Since 2001, ICML has empowered the world’s lubrication maintenance and management personnel with credentials that provide standardized education, professional recognition, and purposeful application of lubrication knowledge. In February 2026 ICML responded to market demand by introducing an apprentice-level certification that helps new technicians gain confidence and foundational knowledge through a new and unique entry point to the maintenance and reliability (M&R) field.
With no prerequisites, the LAT certification enables new hires with minimal lubrication experience or formal training to become productive team members right away. LAT lays the foundation for companies to augment their lubrication programs with the next generation of certified practitioners when and where they need it most, in the time-honored tradition of the trade apprenticeship model.
“Plants don’t have time for long learning curves. The LAT certification accelerates a new technician’s development by focusing on the essential lubrication skills they must master early.”
Director of Global Services, Trico Corporation
Apprentice certification exams are beneficial for…
New hires with minimal experience
Foundational Knowledge and Early Validation
Apprentices increase their value to the team when they learn and validate fundamental knowledge early. Their field contributions and on-the-job mentoring with experienced personnel will lead to faster, more satisfactory career growth. Candidates may include:
- New hires with minimal prior lubrication exposure
- Job transitioners moving into lubrication maintenance roles
- Early-career technicians or mechanics
- Other personnel not quite ready for more technical certifications
LAT candidates must be enrolled in a technical/trade school program or already be employed—or both—in a field such as:
- Mechanics (Automotive, Diesel/Heavy Equipment, Aviation, Machinery, Marine)
- Facility Maintenance
- Aspiring / Recently Enlisted Military Service
- Manufacturing / Line Work
- Millwrights
- Robotics Tech, etc.
Maintenance and Reliability Managers
Assessment and Acceleration
LAT addresses manpower and knowledge gaps right away by assessing the lubrication aptitude of less experienced workers, and by standardizing the fundamental knowledge that will reduce risks to critical machinery as they begin their work in the field.
- Early assessment of new hires: Identify aptitude and coachability as soon as possible
- Training efficiency: Reveal knowledge gaps to promote customized mentorship and training plans
- Standardization: Expose new hires to the industry best practices from Day 1
- Risk reduction: Prevent early mistakes that could damage expensive equipment and team morale
- Global consistency: One standard across all plants, countries, and contractors
Training Providers and Trade Schools
Industry Alignment and Eager Students
LAT opens up an opportunity to offer classes designed to prepare students and employer-sponsored trainees for immediate success in high-demand machinery lubrication roles. Workforce training providers generally include:
- In-house or independent agencies that already conduct classes for other popular ICML certifications
- Trade or technical school programs that serve individuals, corporate employers, and third-party government organizations
These training providers will benefit from ICML’s established standing in the global market as they address dynamic workforce needs with LAT courses that increase the competency of students in all industrial sectors.
“The lubrication apprentice credential isn’t about teaching tasks—it’s about building technicians who think like reliability professionals.”
What LAT covers
- Lubrication theory, lubricant functions
- Lubricant types (oils, greases, solids)
- Applications, basic calculations
- Basics of sampling & analysis (ports, proper techniques, visual inspection)
- Condition control, basics of contamination and prevention
- Storage and handling, identification practices
Compare: LAT v MLT I or MLA I
While some practitioners may be well-positioned to test against the breadth and depth of the MLT I or MLA I bodies of knowledge, the LAT is a targeted, “knowledge-appropriate” credential that is specifically intended for those who lack significant prior exposure or work experience in the lubrication field.
- No work experience required
- No formal training required (but recommended)
- No recertification available
The term “apprentice” says it all! The apprenticeship model is a long-appreciated means of knowledge and skills transfer which is, by default, intentionally transitional and transitory. That is why there is no recertification opportunity for LAT practitioners.
Certified LAT practitioners instantly establish a professional identity within ICML’s global membership community. They have the foundational knowledge and confidence to work and learn side-by-side with more experienced colleagues until they are ready to pursue technician-level credentials such as MLT I and MLA I.
Why LAT Matters
ICML developed the Lubrication Apprentice Technician credential in response to “Voice of the Customer” feedback. LAT specifically addresses two factors impacting the current machinery lubrication and oil sampling workforce:
- Aging-out workforce members, with a limited and largely inexperienced pool of backfill candidates.
- Immediate workforce growth demand in emerging and developing countries, which attracts many inexperienced candidates.
These conditions led us to develop LAT as a novel, proactive solution that facilitates the processes of assessing, training, certifying, and onboarding newcomers to the M&R community, thus validating that they understand the essentials before they proceed to learn more critical lubrication duties in the field.
This certification helps position new, apprentice-level staff members for increased responsibilities by providing access to a career path of formalized training and related certifications.
“Apprentices want clear direction. The LAT certification gives them that structure and helps them grow into competent maintenance professionals much faster.”
Sales Director
Industrial Machinery Manufacturer
Accordingly, LAT augments ICML’s longstanding, world-class portfolio of examination credentials while filling a vital gap in the quest to develop the next generation of M&R practitioners in a rapidly evolving workforce environment.
FAQ — Practitioner Candidates
I’m new to lubrication. Am I even qualified to take the LAT exam?
Yes. The LAT is designed specifically as an alternative for newcomers with minimal experience or training in lubrication. With no requirement for such a background, LAT is a great entry point into the field.
With no training or work experience, how do I prepare for the LAT exam?
The LAT exam is based on a defined Body of Knowledge that outlines core concepts. While ICML doesn’t require you to attend any specific training course, we do agree that preparing with study resources or with one of our training partners can make you more confident and better prepared for the exam.
How is LAT different from MLT I or MLA I?
