PCPP-32-101 approach - PCPP1-Certified Professional in Python Programming 1 Updated: 2024
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PCEP-30-02 PCEP ? Certified Entry-Level Python ProgrammerPCPP-32-101 PCPP1-Certified Professional in Python Programming 1
Analyze the code and choose the best statement that describes it.
A. ___ne___() is not a built-in special method
B. The code is erroneous
C. The code is responsible for the support of the negation operator e.g. a = - a.
D. The code is responsible for the support of the inequality operator i.e. i =
Answer: D
Explanation:
The correct answer is
D. The code is responsible for the support of the inequality operator i.e. i != j. In the given code snippet, the __ne__
method is a special method that overrides the behavior of the inequality operator != for instances of
the MyClass class. When the inequality operator is used to compare two instances of MyClass, the __ne__ method is
called to determine whether the two instances are unequal.
Question: 176
Analyze the following snippet and select the statement that best describes it.
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A. The code is an example of implicitly chained exceptions.
B. The code is erroneous as the OwnMath class does not inherit from any Exception type class
C. The code is fine and the script execution is not interrupted by any exception.
D. The code is an example of explicitly chained exceptions.
Answer: D
Explanation:
In the given code snippet, an instance of OwnMath exception is raised with an explicitly specified __cause__ attribute
that refers to the original exception (ZeroDivisionError). This is an example of explicitly chaining exceptions in
Python.
Question: 177
Analyze the following snippet and decide whether the code is correct and/or which method should be distinguished as
a class method.
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A. There is only one initializer, so there is no need for a class method.
B. The getNumberofCrosswords () method should be decorated With @classmethod.
C. The code is erroneous.
D. The gexNumberOfcrosswords () and issrived methods should be decorated with @classzoechod.
Answer: B
Explanation:
The correct answer is B. The getNumberofCrosswords() method should be decorated with @classmethod. In the given
code snippet, the getNumberofCrosswords method is intended to be a class method that returns the value of the
numberofcrosswords class variable. However, the method is not decorated with the @classmethod decorator and does
not take a cls parameter representing the class itself. To make getNumberofCrosswords a proper class method, it
should be decorated with @classmethod and take a cls parameter as its first argument.
B. The getNumberofCrosswords() method should be decorated with @classmethod. This is because the
getNumberofCrosswords() method is intended to access the class-level variable numberofcrosswords, but it is defined
as an instance method, which requires an instance of the class to be created before it can be called. To make it work as
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a class-level method, you can define it as a class method by adding the @classmethod decorator to the function.
Here's an example of how to define getNumberofCrosswords() as a class method:
classCrossword:
numberofcrosswords =0
def __init__(self, author, title):
self.author = author
self.title = title
Crossword.numberofcrosswords +=1
@classmethod
defgetNumberofCrosswords(cls):
returncls.numberofcrosswords
In this example, getNumberofCrosswords() is defined as a class method using the @classmethod decorator, and the cls
parameter is used to access the class-level variable numberofcrosswords.
Reference: Official Python documentation on Classes: https://docs.python.org/3/tutorial/classes.html
Question: 178
Select the true statements about the sqlite3 module. (Select two answers.)
A. The fetchalt method returns None when no rows are available
B. The execute method allows you to perform several queries at once
C. The execute method is provided by the Cursor class
D. The fetchone method returns None when no rows are available
Answer: A,C,D
Explanation:
C. The execute method is provided by the Cursor class
This statement is true because the execute method is one of the methods of the Cursor class in the sqlite3 module. The
Cursor class represents an object that can execute SQL statements and fetch results from a database connection. The
execute method takes an SQL query as an argument and executes it against the database. For example, cur =
conn.cursor (); cur.execute (âSELECT * FROM tableâ) creates and executes a cursor object that selects all rows from
a table.
D. The fetchone method returns None when no rows are available
This statement is true because the fetchone method is another method of the Cursor class in the sqlite3 module. The
fetchone method fetches the next row of a query result set and returns it as a single tuple or None if no more rows are
available. For example, row = cur.fetchone () fetches and returns one row from the cursor object or None if there are
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no more rows.
Question: 179
What is true about the invocation of the cget () method?
A. It can be used to read widget attributes.
B. It has the same effect as the config () method.
C. It can be used to set new values to widget attributes.
D. It can be replaced with a dictionary-like access manner.
Answer: A
Explanation:
The cget() method in Python is used to read the configuration options of a widget in Tkinter. It retrieves the value of a
specified configuration option for a Tkinter widget. Hence, option A is the correct answer.
Question: 180
In the JSON processing context, the term serialization:
A. names a process in which Python data is turned into a JSON string.
B. names a process in which a JSON string is turned into Python data.
C. refers to nothing, because there is no such thing as JSON serialization.
D. names a process in which a JSON string is remodeled and transformed into a new JSON string
Answer: A
Explanation:
In the JSON processing context, the term serialization:
A. names a process in which Python data is turned into a JSON string.
Serialization refers to the process of converting a data object, such as a Python object, into a format that can be easily
transferred over a network or stored in a file. In the case of JSON, serialization refers to converting Python data into a
string representation using the JSON format. This string can be sent over a network or stored as a file, and later
deserialized back into the original Python data object.
Reference: Official Python documentation on json: https://docs.python.org/3/library/json.html#json-serialization
Question: 181
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What does the term deserialization mean? Select the best answer.
