Press Release from ETCP

Contact: Meredith Moseley-Bennett, 212-244-1505

After an extensive survey of stakeholders, employers, and subject matter experts, it was determined that candidates could acquire the foundational knowledge and skills to qualify to sit for the Portable Power Distribution Technician examination with a less stringent work requirement. Effective immediately, the ETCP Certification Council has lowered the eligibility requirements for candidates applying to take the PPDT examination to 20 points from the original 25 points.

These points may be garnered through work experience alone, or can be comprised of work experience plus any of the following: training (i.e. apprenticeships or internships), licensures, and/or degrees from accredited institutions. Courses taken outside a formal program of undergraduate or graduate studies do not count towards eligibility.

The ETCP PPDT Certification is focused on a large population of industry workers in the roles of lighting technicians, stagehands, portable power/strike technicians, as well as facility maintenance personnel for a wide variety of venues. This certification targets the top two-thirds of people working with this technology at various types of facilities in the corporate, trade show, outdoor event, theatrical and motion picture/television segments of the entertainment industry.

To aid in test preparation, there is a fifty-question web-based practice examination available for forty dollars at etcp.esta.org/practiceexams. Candidates should go to the “Candidates” link and then follow the menu to ETCP and choose this exam.

The ETCP Council members are key leaders drawn from entertainment business, labor, facilities, associations, and academia representing the diversity of the entertainment industry. Membership includes ESTA, AMPTP, Cirque du Soleil, CITT, Disney Theatrical Productions, IAVM, IATSE, InfoComm, The League, Live Nation, NBC Universal, PRG, PSAV, TEA, and USITT. ETCP is an ESTA initiative created to promote industry safety.