Leadership, Education and Advancement Program – LEAP

Certified Smart Card Industry Professional – CSCIP

• Download LEAP Brochure
• Download LEAP Program Manual and Guidelines
• Download LEAP Membership Application - Fillable Word Form, PDF
• Download CSCIP Certification Application - Fillable Word Form, PDF
• Download CSCIP Exam Registration and Documentation Order Form - Fillable Word Form, PDF
• Download CSCIP/G Exam Registration and Documentation Order Form - Fillable Word Form, PDF
• NEW Download International LEAP/CSCIP Membership application - Fillable Word Form, PDF
• NEW Download International LEAP/CSCIP Training, Documentation, and Exam Order Form - Fillable Word Form, PDF

The Smart Card Alliance Leadership, Education and Advancement Program (LEAP) was formed to:

• Offer a new individual members-only organization for smart card professionals
• Advance education and professional development for individuals working in the smart card industry.
• Manage and confer, based on a standardized body-of-knowledge examination, the Certified Smart Card Industry Professional (CSCIP) designation.

LEAP Membership Benefits

LEAP membership is open to all full-time professionals working in the global smart card industry regardless of whether their employers are current members of the Smart Card Alliance.

LEAP is designed for individuals interested in continuously improving their professional proficiency in the smart card industry through:

• A comprehensive online library of educational materials
• Seminars and conferences
• Training resources
• Professional networking
• Certified Smart Card Industry Professional designation (optional)

LEAP provides significant value to individuals, smart card industry and the global smart card marketplace. The program:

• Provides individuals with educational resources and professional networking opportunities to further their careers and showcase their professionalism.
• Advances the industry by training and recognizing industry professionals with enhanced levels of knowledge and experience.
• Reinforces technology standards, quality and smart card security approaches with a professional commitment to competence and performance.
• Furthers a company’s overall business goals by ensuring that customers will interact with skilled professionals knowledgeable about the smart card industry and a company’s products and services.
• Demonstrates an individual’s commitment to the smart card industry and to life-long learning through continuing education or CSCIP certification.
• Provides those who achieve CSCIP certification with a sense of pride, professional accomplishment and greater opportunities.

Being a LEAP member will demonstrate your proficiency and knowledge about smart card technology and applications, distinguish you with clients, and increase your recognition in the industry. LEAP members will have exclusive access to online educational and networking services including:

• LEAP member-only web site
• LEAP social networking service where members can create personal profiles, post messages, create special interest groups, search other LEAP members, and link to industry resources
• LEAP member-only access to an online catalog of Smart Card Alliance reports, white papers, research, and past presentations
• LEAP member-only webinars and technology briefings
• LEAP member-only networking receptions at selected conference events
• LEAP member-only discounts to events and services

Certified Smart Card Industry Professional (CSCIP)

CSCIP is the smart card industry’s only standardized certification program that recognizes professionals that have advanced levels of smart card industry knowledge and experience, and have passed a multi-part exam developed by leading smart card industry experts with the support of international industry associations. CSCIP is a strong credential for individuals to have to set themselves apart as industry experts and compete on a global scale.

Those LEAP members who wish to achieve certification as experts in smart card technology may do so at any time. Certification requires that LEAP members meet specific educational and professional criteria prior to acceptance into the CSCIP certification program. An application form is available on this LEAP web site.

A series of educational modules forming the CSCIP certification body of knowledge has been developed by leading smart card industry professionals and is updated regularly. These educational modules prepare applicants for the multi-part CSCIP exam administered by the Smart Card Alliance. The exam tests CSCIP candidates on the key smart card application and technology principles found in the educational modules.

The Smart Card Alliance offers two CSCIP credentials: CSCIP and CSCIP/Government.

• The CSCIP certification requires demonstrated proficiency in a broad body of industry knowledge, as opposed to expertise in specialized smart card disciplines, including: smart card technology fundamentals, security, application/data management, identity usage models, payments usage models and mobile usage models. Nine CSCIP training modules covering the body of knowledge are used to prepare for the CSCIP certification exam.
• The body of industry knowledge covered by the CSCIP/Government certification includes the same fundamentals as the CSCIP certification, but includes in-depth content about the U.S. government’s implementation of the Federal identity management infrastructure and smart card-based employee and contractor identity credentials that resulted from Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 (HSPD-12). The CSCIP/G certification requires demonstrated proficiency in smart card technology fundamentals, security and application/data management, and identity usage models, and adds FIPS 201, PIV card and Federal identity management initiatives. Eight CSCIP training modules covering the body of knowledge are used to prepare for the CSCIP/G certification exam.

Applicants must receive a passing (70% correct) grade on all parts of the exam to receive a CSCIP or CSCIP/G certification.

Preparation for the CSCIP certification exam begins with the purchase of the CSCIP Smart Card Technology and Applications Training Course Modules for the CSCIP or CSCIP/Government certification. These modules can be downloaded from the LEAP members-only web page once the candidate’s CSCIP application has been approved and the training module fee of $100 has been paid. Application forms are available on this LEAP web site.