A. It is a process of creating Python objects based on sequences of bytes.
B. It is a process of assigning unique identifiers to every newly created Python object
C. It is another name for the data transmission process
D. It is a process of converting the structure of an object into a stream of bytes
Answer: A
Explanation:
A. Deserialization is the process of converting data that has been serialized or encoded in a specific format, back into
its original form as an object or a data structure in memory. In Python, this typically involves creating Python objects
based on sequences of bytes that have been serialized using a protocol such as JSON, Pickle, or YAML.
For example, if you have a Python object my_obj and you want to serialize it to a JSON string, you might do
something like this:
importjson
serialized_obj = json.dumps(my_obj)
To deserialize the JSON string back into a Python object, you would use the json.loads() method:
deserialized_obj = json.loads(serialized_obj)
This would convert the JSON string back into its original Python object form.
Reference:
Official Python Documentation on
Serialization: https://docs.python.org/3/library/pickle.html#module-pickle
Real Python Tutorial on Serialization and Deserialization in Python: https://realpython.com/python-serialization/
Deserialization is the process of converting a sequence of bytes, such as a file or a network message, into a Python
object. This is the opposite of serialization, which is the process of converting a Python object into a sequence of bytes
for storage or transmission.
Question: 182
Analyze the following snippet and select the statement that best describes it.
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A. The code is syntactically correct despite the fact that the names of the function parameters do not follow the naming
convention
B. The *arg parameter holds a list of unnamed parameters
C. The code is missing a placeholder for unnamed parameters.
D. The code is syntactically incorrect - the function should be defined as def f1 (*args, **kwargs) :
Answer: B
Explanation:
The provided code snippet defines a function f1 that accepts variable-length arguments using the *args and **kwargs
syntax. The *args parameter allows for an arbitrary number of unnamed arguments to be passed to the function as a
tuple, while the **kwargs parameter allows for an arbitrary number of named arguments to be passed to the function
as a dictionary.
Therefore, the correct statement that best describes the code is:
B. The *args parameter holds a list of unnamed parameters, while the **kwargs parameter holds a dictionary of named
parameters.
Reference:
Official Python documentation on Function definitions: https://docs.python.org/3/tutorial/controlflow.html#defining-
functions
The arg parameter holds a list of unnamed parameters. In the given code snippet, the f1 function takes two arguments:
*arg and **kwarg. The *arg syntax in the function signature is used to pass a variable number of non-keyword
(positional) arguments to the function. Inside the function, arg is a tuple containing the positional arguments passed to
the function. The **kwarg syntax in the function signature is used to pass a variable number of keywordarguments to
the function. Inside the function, kwarg is a dictionary containing the keyword arguments passed to the function.
Question: 183
Which one of the following methods allows you to debug an XML tree in the xml.etree ELementTree module?
A. debug
B. dump
C. log
D. parse
Answer: B
Explanation:
The dump() method in the xml.etree.ElementTree module allows you to output a debug representation of an XML tree
to a file or standard output. This method is useful for analyzing the structure of the tree and tracking down errors.
Reference: Official Python documentation on the ElementTree module:
https://docs.python.org/3/library/xml.etree.elementtree.html
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Question: 184
Which function or operator should you use to obtain the answer True or False to the Question: "Do two variables refer
to the same object?"
A. The = operator
B. The isinstanceO function
C. The id () function
D. The is operator
Answer: D
Explanation:
To test whether two variables refer to the same object in memory, you should use the is operator. The is operator
returns True if the two variables point to the same object in memory, and False otherwise.
For example:
a = [1, 2, 3]
b = a
c = [1, 2, 3]
print(a is b) # True
print(a is c) # False
In this example, a and b refer to the same list object in memory, so a is b returns True. On the other hand, a and c
refer to two separate list objects with the same values, so a is c returns False.
Reference:
Official Python documentation on
Comparisons: https://docs.python.org/3/reference/expressions.html#not-in
Official Python documentation on Identity
comparisons: https://docs.python.org/3/reference/expressions.html#is
The is operator is used to test whether two variables refer to the same object in memory. If two variables x and y refer
to the same object, the expression x is y will evaluate to True. Otherwise, it will evaluate to False.
Question: 185
What is true about type in the object-oriented programming sense?
A. It is the bottommost type that any object can inherit from.
B. It is a built-in method that allows enumeration of composite objects
C. It is the topmost type that any class can inherit from
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D. It is an object used to instantiate a class
Answer: C
Explanation:
In Python, type is the built-in metaclass that serves as the base class for all new-style classes. All new-style classes in
Python, including built-in types like int and str, are instances of the type metaclass and inherit from it.
Question: 186
What will happen if the mamwindow is too small to fit all its widgets?
A. Some widgets may be invisible
B. The window will be expanded.
C. An exception will be raised.
D. The widgets will be scaled down to fit the window's size.
Answer: A
Explanation:
If the main window is too small to fit all its widgets, some widgets may be invisible. So, the correct answer is Option
A.
When a window is not large enough to display all of its content, some widgets may be partially or completely hidden.
The window will not automatically expand to fit all of its content, and no exception will be raised. The widgets will
not be automatically scaled down to fit the windowâs size.
If the main window is too small to fit all its widgets, some of the widgets may not be visible or may be partially
visible. This is because the main window has a fixed size, and if there are more widgets than can fit within that size,
some of them will be outside the visible area of the window.
To avoid this issue, you can use layout managers such as grid, pack, or place to dynamically adjust the size and
position of the widgets as the window changes size. This will ensure that all the widgets remain visible and properly
arranged regardless of the size of the main window.
