliance to standards. The Web Proctor then authorizes the initiation of the certification exams and monitors the candidate through completion of the exam just like an in-person testing environment.

“Though we currently have thousands of brick and mortar testing centers throughout the world delivering IASSC Certification Exams it is important we continually work to keep certification best-practices and the industry’s defined Lean Six Sigma standards at the forefront of what we do while expanding the convenience of testing options for candidates,” says Robert Shank, Managing Director of IASSC.

As the only third-party certification association within the industry IASSC has gained much recognition as a certification authority within the Lean Six Sigma field. IASSC has organized bodies of knowledge defined by thousands of Lean Six Sigma companies in a wide range of industries, from Production & Manufacturing to the Service & Transactional sectors. These bodies of knowledge are presented by IASSC in their official form as the “Generally Accepted Lean Six Sigma Bodies of Knowledge” because of their broad and extensive representation of the industry methodology. IASSC’s professionally developed certification examinations test a candidate’s knowledge and ability as it relates to these standards, all with a strict adherence to certification best-practices.

“It has been and will remain our primary goal to represent the Lean Six Sigma methodology in its truest form, as defined by the industry itself, and provide certification testing within a framework of certification best-practices used by other highly qualified professions. The addition of our On-Demand Web-Based Certification Testing method takes this framework and makes it even more accessible to the industry.”

About IASSC – http://www.iassc.org

The International Association for Six Sigma Certification (IASSC) is a member organization dedicated to growing and enhancing the standards within the Lean Six Sigma community. IASSC is the only independent third-party certification association within the Lean Six Sigma industry that does not provide training, mentoring and coaching or consulting services. IASSC facilitates and delivers centralized universal Lean Six Sigma Certification Standards testing within the Lean Six Sigma industry and provides a number of organizational accreditations to Lean Six Sigma companies. IASSC is a member of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence.

IASSC has established rigorous Black Belt, Green Belt and Yellow Belt certification examinations which are professionally designed to measure a person’s knowledge of the Lean Six Sigma methodology. Practitioners who have trained with any trainer, consultancy, university or corporation are permitted to sit for an IASSC certification exam. The exams are based on IASSC’s Universally Accepted Lean Six Sigma Body of Knowledge that is used by hundreds of Lean Six Sigma organizations worldwide. In addition, IASSC provides three accreditations, which will be primarily administered by the PeopleCert Group: Accredited Curriculum Provider, Accredited Training Associate and Accredited Training Organization.

“We are extremely pleased to be working with a secure, multi-national Examination Institute such as PeopleCert as we continue our efforts to standardize Lean Six Sigma qualifications worldwide. says Robert Shank, Managing Director of IASSC. This partnership will surely prove to be a significant benefit to Lean Six Sigma organizations and practitioners alike. PeopleCert will be the primary organization responsible for delivering IASSC certification exams and processing IASSC accreditations for organizations. This will allow us to continue to grow our association and educate the community about certification best practices.”

PeopleCert is widely recognized for its large volume of professional certifications, while being a vanguard for security within the certification industry. Their partnership with Pearson VUE has enabled PeopleCert to cover the globe for business certification needs without sacrificing security protocol. As a leading examination institute the PeopleCert network spans more than 160 countries and consists of approximately 8,500 examination centers.

“We are thrilled to be working closely with IASSC and we think this agreement represents a great opportunity to benefit our exam candidates and grow our portfolio of Certifications,” said Byron Nicolaides, CEO of PeopleCert. “IASSC offers a rigid exam, which is backed by their extensive industry research and insight. Working together, we will create more stability for the industry standards, which in turn makes all practitioners and corporate programs more valuable to everyone.”

IASSC and PeopleCert will begin to roll out the initiatives outlined in the agreement immediately with a plan to achieve full implementation by the end of October 2010.

About IASSC – www.iassc.org
The International Association for Six Sigma Certification (IASSC) is a member organization dedicated to growing and enhancing the standards within the Lean Six Sigma community. IASSC is the only independent third-party certification association within the Lean Six Sigma industry that does not provide training, mentoring and coaching or consulting services. IASSC facilitates and delivers centralized universal Lean Six Sigma Certification Standards testing within the Lean Six Sigma industry. IASSC is a member of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence.

About PEOPLECERT Group – www.peoplecert.org

PEOPLECERT Group is an International Personnel Certification Body that has issued to date more than 2.2 million certificates on a variety of certification schemes. PEOPLECERT certifications portfolio covers a very wide range of subjects by organizing examinations on globally recognized frameworks such as ITIL®, Lean Six Sigma, ISO Management Systems, ECDL/ICDL, City & Guilds Organizations, CEEL-ECLT and many others.

PEOPLECERT’s certifications are supported through a global network of over 8,500 accredited training and examination providers, while the integrity and reliability of the certification process is ensured by being accredited according to ISO17024 and certified according to ISO27001, ISO14001, ISO10002 and ISO9001.

As an expert in the field of IT education and certification Joep van Nieuwstadt has been heavily involved at high levels in many different standards: ECDL/ICDL, ITIL, ISO 20000, ISPL, COBIT, Prince2, IPMA, ASL and BISL, MOF, Six Sigma, Tmap and I-Tracks. As the CEO/Director of EXIN, currently one of the largest global certifying bodies, Joep took the institute from a national Dutch company to an international leader with 8 regional offices, 120 employees, and 20 million+ revenue.

“Joep understands the international certification sector as well as any other executive out there from his experience leading EXIN and ITIL,” says Robert Shank, Managing Director of IASSC. “By joining IASSC and the growing movement to centralize the young and fractured Lean Six Sigma industry, we have already strengthened our international operations.”

Joep van Nieuwstadt has already leveraged his substantial network to bring the US based IASSC to the largest institutions in the international training and certification business. “Having experienced many programs for IT certification, I recommend the way IASSC has structured their certification program for lean six sigma and see this as a highly appreciated and valued international model.”

Joep has published articles about education in IT, return on investment of (IT-)education. He is also a member of International Certification Qualification Board for ITIL, representing PeopleCert here and of the exam board of the Delft Top Tech, Master Education program for IT Governance of the University of Delft. Joep is still representing EXIN in the EESA, the European e-Skills Association.

About IASSC
The International Association for Six Sigma Certification (IASSC) is a member organization dedicated to growing and enhancing the standards within the Lean Six Sigma Community. IASSC is the only independent third-party certification association within the Lean Six Sigma Industry that does not provide training, mentoring and coaching or consulting services. IASSC facilitates and delivers centralized universal Lean Six Sigma Certification Standards testing within the Lean Six Sigma industry. IASSC is a member of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence.

In addition we are currently expanding our network to include facilities across Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Australia among other locations. It is estimated that these locations will begin administering exams in April 2010. Sign up to the IASSC newsletter to receive future announcements.