Candidates can register for the next CSCIP exam date with the application or postpone their registration for the exam until a later date. The Smart Card Alliance will also offer a one day CSCIP Exam Preparation Course prior to most exam dates. These full-day courses are taught by a certified CSCIP instructor who will review the key concepts and principles that will be included in the CSCIP exam. Below are upcoming dates and locations for future CSCIP Exam Preparation Courses and CSCIP Exams:

¹ This full day course is held from 8:30am–4:30pm at a location to be named in the city, state listed above. The cost for attending this course is $475 ($380 for members).
² International CSCIP training and exam pricing varies from standard pricing. Please contact leapinfo@smartcardalliance.org for further details.

Corporate LEAP/CSCIP Program Advances Skills and Reduces Costs
The LEAP/CSCIP or LEAP/CSCIP/G professional development and smart card training is available to corporations to raise the professional smart card skills and knowledge for large organizations at a reduced cost. Corporations who enroll 10 or more individuals receive a personalized training course and exam delivered at their location at a significant discount. Contact Randy Vanderhoof (rvanderhoof@smartcardalliance.org) for a detailed proposal.

Check the LEAP information web site for more details about future CSCIP Exam Preparation Course and the dates and locations of future CSCIP exams.

LEAP membership in good standing is required to sustain the CSCIP certification, and retesting or documentation of a required level of continuing education activities must be submitted every three years for CSCIP re-certification.

Smart Card Alliance Professional Certification Trainers

Gilles Lisimaque, Partner, ID Technology Partners

Gilles Lisimaque is a Partner with ID Technology Partners, a leading consulting firm in Washington D.C. supporting high assurance identification solutions. Gilles has over 25 years of experience developing Smart Card solutions.

Mr. Lisimaque has worked with most aspects of smart cards including chip design, manufacturing, packaging, operating system design, application development, International Standards, reader interfaces, and host applications. He received the 2008 OSCA Individual Leadership award from the Smart Card Alliance. He holds multiple patents on smart card security and smart card OS design and has held high-level seats with numerous smart card and security forums, associations and standards bodies including AFNOR, ANSI, ISO and ISTPA (International Security, Trust and Privacy).

Mr. Lisimaque has previously worked for SGS Thomson Electronics and was one of the founders of GEMPLUS, which merged with Axalto to create GEMALTO.

Gerald Smith, Senior Consultant, ID Technology Partners

Gerald Smith is a Senior Consultant with ID Technology Partners, a leading consulting firm in Washington D.C. supporting high assurance identification solutions. He has over 30 years of experience deploying card solutions.

Mr. Smith has worked with all aspects of smart cards including chip manufacturing, packaging, operating system design, virtual machines, application development, reader interfaces, and host applications. He is a National Merit Award recipient from the U.S. INCITS Standards organization as well as an ISO Project editor on Smart Card Standards.

Mr. Smith has previously worked for SHARP, American Express, ORGA Card Systems, Zenith Data Systems, Schlumberger, VeriFone, Mars Electronics International and the Department of Defense (DARPA).

Registry of Certified Smart Card Industry Professionals (CSCIPs)

Those who achieve certification may use the CSCIP designation after their names on their business cards, biographies and stationery. A registry of active CSCIP members will be maintained on the Smart Card Alliance web site for public verification of individual CSCIP status. Certified CSCIPs receive a plaque and a lapel pin and have access to CSCIP certified-only programs, a professional networking site and other services.

Registry of Certified Smart Card Industry Professionals / Government (CSCIP/Gs)

Those who achieve certification may use the CSCIP/G designation after their names on their business cards, biographies and stationery. A registry of active CSCIP/G members will be maintained on the Smart Card Alliance web site for public verification of individual CSCIP/G status. Certified CSCIP/Gs receive a plaque and a lapel pin and have access to CSCIP/G certified-only programs, a professional networking site and other services.

Join LEAP

Learn more about LEAP and find out how to join this global program for smart card industry professionals.

• Download LEAP Brochure
• Download LEAP Program Manual and Guidelines
• Download LEAP Membership Application - Fillable Word Form, PDF
• Download CSCIP Certification Application - Fillable Word Form, PDF
• Download CSCIP Exam Registration and Documentation Order Form - Fillable Word Form, PDF
• Download CSCIP/G Exam Registration and Documentation Order Form - Fillable Word Form, PDF
• NEW Download International LEAP/CSCIP Membership application - Fillable Word Form, PDF
• NEW Download International LEAP/CSCIP Training, Documentation, and Exam Order Form - Fillable Word Form, PDF

Smart Card Alliance membership is not a requirement of LEAP. Smart Card Alliance members receive a discounted annual LEAP membership fee.

LEAP Members

If you’re already a LEAP member, click here to access the members-only LEAP website.

Contact Us

To learn more about LEAP, contact the Smart Card Alliance at 1-800-556-6828 or email the LEAP administrator at LEAPinfo@smartcardalliance.org.