NACE International, The Worldwide Corrosion Authority, is expanding its educational offerings with a series of online training courses to address an increased need for flexible education options.
The courses range from introductory—such as the Basic Corrosion Online program—to specialized topics like the Power Industry Corrosion Concepts and Corrosion in the Water & Wastewater Industry courses. These allow corrosion professionals to continue their education in a self-study format.
NACE introduced its first e-course—Intro to Coating Inspection—in 2011, and the society has continued to grow its online course portfolio with five distinct courses. The first module of the newest NACE e-course, Industrial Coating Application, will be available in summer 2016.
All NACE online courses are subscription-based for a period of one year, giving students ample time to access the course materials and complete the course work. The online courses allow students to earn Professional Development Hours (PDH) and prepare for certain NACE International Institute certification exams.
“Our online courses offer the same quality of education as our traditional courses,” says Pam Nicoletti, Director of Education at NACE International. “We want to give that opportunity to those who may not have the time or resources to travel to a NACE training center, or those who simply prefer to study at their own pace.”
NACE recently debuted its newest online educational offering, the Cathodic Protection Virtual Simulator. This interactive tool lets students practice their cathodic protection (CP) skills and prepare for certification exams through testing scenarios found in a live CP environment.
The simulator is based on the methodologies and testing done in NACE’s Cathodic Protection Level 1 and Level 2 classes. The simulator involves 12 stations, including a “Measuring Structure-to-Electrolyte Potential” and a “Calculation Station”, in an effort to replicate real-life field conditions.
"It is the job of industry management to ensure the latest corrosion control standards, technologies, and best practices are being followed," says Sandy Williams, NACE President. "Employees who maintain their credentials and continue to pursue professional education are up-to-speed on the profession.
They benefit by being the first considered for promotions and career advancement opportunities."
For their part, many NACE students say they are pleased with the convenient format of the e-course offerings. Over 1,500 students have completed a NACE International e-course, while more than 2,000 individual modules have been downloaded. Two of the courses were designed to allow students to select individual modules that pertain to their career or professional interests.
“The courses have provided me with a lot of technical information that I wouldn’t have known otherwise,” says Evan Aldred, a NACE student who works in the oil and gas industry. “They helped me understand a lot of things that I see in my day-to-day work, and there’s no other place I could really research it.”
NACE International says it plans to add more e-course programs in the years to come, citing increased demand from industry for more flexible education options.
For more details, visit NACE International’s
Training & Education page.