Specialty Certification

Candidates for the ACISE designation must provide evidence of all of the following:

• Must have completed a minimum of 36 months' experience on the job with examination duties covering the IS area of B- or C-rated financial institutions or third-party service providers as defined by the FDIC InTREx Program, and service as Examiner-in-Charge on at least three examinations. Private sector experience may be substituted on a case-by-case basis.
• Satisfactory completion of the following course offerings or their equivalent (courses submitted for equivalency will be considered on a case-by-case basis):
  • CSBS IT Examiner School or
  • FDIC Information Technology Examination Course

Applicants must ensure that they meet all certification requirements and will then complete an attestation of successful job performance and mastery of job-related skills, providing a thorough written response for each competency category. Their supervisor will then review and affirm the attestation to ensure accuracy and completeness. The core competencies are an integral part of the certification, and a high degree of reliance is placed on the attestation for determining compliance with these skill areas. The supervisor reviewing the application form should be familiar with the applicant’s experience, performance, and skills/abilities and be confident that the applicant meets all the requirements outlined in the form.

TECHNICAL - Provides effective organization to the examination process:

• Effectively adheres to examination procedures and policies,
• Effectively organizes assignments,
• Ensures pre-examination planning and requests are successfully completed in a timely manner, and
• Organizes and effectively documents workpapers according to prescribed procedures.

CONCEPTUAL - Provides effective and accurate evaluation of the Information Systems activities of financial institutions and/or third-party service providers:

• Effectively follows established examination procedures to collect and analyze data
• Develops correct conclusions from collected data.

LEGAL/COMPLIANCE - Effectively demonstrates knowledge of policies, procedures, laws, rules and regulations

COMMUNICATIONS - Provides effective oral and written communications:

• Effectively and clearly communicates with financial institution personnel to obtain information
• Effectively and clearly communicates examination findings to supervisory personnel
• Effectively prepares written comments that are accurate, grammatically correct, logically arranged, and factually support any conclusions drawn.

NOTE: The completed education requirements ensure that an IS/IT examiner seeking certification is and remains current in his/her training in the constantly changing IS/IT landscape. If an examiner is unable, based upon geographic, budgetary, scheduling, or other issues, to complete the required training but is otherwise qualified, he/she is encouraged to request a waiver of the education requirements. The applicant will be required to set forth in detail his/her reasons for seeking certification, and how he/she fulfills the four required competencies listed above.

RECERTIFICATION

Every three years, participants will be required to provide evidence of the successful completion of a minimum of 63 continuing education hours (CEH). If an examiner exceeds this requirement, up to 14 CEHs may be carried over into the new three-year term. Continuing education should be selected with the goal of maintaining, improving, or expanding the examiner’s knowledge, skills, and abilities. Participants are also required to review and remain in compliance with updates to certifications. Should a material change related to the certification occur, additional training may be required to maintain certification.