basics SECTION

Q: Why would I be interested in taking an online course for my training? 
​A: Our online courses are more than competitive at an average total cost between $395 and $895 USD. Secondly, you do not have to travel, lose work-time or pay for a hotel – if attending a one or two week classroom seminar. Probably more importantly, you still have access to instructors and trainers WITHOUT being stuck in Monday to Friday, 8am-5pm routine – while still dealing with normal daily challenges.

We allow you to study and learn at your own pace. If you want to go through the course in a week...great. Or if you want to take your entire access length to complete the course, it is ENTIRELY up to you and the access length you purchased (for exam preparation courses). 

Either way, you won’t have these additional expenses:
  • Average cost of travel: $300 to $800
  • Average cost of 1 week for hotel: $250 to $600
  • Lost time at work: We will let you figure this one out
  • Cost of similar classroom courses: $1,200 to $2,100
Q: I understand the benefits of online training but do you offer a classroom course? ​
​A: We absolutely do offer classroom courses. Currently, our only classroom offering is for the API 1169 exam training and it is a four day class. To see our public API 1169 classroom locations, simply click here. 
​Q: How much extra do I have to pay after enrolling in a course?
​A: You never have to pay us anything extra after purchasing an online or classroom course. We do however accept donations in the form of chocolate chip cookies and other general junk food (please, no fruit cakes!). 

Seriously, we do not have hidden fees. We do have to charge for additional course purchases, of course. For course extension situations, we offer the opportunity to purchase another course for 50% off the current public rate. We highly suggest that you ensure purchase of the proper length of needed access to the training if selecting an API exam preparation course. 
Q: Are there other costs necessary to complete the course(s) after I pay the enrollment fee?
A: Again, NO additional money is necessary to receive the included course materials/study program, communicate with an instructor, take the final exams or get issued authorized VTES™ training certificates.

For all API exams, you will have to pay an exam application fee to API when you submit your application at www.api.org. The API exam fee typically ranges from $300 to $950 USD. 

Of course, if attending an API 1169 classroom seminar, you will be responsible for your travel and lodging arrangements. 
​Q: How long do I have to complete my course(s)?
A: You can take anywhere from 7 to 180 days to complete your study programs. Your online instructor is available for same day questions/answers, consultations or special needs. The courses are meant to be self-study for those that like to do on their own, but the instructors expect to hear from each student on a regular basis to ensure the proper areas of study and offer assistance in any related inspection or testing area. 

If you are taking an API exam preparation course, you will have access until your test date or when your purchased time of access expires, whichever comes first. 
​Q: Are there exams and certificates provided for each course?
A: Yes, final exams and authorized completion certificates come with every VTES™ certificate course.

For any API exam preparation courses, only practice exams are included as the actual exam is proctored through API. You will, of course receive a Velocity Training Course Completion certificate. 
​Q: Will you extend my online training access?
A: Not unless there are extreme extenuating circumstances beyond your control (ie: natural disaster, etc). You are 100% responsible for completing your training in a timely manner. Online courses are not classroom driven, therefore you should dedicate time each day to accessing your study material.

We will offer an additional course purchase at 50% off the current public rate.
​Q: What are the Minimum System Requirements for the Online courses?
​A: Minimum System Recommendations *
    • CPU: 2 Gigahertz (GHz)
    • Adobe Reader (current version)
    • Memory: 2 GB RAM (32-bit) or 4 GB RAM (64-bit)
    • Operating System: Windows 7 or higher OR Mac OS X 10.7 or higher
    • Screen Resolution: 1024×768
    • Browser: Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox
​Internet Connection:
  • Audio Only: 512Kbps dedicated download and 256Kbps dedicated upload
  • Video Only and Full Screen HD Video: 2.5Mbps dedicated download and 256Kbps dedicated upload
  • Large Video: 1.5Mbps dedicated download and 256Kbps dedicated upload
  • Small Video: 512Kbps dedicated download and 256Kbps dedicated upload
* Please keep in mind that these are minimum system recommendations and other environmental factors may impact your course delivery performance, including your choice of device. 

​Contact VTES support at [email protected] if you have any questions about your specific environment or if you are experiencing any technical difficulties. Be sure to close all other tabs, browsers, and programs while streaming your content. It may also help to hard wire your Internet connection instead of using a wireless network connection.

​While our courses may run without issue in older operating systems and browser versions, these are not actively tested and we may not address bugs that appear when operating within these older environments.
​
​Q: Does every online student have access to an instructor?
​A: Yes, an online instructor is assigned to each course. The instructors are able to help with any questions, offer support and any work related answers with their many years of experience. Each instructor is a certified inspector with years of experience in the method of instruction. We have an integrated chat feature built in within each course to facilitate communication between you and the instructor!
Q: Can I have access 24/7 to my online course?
A: Yes, you can be working on your course at home (in bed), at the airport or in the library – at any hour of the day you want. Although we recommend you only use the library during the hours when it is actually open. ​
​Q: Can I have access to my online training anywhere I have the internet?
A: Of course you can access the courses from any computer on the world-wide-web since you can pause and resume anywhere you want during the course. Note: Our attorney says we should recommend not taking the course while driving even if you have excellent internet connection. ​
​Q: Can I print any of the course material?
​A: We insist that you do not print any of our copy-written course material. We do allow the printing of any files or handouts we issue during the course.
​Q: Must I have experience in the related field to take these courses?
A: No experience in Inspection and/or Testing and/or NDT is necessary to take any of our online courses. As a student, you can start learning from any point in your work experience environment. For any API exam prep course, it is recommended that you review API's experience requirements to sit for the related API examination.
Q: Do you offer any specials? ​
A: We offer all Energy.Zone™ active members certain discounts according to their membership leavels. We also have training partnerships with several companies for our API exam preparation courses. Ask your management team to see if a corporate training course link or discount code is available.

