TTE Certified Software Engineer (Reliable Embedded Systems)
Once you have qualified as a “TTE Certified ‘Embedded C’ Programmer”, you are eligible to join the “TTE Certified Software Engineer (Reliable Embedded Systems)“ programme.
This programme involves:
- Completing our popular course on “Design and Verification of High-Integrity Embedded Systems” on a “Distance Learning” basis.
- Working closely with your personal Certification Tutor as you complete a series of 10 carefully-designed exercises.
- Completing a formal written examination (under “university” conditions), usually in British Council offices.
- Receiving your certificate if you receive a mark of 70% or above in the examination.
This challenging and highly-regarded certification service is offered on an international basis.
Further information is provided on this page.
Who should join this programme?
The “TTE Certified Software Engineer (Reliable Embedded Systems)” programme will be of particular benefit to engineers and engineering managers who are involved (or wish to become involved) in the development of reliable automotive, medical, aviation, defence, space, industrial, rail, telecomms, marine and related systems.
By the end of the programme, participants will be able to demonstrate their familarity with “DO-178”, the civil-aviation benchmark against which approaches to the development of high-integrity systems (in all sectors) are judged at the present time. However, the programme is not (by any means) “aerospace specific” and examples from various sectors are discussed. For example, the programme will help participants who wish to demonstrate compliance with standards and guidelines such as ISO 26262 (automotive), IEC 61508 (industrial), EN 50128 (railway systems) and IEC 61513 (civil nuclear systems).
What skills are demonstrated by this certificate?
Candidates who have completed this advanced programme successfully will understand:
- “Why, when and how” to use time-triggered software architectures
- How to choose an appropriate hardware platform
- How to design and implement tasks with deterministic behaviour
- How to carry out static analysis of executable task code to determine worst-case execution time (WCET) and best-case execution time (BCET)
- How to perform schedulability analysis and scheduler configuration for complex task sets
- How to predict and measure maximum CPU loading values
- How to test the resulting design, from the task level (incl. statement coverage and “modified condition / decision coverage” - MCDC) to the system level (incl. the use of both processor simulators and hardware-in-the-loop testbeds)
- How to link all of the above material together in order to meet standards and guidelines such as DO-178, IEC 61508, ISO 26262, EN 50128 and IEC 61513 without imposing high costs on the organisation concerned
Video introduction
You will find a short video introduction to this programme on our YouTube® channel.
How do I become a “TTE Certified Software Engineer (Reliable Embedded Systems)”?
This cost-effective programme involves the following steps:
- You need to apply to join the programme.
- You undertake a programme of private study, using a comprehensive set of training resources.
- You undertake a formal written examination (held under controlled conditions, in British Council offices in most cases).
What support is provided to help me prepare for the certification exam?
To help you prepare for the certification exam:
- You will be allocated a personal Certification Tutor with whom you will be able to communicate by e-mail.
- You will be issued with 10 exercises (starting with introductory examples, gradually increasing in complexity).
Once you have attempted each exercise, you may submit this (up to a maximum of three times) to your Certification Tutor. You will receive feedback on each submission.
We recommend that you attempt each exercise in turn (and — in most cases — we will issue the exercises in sequence: for example, Exercse 2 will be issued when you have completed Exercise 1, and so on).
Once you have reached Exercise 10, your Certification Tutor will be able to inform you whether (in their view) you are ready to take the Certification Exam (or whether you should do some further preparation in your own time).
Please note that your Certification Tutor can only advise you: he or she will not be involved in the marking of your Certification Exam.
If you are more experienced then you are — of course — free to prepare for the examination without completing the exercises (or communicating with your Certification Tutor) if you wish to do so.
Training materials for the certification programme
Once you have registered for the programme, you will also be provided with:
- A full set of training videos on DVD (approximately 7 hours of video), based on ‘Module A2a’;
- A full set of printed course notes;
- A full set of exercises, to help you develop your skills and prepare for the certification exam;
- A full suite of RapidiTTy Lite software tools (for use while you complete the training exercises).
Trainer biodata
The video seminars in this programme are delivered by Professor Michael J. Pont from the University of Leicester, UK.
