Industrial AI Professional Certification
A certification scheme for people, not for courses or companies. It assesses what someone can do with AI on a shop floor, whatever path they learned it by. The certification is theirs and travels with them.
Competence matrix, examination weights and decision rules, published in full.
A Diploma Is Not a Certification
A diploma evidences that you attended. A certification evidences that you can do it, is assessed by someone who did not train you, and expires if you stop keeping up. In industrial AI the difference is material: the market is full of people with recent training and no judgement to decide whether a model may touch a running line.
Evidences attendance and, at most, an assessment made by whoever delivered the course.
Limit: judge and party. And it never expires, even though the content is obsolete in eighteen months.
Evidences handling of a specific tool from a specific vendor.
Limit: it evaporates on changing tool, and does not cover the judgement to choose one.
Independent competence assessment, with a published matrix, an examination with declared weights and credit-based maintenance.
Adds: 4 levels, 8 competences, 10 roles and strict separation between who trains and who certifies.
IRIS-PRO:2026 Scheme
The complete scheme, in the open: what is assessed, at what weight, with what pass mark and under what decision rules. Publishing it is the only way a personnel certification means the same thing in two different sittings.
Scheme contents
- Scheme scope
- References
- Terms and definitions
- Annex A — The four levels
- Annex B — Competence matrix
- Annex C — Examination structure
- Annex D — Recertification and credits
- Annex E — Code of ethics
- Annex F — Role certifications
- Certification process
1 · 2 · 3 — Scope, References and Definitions
1 Scheme scope
This document defines the IRIS-PRO personnel certification scheme: the competences assessed, entry requirements, examination structure, decision rules and the conditions for maintaining and withdrawing certification.
1.1 What IRIS-PRO certifies
It certifies that a specific person has demonstrated, through independent assessment, the competences declared for a level. It does not certify their qualifications, their employer, or the courses they have taken.
1.2 Relationship with training
IRIS-PRO is independent of training. No specific programme is required: the examination can be entered on evidenced experience. An IRIS-EDU 21001 certified programme prepares for the examination but neither replaces it nor guarantees passing it.
1.3 Separation of training and certification
A structural principle of the scheme, taken from ISO/IEC 17024: whoever delivers the training cannot decide on the certification of that same person. An instructor may prepare candidates and may propose items, but does not assess someone they have trained nor take part in the decision on their file.
1.4 Exclusions
This scheme confers no legal entitlement to practise any regulated profession, does not replace official academic qualifications and does not by itself evidence the employer's compliance with any regulatory obligation.
2 References
The following documents are referred to and are indispensable for the application of this scheme.
- ISO/IEC 17024 — General requirements for bodies certifying persons.
- ISO/IEC 23988 — Use of technology in assessment.
- European Qualifications Framework (EQF) — Reference levels.
- IRIS 14001 — Industrial AI software conformity standard.
- IRIS-SEC 27001 — Information security in industrial AI.
- IRIS-EDU 21001 — Certification of training providers.
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 — Artificial Intelligence Act.
3 Terms and definitions
3.1 competence
Demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and skills to achieve the expected result in the context of an industrial process.
3.2 mastery level
Degree required for a competence at a certification level: Knows (identifies and explains), Applies (executes in a familiar situation), Designs (solves in a new situation) and Leads (decides and answers for the outcome).
3.3 item
Assessment unit with a determinable correct answer. Items undergo statistical analysis and are retired when their discrimination falls below threshold.
3.4 case
Extended industrial situation on which the candidate shall decide and justify, marked against a published rubric.
3.5 professional development credit
Unit for maintaining certification. One credit equals one hour of recognised activity under Annex D.
3.6 portfolio
Set of evidence of experience and results that replaces the item examination at Leader level.
Annex A — The Four Levels
They do not measure seniority: they measure responsibility for the decision. That is why Leader has no item examination — what is judged is a track record of decisions, not a body of knowledge.
Fundamental knowledge of industrial AI and its limits. Profile: anyone on the shop floor or in a technical office working alongside AI systems.
No experience requirement · 60-item examination · 65% pass mark
Ability to take part in an industrial AI project and hold independent technical judgement. Profile: process engineering, maintenance, quality, industrial IT.
2 years of industrial experience · 80 items + 2 cases · 70% pass mark
Responsibility for solution design and for the security architecture. Profile: industrial AI architects, automation and IT/OT leads.
5 years, 2 of them in industrial AI · extended case + oral defence · 75% pass mark
Leading the transformation at a plant or group of plants, including its impact on people. Profile: operations, innovation or transformation leadership.