​Below is a list of some of our current training partners:
  • ACP Project (Dominion, QIS, EnSite USA, Gulf Interstate)
  • Avery Pipeline Services, Inc.
  • CDI Corp. (Canada & U.S.)
  • CR Inspection, Inc.
  • DC3 Consulting & Inspection
  • Dominion Energy
  • EnSiteUSA
  • Gulf Interstate Field Services
  • Liberty Energy Services (A Safety Management Systems Company)
  • Louisville Gas & Electric - Kentucky
  • National Fuel Gas
  • National Grid
  • MBF Inspection Services, Inc.
  • MISTRAS Group
  • QCinspectors.com
  • Union Gas (Spectra Energy)
  • UniversalPegasus International (Canada & U.S.)
  • Williams - Shreveport

API EXAM SECTION

Q: Do I have to fill out an application to sit for an API exam?
A: Yes. Every individual wanting to take an API exam must submit an application through the American Petroleum Institute. All test periods have application deadlines, so be sure to check those deadlines when you apply. To begin your application, simply CLICK HERE. 
​Q: When do I have to submit my exam application to API?
​A: API offers their exams during "testing windows". These windows are typically 2 weeks in length. Each testing window has a deadline for applications. The application simply needs to be submitted by the deadline date. To see the current API schedule and deadlines, simply CLICK HERE.
Q: How much is the API exam application fee?
A: It depends on which exam you are wanting to take. You can see a list of API exam fees on this page. You might also qualify for a discount because of who you work for. Check with your company to find this out. ​
Q: How much experience do I need to qualify for an API exam?
A: Most API exams require different experience and education requirements. 

api exam content questions

Q: Are API exams difficult?
A: It varies by the individual but we would say it is. This is based off of the pass rate of people attempting the exam without proper training or preparation. The American petroleum Institute is very skilled when deploying these international exams and the questions require analytical thinking and some even require further reference skills. No matter the experience level, these tests will challenge everyone because of their format. Remember that it doesn't matter how long you have been doing a particular craft. What matters is that you answer the question in a way that the exam writers want you to. 

​The total average public pass rate (both with or without training) world-wide for most API exams is around 50% while our passing rates consistently average over 90%.
Q: How long are the exams and how many questions do they have?
A: This depends on the specific exam you will be attempting.
  • The API 577 exam is 3.25 hours long, and there are 70 questions, all multiple-choice and closed-book. ​There are 110 questions, of which only 100 are scored. The remaining 10 are pretest, which are not scored.
  • The API 1169 exam is 3 hours long. The exam has 115 questions, of which only 100 are scored. The remaining 15 are pretest, (which are not scored questions) all multiple-choice and closed-book. Paper and reference materials are not allowed into the examinations. You will be able to reference certain PDF regulations during the exam.
  • The API 1184 exam is 3 hours long. The exam has 120 questions, of which only 110 are scored. The remaining 10 are pretest, which are not scored questions. Paper, notes, and reference materials are not allowed into the exam. 
  • The API SIFE exam is 3.25 hours long. There are 110 questions,  of which only 100 are scored. The remaining 10 are pretest, which are not scored. All questions are multiple-choice and closed-book. Paper and reference materials are not allowed into the examinations. 
  • The API SIRE exam is 3.25 hours long. There are 110 questions, of which only 100 are scored. The remaining 10 are pretest, which are not scored. All questions are multiple-choice and closed-book. Paper and reference materials are not allowed into the examinations.
Q: Can I take my API exam online or in the classroom?
A: No. Your training provider will not proctor the exam to ensure exam integrity and certificate value. The exam is proctored by a testing facility organization called Prometric. There are hundreds of these centers located throughout the world and likely one near you. Once API approves your application, they will send you an exam authorization letter with an ID number. You can then use this number to schedule your exam at Prometric. You can see the nearest Prometric facility HERE.
Q: Why can I not simply study my friend's material he gave me?
A: Well, you can but we seriously do not recommend this even if you decide not to take your training through us. API frequently changes their material and Body of Knowledge requirements. As a training provider we constantly check and ensure our material covers the most up-to-date information available. 

API EXAM Training Questions

Q: How can I enroll for the API exam training you offer?
A: ​It's easy and will take less than 5 minutes. We offer 100% online training options for several API exams and a 4 day classroom (instructor-led) course for the API 1169. You should decide on what format will fit you best. To see a list of our online options, simply create an account and browse our course catalog. To see our API 1169 classroom schedule and fill out a registration form, go to API 1169 Classroom.
Q: Does Velocity Training offer a guarantee for their training?
A: Yes! While our students rarely need it, 100% training guarantee is offered to all classroom students and for any student that enrolls into a 30 day online course or higher. Active participation is required for this guarantee. If you receive a fail on your exam, we provide a new 30 day course absolutely free to you. All that we need is your letter of fail notification and the letter for your re-test date and we will take care of the rest. ​See our training guarantee here. 
​Q: Does Velocity Training have current reviews?
A: Absolutely! We have more public reviews listed than any other training provider we have seen. Besides what you can find on social media, you can see our reviews HERE. 
​Q: When can I access the online training?
A: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year during your authorized access period.  Due to the fact it is online, you can adapt your training schedule to fit YOUR needs and not ours. 
​Q: How many times can I go through the online courses?
A: Unlimited access to the modules and practice quizzes and tests for yourself ONLY. Our system monitors access IP/MAC addresses to eliminate piracy and employs testing algorithms to ensure legal licensed access.