References:
â https://www.tkdocs.com/tutorial/widgets.html#managers
â https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/python-tkinter-widgets/
â https://anzeljg.github.io/rin2/book2/2405/docs/tkinter/introduction.html
Question: 187
Which of the following will set the button text's font to 12 point italics Anal? (Select two answers)
A)
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B)
C)
D)
A. Option A
B. Option B
C. Option C
D. Option D
Answer: A,B,C
Explanation:
Option B is correct because it sets the font option of the button to a tuple containing the font family (âArialâ), size (12),
and style (âitalicâ).
Option C is correct because it sets the font option of the button to a string containing the font family (âArialâ), size
(12), and style (âitalicâ) separated by spaces.
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NAPLES, FLORIDA“It’s a good night for a python hunt.”
The air is thick and soupy. Pythons seem to like stormy, humid air, says professional hunter Amy Siewe, and Hurricane Idalia is about to make landfall in Florida.
In about nine hours over two nights, Siewe catches, and kills, four Burmese python hatchlings. She spots them from atop a so-called snake deck—a platform drilled into the bed of her white Ford truck affixed with floodlights. We cruise down highways 29 and 41 in Naples, driving no faster than 25 miles per hour as she looks for snakes in the grass.
A blonde with a bright smile, Siewe, 46, left behind a thriving real estate business in Indiana in 2019. On a vacation to Florida earlier that year, she’d gone on a python hunt and was hooked. “This is what I’m supposed to be doing,” she says. She used to work for the state python-hunting program, but it didn’t pay enough to live on. Now, she leads small groups of two to four people on guided hunts for $1,800 a night, teaching civilians how to kill the invasive reptile, which has taken hold throughout much of Florida.
Siewe preps me on what to look for: the snakes are mostly motionless, and their eyes don’t shine in the light, but their skin has a plastic sheen. Our best bet is to come across one that’s periscoping, or holding its head high. Siewe shows me a photo on her phone of a python she’d found recently. On the screen, the snake is circled in yellow, but I still have trouble spotting it.
“Python!” she shouts. Dave Roberts, her partner both in life and snake-catching, slams on the brakes and she jumps out. Twisting and squirming, the hatchling struggles in her grasp, its jaws wide open. She holds the snake just behind its head so it can’t bite her.
About two feet in length, these hatchlings are nothing compared to the 19-footer she helped catch last year, but she counts this as a victory. It takes a python about 200 prey animals and three years to reach 10 feet in length, Siewe estimates. “Every [python] that we’re taking out is making a difference.” (Read about the largest-ever python found in Florida.)
I film the catch with my iPhone camera, but when it’s time to kill the python, Siewe has me turn it off—this part’s not for show. “It’s really unfortunate what we have to do to these pythons,” she says. She’s loved snakes her whole life and has “great respect” for them, she says.
“Unfortunately, there’s no option.” Normally she and Roberts use a bolt gun to kill the pythons they catch, but because this one’s so small, Dave uses a pellet gun while she holds the snake steady. The wriggling tail instantly goes still.
It’s no secret that Florida has a python problem. Since at least 1979, Burmese pythons have slithered over the southern tip of Florida, including Everglades National Park, gradually expanding their range to nearly a third of the state. The species, native to southeastern Asia, arrived in Florida likely sometime mid-century via the exotic pet trade. It’s now illegal to acquire one as a pet in Florida.
Though Florida is a hot spot for invasive species, pythons are particularly tricky—a January study by the U.S. Geological Survey called them “one of the most intractable invasive-species management issues across the globe.” These snakes thrive in Florida for several reasons—their coloring makes them difficult to spot, they’re often most active at night, and they spend much of their time submerged underwater or hidden in vegetation. The fact that the Everglades are watery and largely uninhabited, as well as cover thousands of miles, only compounds the issue. “They don't really lend themselves to being trapped well,” says Melissa Miller, a University of Florida ecologist working on a python-tracking program.
Over the last few decades, these gigantic reptiles have wrought havoc on the state’s ecosystems. The constrictors have decimated native wildlife, including opossums, rabbits, rats, and foxes, with some suffering a decline of up to 99 percent, according to roadside surveys. They’ve swallowed pets, from legions of neighborhood cats to a 60-pound Siberian husky. Scientists keep a running list of the threatened or endangered animals that have been found in python stomachs: state-listed species like the little blue heron, roseate spoonbill, and Big Cypress fox squirrel; federally threatened species like the wood stork; and federally endangered species like the Key Largo woodrat and Key Largo cotton mouse. They compete with other predators, including bobcats, Florida panthers, and native snakes, for prey.Â
And as adults, they have few known predators—basically American alligators and crocodiles, bobcats, other snakes, and potentially Florida panthers, according to the USGS study. (Read more about Florida's panther conservation efforts.)
“It’s an emergency situation we’re in,” says Mike Kirkland, senior invasive animal biologist and python elimination program manager for the South Florida Water Management District.
Bankers turned bounty hunters
It’s unknown how many Burmese pythons live in Florida: some estimate tens of thousands, others such as Florida Fish and Wildlife say it could be as many as 300,000. Siewe suspects those estimates are conservative. Even many experts agree that with the methods currently available to them, the goal of eliminating invasive pythons, which can live more than 30 years, is unattainable.
Every week, Kirkland, 48, gets emails, letters, phone calls, and even in-person office visits from members of the public who tell him why his life’s work is fruitless. “A lot of people have expressed that we're never going to get a hold of this,” he says.
He also hears their theories on how they should be tackling the problem—everything from carpet-bombing the Everglades with porcupines to introducing African elephants to trample them to flooding the entire southern region of Florida. “I try to be responsive to everyone,” Kirkland says. “Some of them are pretty out there.”