Michael Pont holds a BSc (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) from the University of Glasgow and a PhD (Computer Science) from the University of Southampton. Michael is Professor of Embedded Systems and Head of the Embedded Systems Research Group at the University of Leicester: he is also CEO of TTE Systems Ltd.
In 2010, Michael was the recipient of the “Best Presenter” award at the Embedded Masterclass.
Michael is author / co-author of more than 100 technical publications and author of three books (“[Patterns for Time-Triggered Embedded Systems]”, “Embedded C” and “Software Engineering with C++ and CASE Tools”).
This certification programme is offered exclusively by TTE Systems Ltd, and all certificates are signed personally by Prof. Michael J. Pont.
Entry requirements
You must be a “TTE Certified ‘Embedded C’ Programmer” before you can join this programme.
Application process
The registration process is very simple: please contact us for details.
Different routes to certification
There are a number of different ways in which you can become a “TTE Certified Software Engineer (Reliable Embedded Systems)”.
Study by ‘Distance Learning’
You can prepare for the certification exam in your own time by “Distance Learning”: this involves reading the course notes, watching video lectures, completing exercises at home and interacting with a tutor by e-mail.
If you pass the exam at the appropriate level, you will receive a formal certificate [“TTE Certified Software Engineer (Reliable Embedded Systems)”].
The fee for this option is £350 (VAT may be chargeable depending on your location).
Additional fees of £100 apply where candidates take the certification exam outside the UK.
You should allow around 16-20 weeks to prepare for certification by Distance Learning.
Join a public training course and then take the certification examination
You can attend a 5-day training course in Leicester and then sit the certification exam.
If you pass the exam at the appropriate level, you will receive a formal certificate [“TTE Certified Software Engineer (Reliable Embedded Systems)”].
The fee for this option (training and examination) is £950 + VAT.
In this case, both training and examination are usually held in Leicester: please contact us if you wish to take the exam in a different location.
Additional fees of £100 apply where candidates take the certification exam outside the UK.
You should allow around 8-12 weeks to prepare for certification if you start the process by attending a 5-day training course.
On-site solutions for organisations
For organisations wishing to certify teams of developers, we can provide 5 days of intensive training on the company site (anywhere in the world), on agreed dates. Please contact us for further details.
FAQs
What course materials will I receive?
Once you register, you will receive the training DVDs, full course notes, software and exercise sheets. Most importantly, you will be assigned a Tutor to assist you (by e-mail) as you complete the exercises and prepare for the exam.
Is there a time frame in which you have to take the exam?
You take the exam when you are ready (your Tutor will be able to advise you).
Please note that the exam is not easy. We recommend that you allow 12-16 weeks of work with your tutor before you take the examination if you are studying by Distance Learning. If you are able to attend one of the training courses (in the UK or an on-site course in your organisation) the time required to prepare for certification can often be reduced to 4-6 weeks.
How do I pay the fee?
You can pay by bank transfer.
Can I pay the fee in instalments?
I’m afraid that we cannot accept payment by instalments for this programme.
However — if you decide to join the full DL MSc — you can pay on a module-by-module basis.
Certification Examinations
To become a “TTE Certified Software Engineer (Reliable Embedded Systems)”, you must sit a formal 2-hour written examination, held under strict “University Conditions”. The exam papers are all marked (by hand) in the UK by an experienced team of assessors (following a rigorous marking scheme).
There are five questions on the examination paper from which the candidate must select (and complete) three. The candidate needs to allow 40 minutes to complete each question.
A sample (dummy) examination question is provided to registered candidates to help them to understand what is required in the examination.
The examination is “closed book”: no notes, books, computers, calculators or mobile phones may be taken into the room.
The examination format and level is identical to that used on the MSc programme in Reliable Embedded Systems. To become a “TTE Certified Software Engineer (Reliable Embedded Systems)”, you must obtain a mark of 70% or more in this examination: this is equivalent to a “Distinction” level on the equivalent MSc module.
Certificate
A certificate will be issued to applicants who achieve a mark of 70% or above in the written examination, identifying the holder as a “TTE Certified Software Engineer (High-Integrity Embedded Systems)”.
To prevent fraud, all certificates are signed, have a unique ID and record the name and date of birth of the candidate. Full ID checks are also performed before candidates take the examination at the British Council offices.
Further information
Please contact us if you have any questions about this programme.