Lead the Nation!
Become One of the First Certified Employment Support Professionals (CESP)
CESP Informational Webinar to be held on May 10 and 23, 2012 at 2pm EST
Click here to Register Online
Special Conference CESP exam rates if registered by June 10, 2012!
Individual Rate: Now $149.00 per person!
APSE has established the Employment Support Professional Certification Council (ESPCC) to oversee the first national certification program for employment support professionals. Now job coaches, job developers, transition employment specialists, job placement personnel, and employment specialists/consultants* can earn the designation of Certified Employment Support Professional (CESP) by passing the national CESP examination.
Benefits of Certification
CESP certification provides national guidelines to validate and support the training currently provided by university, community colleges, and other technical training centers across the country. CESP certification also enables portability across all states and regions.
For employment support professionals: CESP certification shows colleagues, supervisors and the individuals that you serve that you completed a rigorous process to earn your national professional credential.
CESP certification opens the door to:
*Improved professional advancement & job opportunities;
*Increased income opportunities.
*Enhanced credibility with employers
For provider agencies and Community Rehabilitation Programs (CRPs): Sponsoring staff to earn their CESP credentials, or hiring CESP-certified professionals, increases your credibility with community business leaders and opens the door to new employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
Supporting CESP certification for your staff:
*Increases your marketing edge with employers & businesses
*Assures the public and consumers of your commitment to best practices
*Validates your commitment to ethical and safety standards
National certification is earned by passing a comprehensive examination based on national standardized competencies and administered by an independent professional organization. To maintain certification professionals are required to earn continuing education (CE) credits over time. The Certified Employment Services Professional (CESP) is being developed in compliance with the guidelines of the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), the accrediting body of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence.
Is certification only for APSE members?
The CESP examination is open to anyone, member or non-member, who meets the eligibility requirements and wants to gain the benefits of certification on a voluntary basis. Membership in APSE, or any other organization, is neither a requirement nor does it award any credit toward eligibility.
How can state agencies, state APSE chapters and others set up and fund the CESP examination sessions?
State and federal agencies, APSE chapters and other organizations can contract with ESPCC to conduct a total of one or more CESP examination sessions in one state or region at discounted rates. State agencies that can sponsor the CESP examination may include, but is not limited to: Vocational Rehabilitation, Developmental Disabilities Council, Mental Health or Developmental Disabilities State Service or state Medicaid Infrastructure Grant programs.
Another option is to offer the examination at professional conferences and/or state a meeting which will save time and money. The exam administration takes four hours to administer.
How do I prepare to take the CESP examination?
ESPCC recognizes that there are many valuable training programs across the country that may prepare professionals to pass the ESPCC examination. ESPCC does not endorse specific training programs and ESPCC does not engage in education or training programs. The CESP candidate handbook provides the test blueprint to assist individuals to prepare to take the CESP exam (see the APSE web site at www.apse.org).
CESP Examination Opportunities in 2012
The CESP examination will be offered at the National APSE conference on June 26, 2012 in Arlington, VA. New Hampshire will be hosting a second exam session on May 2, 2012. Several other states are considering offering examination sessions in 2012.
Special Conference CESP exam rates if registered by June 10, 2012!
Individual Rate: $189.00 per person –Now $149.00 per person!
Special Conference CESP exam Group Rate*: $139.00 per person for groups of 20 & $129.00 per person for 21 or more! *Groups may be sponsored by a state agency, MIG grant or by a provider organizations – registration must be received by June 10, 2012
Thanks to our Current State & Organizational Sponsors: Arkansas, Indiana, Minnesota,& Wisconsin awarded funds to establish the national certification from their Medicaid Infrastructure Grants (MIG). On December 2, 2011 New Hampshire became the first state to sponsor the CESP exam, and subsequently award the first CESP credentials in the nation.
* (The CESP examination was developed for professionals who provide employment services to individuals with a variety of disabilities including intellectual, mental health, autism spectrum disorders and multiple physical & sensory disabilities)
For more information or to sponsor an exam session in your state please contact:
Patricia K. Keul, Director, Employment Support Professional Certification Council (ESPCC)
pat@APSE.org or 704-534-1943 or
Laura A. Owens, Ph.D, Executive Director, APSE
lowens@APSE.org or 301-279-0060
