Pursuing professional development of all kinds is a great way to enhance your skills, increase your value and provide you with the expertise you need to best serve your clients. But, sometimes, this pursuit can get a little pricey.
If you haven’t checked already, find out if your organization has funding available for professional development outside of the in-house training they may offer. When it comes to certification programs, you may have a little leverage to ask for assistance because of the value it brings to your organization.
There are a number of significant benefits to having certified professionals on staff. The Business News Daily lists four of them as:
1. It makes you a good competitor.
2. The Return on Investment (ROI) is high.
3. It can reduce potential risks.
4. It expands your company’s network.
Learn why each of these is important by reading the full article here.
While most professional development activities will be to your credit, the workforce development industry holds certain certifications in very high regard. The recent publication, History of Career Services Provider Credentialing in the USA, by Mark Pope and Brian Hutchison at the University of Missouri Saint Louis provides a comprehensive list of those credentials and where to obtain them. If you find one you’re interested in, be sure to visit the sponsoring organizations website for the most up-to-date information. Some of the top credentials are listed below:
- Certified Career Services Provider (CCSP). Sponsoring organization: National Career Development Association
- Certified Master of Career Services (CMCS). Sponsoring organization: National Career Development Association
- Certified Career Counselor (CCC). Sponsoring organization: National Career Development Association
- Certified Clinical Supervisor of Career Counseling (CCSCC). Sponsoring organization: National Career Development Association
- Certified Career Counselor Educator (CCCE). Sponsoring organization: National Career Development Association
- Certified School Career Development Advisor (CSCDA). Sponsoring organization: National Career Development Association
- Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF). Sponsoring organization: Center for Credentialing and Education
- Certified Workforce Development Professional (CWDP). Sponsoring organization: National Association of Workforce Development Professionals
- Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC). Sponsoring organization: Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification/American Rehabilitation Counselor Association
- Certified Vocational Evaluation Specialist (CVE), Certified Work Adjustment Specialist (CWA), Certified Career Assessment Associate (CCAA). Sponsoring organization: Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification
The publication goes into great detail on each of these credentials and many more. There’s also a thorough discussion of the credentialing process, and even a bit of history behind it. I hope you will take some time to peruse the entire document and learn more about the many credentials of our industry, and then outline a plan to continue on your own learning path!
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