ECQA Membership

The European Certification and Qualification Association offers different levels of membership. The roles have been grouped by the following areas of activities:

• ECQA Committe
• ECQA Examination Area
• Training Area

ECQA Committee

Job Role Committee (JRC) Member

A job role committee member represents a specific job role in the ECQA community. Job roles fulfill specific quality criteria (see guidelines) and JRC members sign an agreement with ECQA. There is a JRC consortium per job role. A JRC member does not pay an annual member fee if 10 man-days are provided per annum to work on the annual update of the skills set and test questions. Otherwise, if the 10 man-days are not invested (which is being evaluated by the JRC coordinator) an annual fee applies.

The JRC members have voting rights and every 2 years they elect the executive board of the ECQA association.

Exam Committee Member

An exam committee member represents an editor of a set of test questions for a specific job role in the ECQA community. The exam committee members are selected experts (approx. 4) of the job role committee and can be re-defined on an annual basis. If a significant effort is invested by certain JRC Member for real development of test questions two trainers can be registered free of charge for two years.

ECQA Examination Area

Certification Reviewer Committee

A certification reviewer committee member represents a reviewer of trainer applications, job role applications. The certification reviewer committee members are selected experts (one per job role) of the job role committees and can be re-defined on an annual basis. If a significant effort is invested by certain JRC member for review of applications (more than 2 reviews) a training body certification for one job role can be registered free of charge for two years.

Exam Body / Certification Body

Exam bodies and certification bodies are committed to use the ECQA testing and exam systems and portals and certification procedures (see guidelines). In the ECQA guidelines are criteria and agreements for certification bodies defined. Exam and certification bodies certify persons attending the job role training and performing the tests. The test questions (aligned to the skills sets) are provided by the JRCs within the ECQA association (JRC agreements).

Certification prices depend on the specific profession and certifier. In general 30% of the certification fee income is paid to ECQA association back by the certifier to finance the ECQA administration, marketing and testing / exam portals maintenance.

Training Area

ECQA Certified Training Provider

Training bodies fulfill defined criteria and have ECQA certified trainers as staff members (see guidelines). Training bodies are listed and sign a training body agreement clearly outlining the ECQA and the training body duties. Only ECQA certified training bodies are allowed to offer courses for ECQA certified job roles. Wrong usage of the ECQA name by others (non certified training bodies) will be sued by law, the court of Vienna applies (to protect the existing certified training bodies). ECQA certified training bodies are listed on the ECQA web site.

ECQA Certified Trainers

ECQA certified trainers fulfill defined criteria (see guidelines). Trainers have achieved an ECQA job role certificate and have attended a training of trainer course successfully. They need to complete a trainer application form. Trainers pay an annual certification fee, which depends on the specific certifier and job role. ECQA certified trainers are listed on the ECQA web site.

ECQA Certified Professionals

Professionals from industry attend ECQA job role specific courses held by ECQA certified training bodies and trainers. This ensures a high quality of course delivery and independence of testing. Professionals passing the test receive an ECQA job role specific summary certificate. The certificate price depends on the specific certifier and job role.

You are interested in becoming a part of ECQA? Contact our ECQA secretariat.