But so far, certain data shows that killing the pythons one by one is the best option compared with trapping, using dogs, luring snakes using pheromones, and other methods.
In 2017, the state began paying designated python hunters up to $18 an hour to seek out and kill the reptiles. On average, Kirkland says he receives a hundred applications a week, but only a handful make it to the interview stage—mainly those that already have some snake-catching experience. Hunters have since removed more than 13,000 snakes from the state, and Kirkland’s hunters are responsible for more than half, he says. They’re also authorized to euthanize other invasive snakes, including the Northern African python, the reticulated python, and boa constrictors.
He leads a “colorful” team of 50 hunters, and Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has another 50. Kirkland’s team doesn’t hunt full-time—during the day, they’re bankers, lawyers, club bouncers, alligator wrestlers, “you name it,” he says. It’s a diverse team, but they all have a few things in common, he says: they love snakes, and they’re good at catching them.
Even though it’s “daunting,” Miller says it’s important to “have hope” if you’re doing research or managing invasive species. “If you just do nothing, then what? Then we don't have native wildlife,” she says.
Vetting for bloodlustÂ
Just outside of Miami, there’s a road along a levee on which only government contractors can drive to hunt for pythons.
On an early September evening, Kirkland accidentally drives right past it.
“I don't get nervous when National Geographic gets here, not at all,” he jokes as he misses his exit. He turns the truck around and pulls onto the levee road.
Kirkland has good reason to be wary—in the nearly seven years he’s led the python-hunting program, Florida has gotten plenty of condemnation from animal welfare groups and journalists alike.
Clifford Warwick, an independent biologist and reptile expert in London, calls the python hunts “a waste of time.” Python populations will continue growing for now, but eventually, they will stabilize, he says. “I'm not somebody who is anti-control,” he says. “But you really have to weigh up the overall amount of damage involved and balance that against the humaneness.”
Particularly contentious is the state’s annual python challenge, which Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission launched in 2013. Today, the contest, which is jointly hosted by the FWC and the SFWMD, offers more than $30,000 in prizes and draws well over a thousand participants—some of whom have never hunted a python before—“plus enough newsfolk to staff a half-dozen O.J. Simpson trials,” writes one journalist. (Private citizens, such as Siewe, can also hunt snakes.) The event is “designed to help get the public engaged,” Kirkland says—and it does. This year’s hunt attracted 1,050 participants who killed 209 snakes during the 10-day challenge.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has called the contest a “grotesque” event that “sets laypeople loose to botch python killings.” At the first challenge in 2013, National Geographic described the apparent inexperience of some of the participants, including ones “who had never seen a Burmese python before” and one who recommended “swing[ing] a snake by the tail and slam[ming] its head into a tree” to stun them.
The Florida FWC uses the American Veterinary Medical Association’s humane euthanasia standards for reptiles: knock them out and destroy the brain. Decapitation is also an approved euthanasia method, so long as the snake is unconscious and it is followed by immediate pithing, or scrambling the brain with a needle or metal rod.
Warwick calls decapitation a “brutally cruel” method, and he thinks it’s unlikely that civilian hunters routinely pith the snakes’ brains. “The head stays alive for maybe half an hour to an hour, and it's fully conscious, and it will feel all the pain of the severance,” he says.
Though pythons are protected by state anti-cruelty laws, it’s difficult to catch perpetrators.
“We do encourage the humane removal of pythons,” Kirkland says. “Is it a concern? Sure.” He says the state has conducted outreach to educate the public on how to humanely kill pythons. Plus, contracted hunters and python challenge participants are required to minimize the animal’s suffering.
“I won't work with anyone that has a bloodlust for these things,” he says. When Kirkland vets applications, he avoids people who want to kill pythons “because they hate them.” He says this is “a native-animal-saving program, not a snake-killing program.”
“The day I become desensitized to it is the day I quit,” Kirkland says. “It's very, very upsetting, but I'm really glad I'm in charge of this, because we make sure that the animals are treated with respect.”
Sleepless nights
“Every other night.”
That’s Kirkland’s answer when I ask him how much he sleeps, on average. Instead, he stays up, watching moving dots on a map. These are the live locations of his python hunters, traceable via their mobile phones. He watches them every night they’re out, until the hunters eventually go home and the dots disappear, sometimes as late as 4 a.m.
Kirkland has been married for 25 years to a very understanding wife, he says—but he doesn’t have kids. “I’ve got 50 kids already,” he says, referring to his hunters.
Although python hunters grab the public’s attention, about 75 percent of Kirkland’s $1.1 million annual budget goes into researching new elimination methods.
For instance, researchers with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Southern Illinois University have outfitted opossums and raccoons with tracking collars affixed with sensors that are triggered when the animal dies. Experts can then find the offending python and remove it.
Another team with the University of Florida has tried setting out live rabbit pens to lure the pythons out of hiding, so they can be killed. (The rabbits are fed, watered, given toys, and then put up for adoption afterward.)
Kirkland has also co-funded projects that track python movement and behavior, including one by University of Florida’s Miller, who found one snake on a nest of 111 eggs, and she had 25 more inside her. Females typically lay between 40 and a hundred eggs every two years. (See the first-ever photos of bobcats raiding a python nest.)
Kirkland’s even working with geneticists. One of their more ambitious ideas is to edit Florida pythons’ genes so only males can be born. But not only is it expensive, it would take decades to see results, and he’d have to convince the taxpaying public that it’s a good idea to raise, house, and release thousands of gene-edited snakes into the wild. “But just because it's challenging or difficult to do doesn't mean that we shouldn't do it, right?”
