Although certifier involvement in the provision of education/training is no longer categorically forbidden by industry standards, there remains a commonly held myth that it is indeed prohibited, and within the certification community there lingers a taboo about certifiers providing education/training and examination preparation. Unfortunately, this situation has resulted in many certifiers passing up (or failing to see) opportunities which could benefit both their organization and their stakeholders.
Certifiers possess unique expertise which could be used to develop programs, products, and services that could make a substantial contribution to the occupational/professional development of their participants. Specifically, certifiers have an in-depth understanding of the core competencies required for effective performance. In addition, their expertise in assessment techniques could be used for purposes other than certification. For instance, certifiers could develop formative assessments to aid individuals in evaluating their knowledge/skills on the path to developing occupational/professional competency. Imagine if certifiers’ traditional areas of expertise were combined with education and training expertise (whether acquired independently by the certifier or obtained through partnerships with other organizations). This could pave the way for new business opportunities for certifiers and for a variety of beneficial programs, products, and services for stakeholders. These opportunities could include programs/products/services that assist individuals in achieving competence (pre-certification offerings) and maintaining competence (post-certification offerings). (Of course, the certifier would not make the purchase of these offerings a requirement for certification or recertification.)
What if we reconceptualized the role of the certifier as that of an occupational/professional development partner, rather than simply a credential provider? What would you do differently? What new products could be developed if you more fully leveraged your organization’s expertise and branched out (or expanded further) into the area of occupational/professional development and education/training?
Re-Thinking, Re-Imagining, and Re-Defining the Business of Certification