8 years and an evidenced transformation · portfolio + panel, no item examination
Annex B (normative) — Competence Matrix
Eight competences by four levels. The scale is not one of quantity but of type of action: Knows identifies and explains; Applies executes in a familiar situation; Designs solves in a new situation; Leads decides and answers for the outcome.
| Competence | Associate | Professional | Expert | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 Fundamentals of AI applied to process | Knows | Applies | Designs | Applies |
| C2 Industrial data and traceability | Knows | Applies | Designs | Applies |
| C3 Architecture and IT/OT convergence | — | Applies | Designs | Knows |
| C4 Safety AI and safe degradation | Knows | Applies | Designs | Designs |
| C5 Human oversight and job design | Knows | Applies | Designs | Designs |
| C6 Employment impact and change management | Knows | Knows | Applies | Leads |
| C7 Regulatory framework and compliance | Knows | Knows | Designs | Designs |
| C8 Solution assessment and procurement | — | Knows | Designs | Leads |
Leader requires 'Leads' in C6 and C8 and drops to 'Knows' in C3: they are not asked to design the architecture, they are asked to decide on its procurement and answer for its effect on people.
Annex C (normative) — Examination Structure
Format and pass mark per level. The role block adds a further 25% over this distribution when a role certification is sought.
| Level | Format | Duration | Pass mark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Associate | 60 multiple-choice items | 90 min | 65% |
| Professional | 80 items + 2 short cases | 150 min | 70% |
| Expert | 60 items + extended case + oral defence | 240 min | 75% |
| Leader | Evidence portfolio + panel of three assessors | 90-min session | Reasoned panel decision |
Weights by Competence
| Competence | Associate | Professional | Expert | Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C1 Fundamentals of AI applied to process | 25 % | 20 % | 10 % | 5 % |
| C2 Industrial data and traceability | 15 % | 15 % | 15 % | 10 % |
| C3 Architecture and IT/OT convergence | — | 15 % | 20 % | 5 % |
| C4 Safety AI and safe degradation | 20 % | 15 % | 20 % | 15 % |
| C5 Human oversight and job design | 15 % | 15 % | 15 % | 15 % |
| C6 Employment impact and change management | 10 % | 5 % | 5 % | 25 % |
| C7 Regulatory framework and compliance | 15 % | 10 % | 10 % | 15 % |
| C8 Solution assessment and procurement | — | 5 % | 5 % | 10 % |
Weights are published in advance so that nobody has to guess what is asked. Items undergo statistical analysis after each sitting and are retired when their discrimination falls below threshold.
Annex D (normative) — Recertification and Credits
A certification that never expires means nothing in a field that changes every eighteen months. These are the maintenance conditions.
| Ref | Condition |
|---|---|
| D.1 | ValidityThree years from the date of issue, for all levels. |
| D.2 | Credits required40 credits at Associate and Professional; 60 at Expert and Leader. One credit equals one hour of recognised activity. |
| D.3 | Recognised activitiesContinuing training, delivered projects, technical publication, teaching, committee participation and IRIS audits as an observer. |
| D.4 | Cap per categoryNo category may provide more than 50% of the credits: certification is not maintained by attending courses alone. |
| D.5 | SuspensionFailure to meet the minimum suspends the certification for twelve months, during which it may be regularised. |
| D.6 | Withdrawal and re-examinationIf the suspension elapses unregularised, the certification is withdrawn and recovery requires re-examination. |
| D.7 | Scheme version changeA major revision of the scheme does not invalidate current certifications, which are updated at their next renewal. |
Annex E (normative) — Code of Ethics
Grounds for withdrawal other than the examination. A certification without a published disciplinary regime does not protect those who rely on it.
| Ref | Obligation |
|---|---|
| E.1 | Truthfulness of the portfolioFalsifying evidence of experience or results leads to immediate withdrawal. |
| E.2 | Examination confidentialityDisclosing items or cases invalidates the sitting and leads to withdrawal. |
| E.3 | Authorship of workPresenting someone else's work as one's own leads to withdrawal. |
| E.4 | Conflict of interest declarationCertified persons shall declare commercial ties to suppliers on which they express judgement. |
| E.5 | Use of the markThe mark identifies the person and their level; it may not be used to imply that their employer is certified. |
| E.6 | Publicity of withdrawalWithdrawal on ethical grounds is published in the register and bars re-examination for three years. |
Annex F (informative) — Role Certifications
The level says how deeply; the role says about what. They are expressed together: IRIS-PRO P·MNT is Professional level in the maintenance role. The role block weights a further 25% of the examination.
| Code | Role | Profile |
|---|---|---|
| IRIS-PRO·DG | General Management | CEOs, general managers and plant managers |
| IRIS-PRO·OPS | Operations | Operations directors and managers |
| IRIS-PRO·PROD | Production | Production managers, supervisors and team leaders |
| IRIS-PRO·MNT | Maintenance | Maintenance leads and technicians |
| IRIS-PRO·QA | Quality | Quality leads and technicians |
| IRIS-PRO·CI | Continuous Improvement | Continuous improvement and operational excellence leads |
| IRIS-PRO·LEAN | Lean | Lean specialists, Black Belts and consultants |
| IRIS-PRO·HR | Human Resources | Industrial HR directors and specialists |
| IRIS-PRO·SAFE | Safety and Prevention | Safety and risk prevention leads |
| IRIS-PRO·IT | Industrial IT and OT | Systems, industrial IT and OT leads |
How to Get Certified
Four steps. No programme is required: entry on evidenced experience is possible.