Prolonging extinction?Â
Is all this effort in vain? Even the pros can’t help but ask that question.
“Sometimes I wonder, you know, are we just prolonging the extinction of some of these [native] animals?” Siewe asks. “I hope not.”
For now, Kirkland says “human detection and removal is the most effective means we have to manage the python issue,” but he’s more excited about what’s to come.
“I really want to see the Everglades in a much better place than it is now by the time I retire,” he says. “I'm optimistic that we're going to reduce the python population enough so that native animals can return.”
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The ISA Certified Automation Professional® (CAP®) certification is a mark of career excellence that affirms your commitment to quality and demonstrates your expertise and knowledge of automation and controls. ISA CAP certification provides you with a non-biased, third-party, objective assessment and confirmation of your skills and expertise as an automation professional.
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The CAP Body of Knowledge (BOK) encompasses the full scope of knowledge, skills, and abilities needed for competent job performance. It defines automation project domains, the tasks within the domains, and the knowledge and skills required to complete the tasks. View the CAP Body of Knowledge.
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Upon paying the test fee, the application process is complete, and you have acknowledged that you meet the requirements listed above in numbers 1–3.
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We highly recommend taking the Certified Automation Professional (CAP) test Review Course (EC00). ISA has also developed an extensive library of training courses, study guides and publications that are built around the technologies and courses covered on the CAP exam. These resources have been developed and reviewed by subject matter experts. Learn more about the review course and the additional resources here.
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The aspects of automation covered on the CAP test reflect the tasks performed in the range of practice settings throughout the United States. Familiarity with the following standards and codes is recommended. download the Reference to Standards and Codes (PDF).
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For International applicants, note that the validation study for the exams was done in the United States, so there may be questions on the test that reference US standards and codes.
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How can you get ahead of the barrage of cyberattacks being perpetrated today? Think like an adversary.
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Gestalt therapy is an approach to psychotherapy that helps clients focus on the present to understand what is actually happening in their lives at this moment, and how it makes them feel in the moment, rather than what they may assume to be happening based on past experience. Along with person-centered and existential therapy, it is one of the primary forms of humanistic therapy.
The term “gestalt” is derived from a German word that means “whole” or “put together.” Gestalt therapy was developed in the 1940s and 1950s by Fritz Perls, a psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, and his then-wife, psychotherapist Laura Perls, as an alternative to traditional, verbally-focused psychoanalysis. Their foundational premise is that people are best thought of as a whole entities consisting of body, mind, and emotions, and best understood when viewed through their own eyes.
The gestalt philosophy rejects the notion that any one particular trait, episode, or indeed a diagnosis could define a person. Instead, their total self must be explored, discovered, and confronted. As they encounter and gain awareness of other parts of themselves, individuals can take greater responsibility for themselves and hopefully gain a greater sense of what they can do for themselves and others.
Instead of simply talking, clients in gestalt therapy are often encouraged to engage in intellectual and physical experiences that can include role-playing, re-enactment, or artistic exercises like drawing and painting. In this way, clients can learn to become more aware of their thoughts and actions, of how negative thought patterns and behaviors may be blocking their self-awareness and making them unhappy, and how they can change.
The Milestones Approach splits the activities necessary to establish the infrastructure for a nuclear power programme into three progressive phases of development, with the duration of each dependent on the degree of commitment and resources applied in the country. The completion of each phase is marked by a specific “Milestone” at which progress can be assessed and a decision can be made about the readiness to move on to the next phase.Â
The three phases in developing the infrastructure necessary to support a nuclear power programme are:
Phase 1: Considerations before a decision to launch a nuclear power programme is taken; a Pre-Feasibility Study will help a country establish a strong national position and answer the key question: why nuclear? This process begins early in Phase 1 after nuclear power is included as an option in the energy strategy.
Phase 2: Preparatory work for the contracting and construction of a nuclear power plant after a policy decision has been taken; in this phase, key organizations as well as the legal and regulatory frameworks are established.
Phase 3: Activities to contract, licence and construct the first nuclear power plant are undertaken.
The completion of each phase is marked by a specific milestone at which the progress of the development effort can be assessed and a decision can be made to move on to the next phase. These milestones are:
Milestone 1: Ready to make a knowledgeable commitment to a nuclear power programme;
Milestone 2: Ready to invite bids/negotiate a contract for the first nuclear power plant;
Milestone 3: Ready to commission and operate the first nuclear power plant.
A financial advisor helps people manage their money and reach their financial goals. Advisors can provide a range of financial planning services, from money management and budgeting guidance to investment management.
Some financial advisors have additional certifications or expertise that allow them to help with complex financial topics, such as estate planning, insurance needs or tax preparation.
The number of different services and areas of expertise advisors provide makes finding the right financial advisor for your situation key — doing so means you won't end up paying for services you don't need, or working with an advisor who isn't a good fit for your financial goals. Here are five steps to help you choose a financial advisor for you.
Step 1. Identify your financial needs
Before you start looking for the right advisor, reflect on what you're hoping to get out of that relationship. Financial advisors provide a wide range of services, so it's a good idea to know what you need help with before you begin your search. Some advisors may specialize in particular areas of finance, such as debt management or investment advice, while others may provide holistic help, guiding you on everything from savings goals to retirement and estate planning.
Identify why you're looking for financial help by asking the following questions:
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Do you need help with a budget?
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Do you want help investing?
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Would you like to create a financial plan?
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Do you have savings goals you need help reaching?
