In today’s demanding world of business, Certification and accreditation programs have become highly important for people and companies. Certifications are expected to set the standard in regards to the skills and knowledge required from a person to work in a particular field. And accreditation is a sort of quality assurance process that measures whether a company or a business is doing what it takes to meet the standard.
An industry gets the opportunity to set minimal standards relating to a particular profession through certifications. when professionals decide to pursue a certification program by choice, they get a chance to showcase a level of commitment towards their profession and also that they are capable in their work to meet the standards.
For credential and accreditation programs to remain authentic industry credential, it is essential for them to meet certain standards. There are two prominent establishments, the American National Standards Institute & the National Commission for Certifying Agencies, that are working towards accrediting institutions for certification programs.
For those who have lately been associated with credentialing certification, it is crucial for them to know that Job Task Analysis (JTA) is an important facet of credential programs as it the explicit procedure to regulate what the people being certified need to learn & be adequate to do. The last JTA was launched in 2015 by the CAE Commission. There were some developments made to the authoritative literature that is to be followed by certified association executives to make sure that the fresh candidates are examined on applicable industry standards.
Credentialing programs also need to acknowledge some legal aspects:
Due process: When a credentialing organization makes a decision, the concerned candidate should be given the due process with regards to its testing as well as appealing.
Antitrust: The certification procedure should not be applied to restrict competition among various professionals.
Conflicts of Interests: There should be no interference from the related entities in the decision process of the governing body.
Criteria: The standards of eligibility for candidates do not have to be more demanding than necessary to exhibit quality.
Defamation: The credential programs should stay away from comments that people who are not certified are any less from those who hold certifications.
As an association professional it is quite beneficial to investigate the complications of credentialing programs if there are any. There are multiple resources relating to the legal standards as well as psychometric for developing credentialing systems that are valid and reliable. Also, it is advisable for such professionals to acquire professional certifications such as the Certified Meeting Professional and the Certified Association Executive. As the certifications can help them gain a much stronger knowledge of their field.
Non-association professionals can always look out for certification programs in their industry that would aid them to improve their skills, give them a competitive advantage and help them have a long-term growth for their career.