Level and, where applicable, role are chosen. The experience requirement for the level sought is evidenced.
Documentary verification of declared experience. Admission does not prejudge the examination result.
In person or remotely proctored, depending on level. Expert adds an oral defence; Leader replaces the examination with portfolio and panel.
Named certificate with level, role and expiry date, and entry in the public register of certified persons.
Scheme conditions
- Independence: whoever trains does not assess those they trained nor decide on their file.
- Retakes: two retakes per annual cycle are allowed, with a minimum 30-day gap.
- Appeals: every decision may be appealed to a committee other than the assessing one, within 30 days.
- Adjustments: reasonable adjustments of time and format are granted for evidenced disability.
- Public register: the validity of any certification can be verified by third parties using the certificate number.
Nature of the Scheme and Terms of Use
Transparency about what IRIS-PRO is and is not
What it is
IRIS-PRO is a personnel certification scheme owned by European Initiative Industry 4.0, built on the structure of ISO/IEC 17024 and openly published, with assessment independent of whoever delivers the training.
What it is not
It is not a certification accredited by ENAC or any national accreditation body, and implies no endorsement by ISO or IEC. It confers no legal entitlement to practise any regulated profession and does not replace an official academic qualification.
Having IRIS-PRO certified personnel does not by itself evidence the employer's compliance with any regulatory obligation, including those arising from Regulation (EU) 2024/1689.
Terms of use
The scheme is published openly for reading and citation. Use of the designation 'IRIS-PRO' and its mark is reserved to natural persons holding a valid certification, and always in reference to the person: a company cannot declare itself IRIS-PRO certified because its employees are.
Want to Get IRIS-PRO Certified?
Start by comparing the competence matrix with what you do in your job: it will tell you which level to sit and which role block applies to you.
Frequently Asked Questions about IRIS-PRO
Do I need to take a course to sit the examination?
No. IRIS-PRO is independent of training: the examination can be entered on evidenced experience, without having taken any programme. An IRIS-EDU 21001 certified programme prepares for the examination but neither replaces it nor guarantees passing. That separation is deliberate and comes from ISO/IEC 17024: whoever trains you cannot decide whether you are certified.
What is the difference between IRIS-PRO and IRIS-CORP?
IRIS-PRO certifies people, one by one, and the certification travels with them if they change employer. IRIS-CORP 30000 certifies the organisation as such: that it has the team, the processes and the maturity to adopt AI responsibly. A company may have many IRIS-PRO certified employees without holding IRIS-CORP, but not the other way round: IRIS-CORP requires a minimum of IRIS-PRO certified personnel per level.
What is the difference between the four levels?
It is not seniority, it is responsibility for the decision. Associate knows and recognises the limits; Professional applies in a familiar situation; Expert designs in a new situation and answers for the security architecture; Leader directs the transformation and answers for its impact on people. That is why Leader has no item examination: it is assessed by portfolio and panel, because what is judged is a track record of decisions, not a body of knowledge.
What is role certification and how does it combine with the level?
The level says how deeply; the role says about what. They are expressed together: for example IRIS-PRO P·MNT is Professional level in the maintenance role. The level sets the common examination and the role adds its specific block, weighting 25% of the test.
Does the certification expire?
It is valid for three years and is maintained with professional development credits: 40 credits at Associate and Professional, 60 at Expert and Leader. One credit is one hour of recognised activity. If the minimum is not evidenced, the certification is suspended for twelve months, and if not regularised within that period it is withdrawn and re-examination is required.
Can certification be lost for something other than the examination?
Yes. The Annex E code of ethics provides for withdrawal for falsifying portfolio evidence, for breaching examination confidentiality and for signing as one's own work that is not. Withdrawal on ethical grounds is published in the register and bars re-examination for three years.
Is it accredited or officially recognised?
No. IRIS-PRO is a scheme owned by European Initiative Industry 4.0, built on the structure of ISO/IEC 17024 but without accreditation from ENAC or any national body. It confers no entitlement to practise a regulated profession and does not replace an academic qualification. It is an independent competence assessment, and it is worth exactly as much as the rigour with which it is applied — which is why we publish the matrix, the examination weights and the decision rules.