LAT is specifically for newcomers. There are no lubrication industry experience or training prerequisites, and the LAT has no recertification option because it’s intentionally transitional.
- LAT is an entry-level, apprentice credential designed for people with minimal prior training or work experience. It measures foundational lubrication aptitude while getting new practitioners started right away on real-world tasks as apprentices, where they can learn better and faster on the job without jeopardizing existing processes or machinery.
- MLT I and MLA I are technician-level certifications that require prior lubrication job experience (12-24 months) as well as documented formal instruction that covers more detailed lubrication practices and condition monitoring fundamentals in accordance with the ICML Bodies of Knowledge.
LAT prepares new hires to hit the ground running as apprentices so they might eventually pursue more advanced certifications like MLT I or MLA I, but it is not the same exam or level of expertise
If LAT doesn’t lead to recertification, what’s the point?
The LAT isn’t intended to be a long-term credential because it focuses entirely on early-career entrants so they can understand essential lubrication basics, build confidence, and get started on a foundation for skills growth. It doesn’t recertify because it is apprentice-level. Once a practitioner progresses beyond the apprentice learning stage into more advanced competency on the job, he should be pursuing technician-level credentials like MLT I or MLA I instead.
After I earn the LAT, what comes next?
The LAT is an apprentice-level certification, so it prepares you for on-the-job training and progression to more advanced roles at your employer’s discretion. Once you gain more experience and training, you have the option to pursue technician-level certifications such as MLT I or MLA I.
Will this certification actually help me get hired or move ahead at work?
Yes. LAT gives employers an early indication of your aptitude and coachability and shows that you’re serious about developing as a technician. It places you ahead of other new hires who start with no demonstrable credentials.
Will employers value LAT on a resume or job application?
Yes. LAT was developed by ICML, a trusted organization that has been pioneering global standards in lubrication certifications since 2001. We created LAT in response to “Voice of the Customer” feedback from our industrial partners who told us they needed a way to assess inexperienced personnel and get them onboarded sooner rather than later, so it has real workplace relevance. The LAT certification indicates that a job candidate understands foundational lubrication knowledge with an aptitude for lubrication work and is ready to contribute safely and confidently in apprentice-level capacities, making that practitioner more competitive than uncertified peers.
FAQ — Hiring Managers
How does LAT help me evaluate new hires before they make mistakes?
LAT gives you an early assessment of each candidate’s lubrication aptitude and fundamental knowledge, so then you will have a better idea where and how to deploy them safely even as you arrange additional on-the-job training and coaching for them to address their skill gaps. This helps you better manage them toward future roles of greater responsibility, while at the same time reducing the risk to critical machinery assets.
Can we integrate the LAT into our onboarding or internal training program?
Yes. Organizations can use LAT as a structured entry point for new hires. It standardizes baseline knowledge across all your worker shifts and contractors, and it helps you build supplemental training activities based on actual exam results.
Why should I use LAT instead of sending new hires straight to MLT I or MLA I?
- Because many new hires in today’s market, especially those with minimal previous exposure to lubrication practices, don’t yet have the background required to benefit meaningfully from MLT I or MLA I training or succeed on the MLT I or MLA I exams. If you enroll inexperienced new hires directly into MLT / MLA without that background, they may struggle on their jobs, leading to wasted training time and ongoing performance issues.
- The LAT is intentionally designed for personnel not yet ready for our technician-level certifications. It could be viewed as a path that helps prepare them so that MLT I and/or MLA I will be effective and meaningful when they are ready. LAT shortens the learning curve and propels them to the shop floor when and where they can be most helpful now—with a standardized certification that confirms they know what they are doing. And after your more experienced team members have mentored them for a year, they will likely perform better when they pursue technician-level certifications themselves.
FAQ — Training Providers / Trade Schools
Why should I add LAT training classes when I already teach MLT I and MLA I?
Because “one size does not fit all.” The LAT gives you another opportunity for a structured course for practitioners who are not yet ready for MLT I or MLA I. By shifting inexperienced candidates into LAT, you qualify your customer needs more accurately (thus reducing customer frustration without turning them down), you improve your MLT and MLA pass rates, and you deliver more predictable training outcomes that you can proudly share.
Is there an official curriculum I should follow for LAT?
Yes. The LAT exam is based entirely on ICML’s published Body of Knowledge, giving you a standardized, globally recognized foundation to build your course content, just like your other ICML training courses.
How does LAT help me support corporate clients?
We are telling our customers that LAT offers a reliable way for them to solve their workforce gaps right now, not two years from now, because LAT assesses and accelerates new hires who have minimal work experience so they can perform on the job immediately, safely and confidently even as they continue training as apprentices. We are also recommending structured training to help make this happen, so these companies will be looking for training partners like you who can support them with LAT classes.
How does LAT help my students become more employable?
LAT gives students a globally recognized, industry-backed credential that proves their aptitude for further training in real-world, apprentice-level M&R roles, even with minimal job experience.
We serve many industries, so why should we add a lubrication-specific certification?
Lubrication competency is essential across most industries: manufacturing, power generation, transportation, and more. LAT gives your school a credential that meets current workforce demands and addresses employers’ growing need for ready workers. Your industrial clients already favor workforce development, and LAT offers them a new opportunity that was not previously available.
We want to offer a LAT course, but we don’t have an instructor with lubrication expertise.
ICML does not endorse or recommend any specific training provider, as we maintain a vendor-neutral position. However, we do recommend that training be delivered by instructors who hold a current MLA I or MLT I certification from ICML. We maintain a public directory of ICML-recognized training providers, many of whom already offer turnkey training programs delivered onsite or through established partnership arrangements. We encourage you to review this directory to identify providers whose course offerings and geographic coverage best align with your needs.