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Do you need to get your estate plan in order or create a trust?
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Are you interested in holistic financial management?
Your answers to these questions will help you find the right kind of financial advisor for you. And it could also help you to decide whether you need one at all. For example, if you just want assistance investing, a robo-advisor can invest for you for a minimal fee. On the other hand, if you have a complex financial life with multiple financial concerns you may want to address, you may want to find an online or traditional financial advisor. (More on both options below.)
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Step 2. Understand the types of financial advisors
Financial advisors go by many names: investment advisors, brokers, certified financial planners, financial coaches, portfolio managers. There are even financial therapists. Some of the most common titles advisors use, including the term "financial advisor" itself, aren't tied to any specific credentials, so don’t assume that someone who uses an official-sounding title has any specific training or credentials.
So who does what — and who can you trust? There are a few ways to cut through the noise to ensure you're working with someone who is looking out for you.
Fee-only fiduciary financial advisors
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Some financial advisors have a fiduciary duty to their clients, meaning they are obligated to act in their client’s best interest rather than their own. Working with a licensed, registered fiduciary — preferably one who is fee-only — ensures that the advisor is paid directly by you and not through commissions for selling certain investment or insurance products.
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Financial advisors who have a certified financial planner, or CFP, designation have a fiduciary duty to their clients as part of their certification.
Investment advisors
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Anyone who gives investment advice must be registered as an investment advisor with either the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or the state, depending on their assets under management.
Registered investment advisors, or RIAs, can either be individuals or companies that employ investment advisors.
Step 3. Review the range of options for financial advisors
Financial advisors aren't just available at your neighborhood advisory office or bank. There are lots of ways to get financial advice. The option that's right for you will likely depend on your personal preferences, the services you need and your budget. Here's an overview of service types, ranging from inexpensive automated robo-advisors to high-touch, traditional financial advisors:
Robo-advisors
A robo-advisor is a digital service offering simplified, low-cost investment management. You answer questions online, then computer algorithms build an investment portfolio according to your goals and risk tolerance.
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Low cost: Some robo-advisors have no or low management fees, and many services have no or low account minimums, so you can start investing with any amount of money.
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Good when: You need help investing for financial goals like retirement but don’t want or can’t afford a complete financial plan.
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Look elsewhere if: You need more rigorous financial planning. Although some robo-advisors offer higher-tier financial planning services, most excel at simple investment management.
Online financial planning services and advisors
This is the next step up from a robo-advisor: an online financial planning service that offers virtual access to human financial advisors.
A basic online service might offer the same automated investment management you'd get from a robo-advisor, plus the ability to consult with a team of financial advisors when you have questions. More comprehensive services such as Facet Weath and Empower roughly mirror traditional financial planners: You'll be matched with a dedicated human financial advisor who will manage your investments and work with you to create a holistic financial plan. Many online financial advisors can match you with an advisor with a top-tier credential such as a certified financial planner.
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Medium cost: Online financial planning services will typically cost less than a traditional financial advisor but more than a robo-advisor. Some services have relatively high investment requirements of $25,000 or more; others require no minimum investment.
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Good when: You're comfortable meeting with an advisor online but would still like holistic financial planning services such as estate planning, retirement planning or help with company stock options. Online advisor marketplaces such as Harness Wealth and Zoe Financial, and many online advisors themselves, do the work of vetting a financial advisor for you.
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Look elsewhere if: You'd prefer to work with an advisor in person.
Traditional financial advisors
Traditional financial advisors can meet with you in person and will be able to help you with all of your financial planning needs.
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High cost: This is often the highest-cost option. Many traditional advisors charge about 1% of your assets under management. Some advisors also require a high minimum balance, such as $250,000 in assets.
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Good when: You want specialized services, your situation is complex, you want to meet your financial advisor in person and develop a long-term relationship with them.
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Look elsewhere if: You want similar services for less, are comfortable getting help online or don't want to vet a potential advisor yourself.
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Step 4. Consider how much you can afford to pay an advisor
Financial advisors have a reputation for being costly, but there is an option for every budget. It's important to understand how much a financial advisor costs before you commit to services. Generally speaking, there are three cost levels you're likely to encounter:
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Robo-advisors often charge an annual fee that is a percentage of your account balance with the service. Robo-advisor fees frequently start at 0.25% of the assets they manage for you, with many top providers charging 0.50% or less. On a $50,000 account balance, 0.25% works out to $125 a year.
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Online financial planning services and advisors typically charge either a flat subscription fee, a percentage of your assets or both. For example, Empower charges 0.49% to 0.89% of assets under management per year. Facet charges an annual fee that starts at $2,000 a year and goes up based on the complexity of your financial situation. Both fees include portfolio management and financial planning.
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Traditional financial advisors also often charge a percentage of the amount managed, with a median fee of 1%, although it can range higher for small accounts and lower for large ones. Others may charge a flat fee, an hourly rate or a retainer.
How much you should spend on a financial advisor depends on your budget, assets and the level of financial guidance you need. If you have a small portfolio, an in-person advisor might be overkill — you will save money and get the guidance you need from a robo-advisor. If you have a complicated financial situation, a robo-advisor may not provide what you need.
Step 5. Vet the financial advisor's background
No matter what title, designation, certification or license an advisor claims to have, it’s on you to vet the advisor’s credentials and experience. Always verify any credentials they claim to have and check to see if they've had any disciplinary problems such as fraud.
You can research an advisor’s background by looking up their Form ADV before you agree to work with them. You can also review an advisor's employment record (and look for red flags like disciplinary actions) on FINRA's BrokerCheck website.
