Where Level 2 Sits in NCCER's Rigging Pathway
NCCER's rigging curriculum progresses from basic to intermediate to advanced. The intermediate tier — what our site calls Level 2 — builds directly on the basic credential and focuses on calculations, hardware selection for more complex loads and the documentation behind a rigging plan.
Assessment follows NCCER's two-part model. A written assessment checks your technical knowledge, and a performance verification has you demonstrate the work for a qualified evaluator. Testing runs through NCCER Accredited Training Sponsors and assessment centers, and results are recorded in the NCCER Registry.
NCCER's prerequisites between tiers, credential names and validity periods are set by NCCER and can change. Confirm the current requirements on nccer.org or with your sponsor before scheduling.
Skills the Intermediate Tier Adds
Our Rigger Level 2 training course works through these in order.
Weight estimation from dimensions, volume and material tables
Locating center of gravity and calculating share of load per sling leg
Drifting, turning and upending loads safely
Selecting spreader bars, equalizing systems and specialty devices
Documenting gear, angles, capacities and contingencies in a rigging plan
Directing a rigging crew and coordinating with the operator
The Math You Should Be Comfortable With
Intermediate rigging assessments lean heavily on a handful of calculations. You should be able to estimate the weight of steel, concrete and common equipment from dimensions; locate the center of gravity of a load with offset attachment points; and work out the tension in each sling leg when the legs are different lengths or angles.
Practice explaining each step out loud, as you would to a crew. Evaluators want to see that you can justify your hardware and sling choices, not only that you arrive at a number.
Our self-paced course works through these problems with examples and practice sets, and finishes with a certificate of completion. The NCCER credential itself comes from the written assessment and performance verification delivered by an NCCER sponsor.
NCCER Level 2 Alongside NCCCO Level II
| NCCER Rigger Level 2 | NCCCO Rigger Level II | |
|---|---|---|
| Testing format | Written assessment + performance verification | Written exam + practical exam |
| Delivered by | Training sponsors and assessment centers | NCCCO testing network |
| Records | NCCER Registry | CCO card |
| Prerequisites | Set by NCCER for each tier | Set in NCCCO's Rigger handbook |
Preparing for the Level 2 Assessment
Confirm your starting point
Check with your sponsor whether the basic credential is required first.
Drill the math
Practice weight, CG and sling tension problems until you can do them quickly and accurately.
Write a sample rigging plan
Plan a real lift from your work, listing every piece of gear and its capacity.
Book the written and PV
Schedule through your sponsor and bring the same discipline to the hands-on evaluation.