The American Society of Certified Engineering Technicians, or ASCET, is the only national, professional society created especially for, and administered by, engineering technicians and technologists in all engineering disciplines. ASCET was formed in 1964 at an organizational meeting sponsored by the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE) to pursue the concept of an "engineering team", and other mutual goals of engineering professionals. NSPE also created the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies or NICET, as "a non-profit organization created to serve the certification needs of the engineering technology community".