What do financial advisors do?
Financial advisors perform many services, though for the most part, they help clients manage their money. Often, this means managing a client’s investment portfolio. Financial advisors can help you cut expenses, pay down debt and prioritize your goals. Some financial advisors have expertise that allows them to help with complicated or holistic financial concerns, such as estate planning or tax strategy.
Where can I get free financial advice?
If you're not quite ready to commit to a financial advisor but want to test the waters, many banks and brokerages offer free online libraries of financial advice and tools. Some organizations like the Foundation for Financial Planning offer free help to people in need, including veterans and cancer patients.
And while you shouldn’t believe everything you read on the internet, there are tons of reputable sources for financial information online, including government resources like Investor.gov and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. For more resources, check out our guide to getting free financial advice.
When should you talk to a financial advisor?
You can seek out financial help at any time, but it’s especially important to get financial guidance after significant life changes. Whether you’re buying a house, starting a job, getting married or having a child, these life events can have major financial implications, and some upfront financial planning can go a long way toward building a stable financial future.
It’s also wise to speak with a professional if your financial situation itself has changed. Maybe your salary has increased or you inherited some money from a relative. When money starts flowing in, it’s a good idea to provide it a positive direction; otherwise, it can be all too easy to spend unnecessarily.
How do financial advisors get paid?
How much you should spend on a financial advisor depends on your budget, assets and the level of financial guidance you need. If you have a small portfolio, an in-person advisor might be overkill — you will save money and get the guidance you need from a robo-advisor. If you have a complicated financial situation, a robo-advisor may not provide what you need.
Financial advisor fees can vary significantly, so it’s important to keep your budget in mind when you are choosing financial services. Robo-advisors can cost as little as 0.25% of your account balance per year, traditional in-person advisors typically cost around 1% and online financial planning services tend to fall somewhere in between.
Who can be a financial advisor?
“Financial advisor” is a general term that is not regulated. If you are trying to pick a financial advisor, know that anyone can legally use that term. Always ask for (and verify) an advisor’s specific credentials. Anyone who gives investment advice — which most financial advisors do — must be registered as an investment advisor with the SEC or the state if they have a certain amount of assets under management.
Why is "advisor" sometimes spelled "adviser"? Is there a difference?
While the two terms are often used interchangeably, “adviser” is the legal term used in the U.S. Investment Advisers Act of 1940 to refer to individuals who must register with either the SEC or with their state.
Today, “adviser” is commonly spelled “advisor.” The important takeaway is not to refuse to work with someone who uses an “o” instead of an “e,” but that the world of financial professionals and their titles can be murky; no matter what someone’s title is, you should ask for their certifications, verify them and make sure their professional designations line up with your needs. You can verify an investment advisor’s registration with the SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure tool (it also has a database that includes state-registered advisors).
What do financial advisors do?
Financial advisors perform many services, though for the most part, they help clients manage their money. Often, this means managing a client’s investment portfolio. Financial advisors can help you cut expenses, pay down debt and prioritize your goals. Some financial advisors have expertise that allows them to help with complicated or holistic financial concerns, such as estate planning or tax strategy.
Where can I get free financial advice?
If you're not quite ready to commit to a financial advisor but want to test the waters, many banks and brokerages offer free online libraries of financial advice and tools. Some organizations like the Foundation for Financial Planning offer free help to people in need, including veterans and cancer patients.
And while you shouldn’t believe everything you read on the internet, there are tons of reputable sources for financial information online, including government resources like Investor.gov and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. For more resources, check out our guide to getting
free financial advice
.
When should you talk to a financial advisor?
You can seek out financial help at any time, but it’s especially important to get financial guidance after significant life changes. Whether you’re buying a house, starting a job, getting married or having a child, these life events can have major financial implications, and some upfront
financial planning
can go a long way toward building a stable financial future.
It’s also wise to speak with a professional if your financial situation itself has changed. Maybe your salary has increased or you inherited some money from a relative. When money starts flowing in, it’s a good idea to provide it a positive direction; otherwise, it can be all too easy to spend unnecessarily.
How do financial advisors get paid?
How much you should spend on a financial advisor depends on your budget, assets and the level of financial guidance you need. If you have a small portfolio, an in-person advisor might be overkill — you will save money and get the guidance you need from a robo-advisor. If you have a complicated financial situation, a robo-advisor may not provide what you need.
can vary significantly, so it’s important to keep your budget in mind when you are choosing financial services. Robo-advisors can cost as little as 0.25% of your account balance per year, traditional in-person advisors typically cost around 1% and online financial planning services tend to fall somewhere in between.
Who can be a financial advisor?
“Financial advisor” is a general term that is not regulated. If you are trying to pick a financial advisor, know that anyone can legally use that term. Always ask for (and verify) an advisor’s specific credentials. Anyone who gives
investment advice
— which most financial advisors do — must be registered as an investment advisor with the SEC or the state if they have a certain amount of assets under management.
Why is "advisor" sometimes spelled "adviser"? Is there a difference?
While the two terms are often used interchangeably, “adviser” is the legal term used in the U.S. Investment Advisers Act of 1940 to refer to individuals who must register with either the SEC or with their state.
Today, “adviser” is commonly spelled “advisor.” The important takeaway is not to refuse to work with someone who uses an “o” instead of an “e,” but that the world of financial professionals and their titles can be murky; no matter what someone’s title is, you should ask for their certifications, verify them and make sure their professional designations line up with your needs. You can verify an investment advisor’s registration with the
SEC’s Investment Adviser Public Disclosure
tool (it also has a database that includes state-registered advisors).
Becoming an ISA Certified Control Systems Technician® (CCST®) is a mark of career excellence that affirms your commitment to quality and demonstrates your expertise and knowledge of automation and control systems. It provides a non-biased, third-party, objective assessment and confirmation of your skills as a control systems technician.
Who Are CCSTs?
Working in process automation and manufacturing automation industries around the globe, CCSTs are an elite group of automation and control technicians who have proven they possess an extensive knowledge of automation and control systems. CCSTs calibrate, document, troubleshoot, and repair/replace instrumentation for systems that measure and control level, temperature, pressure, flow, and other process variables. They are skilled in pneumatic, mechanical, and electronic instrumentation. They understand process control loops and process control systems, including computer-based systems.Â
What is the difference between the CCST program and the NICET Certification?Â
NICET, the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies, offers a four-level certification program for instrumentation engineering technologists. The CCST program is designed specifically for the control systems technician, and is more application focused.
CCST Levels
There are three levels of certification offered for control systems technicians. All certification levels provide a non-biased, third-party, objective assessment and confirmation of an automation technician’s knowledge of and experience with project start-up, commissioning, loop-check, project organization, planning, and documentation.
With a five-year minimum education and experience requirement, earning this certification confirms that you possess vast knowledge of calibration, maintenance, repair, and troubleshooting.
With a seven-year minimum education and experience requirement, this certification demonstrates Level one knowledge, as well as some knowledge of administration, supervision, or management.
This certification demonstrates level one and two knowledge, including an extensive knowledge of administration, supervision, or management, and has a 13-year minimum education, training, and/or experience requirement.
CCST Certification Requirements
To become an ISA CCST, you must meet certain education and work experience requirements, pass an exam, and commit to the ISA Code of Ethics. Learn more about CCST requirements.
CCST Body of Knowledge (BOK)
The CCST BOK defines automation project domains, the tasks within the domains, and the knowledge and skills required to complete the tasks. CCST exams cover four major domains that have been organized based on the findings in a recent CCST job task analysis study. To see a complete explanation of the domains and the percentage of test questions included from each domain, visit the CCST Body of Knowledge page.
How to Apply
There is no application form to fill out for CCAST certification. Simply complete the following steps:
- Commit to the ISA Code of Conduct.
- Meet CCST certification criteria, qualifications, and conditions.
- Acknowledge that you are subject to a random application verification audit.
- Agree to provide the supporting documents proving your qualifications if you are audited.
- Pay the test fee.
Upon paying the test fee, the application process is complete, and you have acknowledged that you meet the requirements listed above in numbers 1–3.
Next Steps
- Watch for an email from coming from our testing provider, Meazure Learning (candidatesupport@meazurelearning.com). Expect to receive it 15 days before your test window. The email will include information about how to schedule your test online or at a test center. NOTE: If you have attended a CCST review course and wish to apply for CCST certification, you must also meet the requirements listed above in numbers 1–3. Since the application fee is included in the cost of all CCST review courses, you will receive an test invitation within three business days after completing the review course.
- Schedule and take your exam. You will be notified whether you pass or not immediately upon completing the exam.
- Watch for an email summarizing your test results. If you pass your exam, you will also receive your digital badge and you will be listed in the ISA Credential Directory.
- Watch for an email from certification@isa.org regarding an audit. You will only receive this email if you have been randomly selected to be audited. If you do not receive this email, you do not need to do anything. Audits are conducted three times per year, so it may take several months after completing your test to receive an email if you have been selected for an audit.
Click the appropriate button below to add the test fee to your cart.
Add CCST — Level 1 test Fee to Cart  Â
Add CCST Specialist — Level 2 test Fee to Cart  Â
Add CCST Master — Level 3 test Fee to Cart
About the Exam
You can take any of the CCST exams online from your office or home if the testing area meets the requirements and your computer meets specifications. You can also take the test at a Scantron test center. The CCST exams are multiple choice and have different time durations and questions.
| Exam | Questions | Duration |
| Certified Control Systems Technician (CCST) — Level 1 | 150 | 4 hours |
| Certified Control Systems Technician (CCST) Specialist — Level 2 | 125 | 3 hours |
| Certified Control Systems Technician (CCST) Master — Level 3 | 150 | 4 hours |
Learn more about Certification Exams and Testing.
How to Prepare
Want help preparing for a CCST exam? We recommend taking the review course for the certification which you are applying. When you enroll in a CCST review course, the application fee is included in the course price. You will automatically receive an test invitation after you start the course. By paying for the review course, you are confirming that you are aware of, have met and can document the requirements for the certification level for which you are applying. Visit the Prepare for the CCST Exam page to view and select the course format that best suits your needs.
ISA has developed an extensive library of training courses, study guides and reference publications that are built around the technologies and courses covered on the CCST exams. These resources have been developed and reviewed by subject matter experts. Learn how to prepare for a CCST exam.
Reference to Standards and Codes
The aspects of automation covered on the CCST test reflect the tasks performed in the range of practice settings throughout the United States. Familiarity with the following standards and codes is recommended. download the Reference to Standards and Codes (PDF).
- ISA Standards
- IEEE Standards
- National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Codes and Standards
- National Electrical Code (NEC)
- National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) Standards
- International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Standards
- National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) Standards
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Codes and Federal Regulations
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Standards
- US Food and Drug Administration Regulations
- American Petroleum Institute (API) Standards
For International applicants, note that the validation study for the exams was done in the United States, so there may be questions on the test that reference US standards and codes.
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