Conducting Successful Certification Review Programs

ASIS International Developing and Conducting a Successful CPP, PSP or PCI Review Program by Philip Farina, CPP, CLSD Subject Matter Expert – Hospitality, Entertainment and Tourism Security Council ARVP of Palm Beaches, Fort Lauderdale, Miami and SW Florida Chapters

IT’S EASY T his presentation will give YOU, the Chapters and Regions, the tools and information necessary for developing and conducting a successful Certified Protection Professional (CPP), Physical Security Professional (PSP) or Professional Certified Investigator (PCI) Review or Study Program in your area .

Why Certification? Pt. 1 T he simple answer is that to remain as competitive as possible today, you must be certified. The bar has been raised in the security profession and employers, contractors, governments, and even clients are now taking additional steps to ensure that they are hiring or working with the most skilled and knowledgeable individuals in the business. H ave you conducted any job searches, lately? It’s easy to see how many professional and management-level positions with security/loss prevention and risk responsibilities are now requiring Potential employees to either already maintain or be eligible for CPP, PSP or PCI certification within 6 months of being hired.

Why Certification? Pt. 2 I f the career plans of your chapter members include future security management positions, the only way to stay on top of the game will be to acquire a credible certification. Training within areas specific to your career is one of the best things you can do for yourself if you are planning to remain in that field for the rest of your life. C ontinuing education and certification can not only give your chapter members a stronger competitive edge in the workplace but it also enables them to retain a more secure position realizing a better salary and benefits. Of course, the more training and education that they can obtain within their field, the more likely they are to becoming recognized as an authority. This fact can be very attractive to those who look for notoriety from their employers or those who wish to work for themselves in the future. T here is no better time than the present to assist your chapter members in obtaining their first professional security certification or obtain a second one.

WHERE TO BEGIN? 10 Simple Steps Selection of Certification Program Logistics Costs and Sponsorship Review and Study Materials Set the Date Marketing Obtaining Students Instructors The Presentation Feedback

Step 1 Selection of a Certification Program F irst, you will need to think about what type of certification program to conduct. Many chapters elect to hold one review or study program per year. Yet some chapters hold multiple events annually. So what will it be? CPP, PSP or PCI?

Certified Protection Professional F or years the world has recognized a need for competent professionals who can effectively manage complex security issues that threaten people and the assets of corporations, governments, and public and private institutions. As the emphasis on protecting people, property, And information increases, it has strengthened the demand for professional managers. To meet these needs, the ASIS International administers the Certified Protection Professional program. N early 10,000 professionals have earned the designation of CPP®. This group of professionals has demonstrated its competency in the areas of security solutions and best-business practices through an intensive qualification and testing program. As a result, these men and women have been awarded the coveted designation of CPP®, and are recognized as proven leaders in their profession. T hat being said, the CPP Certification may be the easiest choice for your chapter review/study program.

Physical Security Professional T oday's employers want highly-trained professionals who have solid, hands-on experience with both current and emerging security technologies and solutions. This means that there are multiple areas in which physical security specialists must be knowledgeable. T he physical security certification will separate those who have this technical background from those who do not, giving them that professional edge. The physical security examination is targeted to security professionals whose primary responsibility is to conduct threat surveys; design integrated security systems that include equipment, procedures, and people; or install, operate, and maintain those systems. T he PSP certification is quickly coming up the ranks and the number of chapter members wishing to gain this valuable designation is steadily increasing.

Professional Certified Investigator E mployers, whether in private business or in public law enforcement, demand finely-honed investigative skills and more thorough case management. T he new investigations certification will help employers identify those professionals who have the specific, in-depth competency and knowledge required not only to get the job done - but to get it done right. M any corporate, government and law enforcement investigators are now being required to obtain this certification.

What type of review or study program will be most beneficial to your chapter? Discuss the various options with chapter leadership Poll the chapter members through email, survey tools, such as surveymonkey.com or at monthly meetings Speak to other chapters who have had success with their programs or may be interested in participating with yours

Step 2 Logistics Pt. 1 N ow that you have selected a certification review or study program to conduct, it’s time to start thinking about the logistics side. W hat should the duration of the program be? How will it be structured? Programs can be set over a full weekend, every Saturday or evening hours during the work week. You can get creative here. The latter, evening hours during the work week, has shown the most promise. M any chapters elect to conduct their programs prior to the Annual ASIS International Convention. This enables candidates the opportunity to take the examination at the event while the study information is still fresh.

Step 2 Logistics Pt. 2 W here should the program be held? First, look within your own chapter. Your leadership team and the chapter members may already have a suitable space available within their organizations. Take into consideration the maximum number of students that you expect to attend in order to plan the best training space. Y ou can also look to universities, community centers, chambers of commerce and corporate facilities who may provide the space for little or no-cost. Also consider the matter of convenience. A site that is convenient to the students will prove to have a larger turn out.

Step 2 Logistics Pt. 3 W ho, what type and how many instructors will you require? This will depend upon the structure of your program. For small classes (2-3 students), you can be efficient with just one to two instructors. Additional instructors can prove to be of more value and diversity, both for small and large groups. W hat type of presentation and review materials will you use? Again, consider the maximum number of students that you expect to attend. Powerpoint presentations coupled with video can get the learning points across in a much better fashion than simply just a lecture format.

Step 2 Logistics Pt. 3 W hat will be the costs to conduct your review or study program? These can range from the very small scale to over $1,000.00 depending upon your program. C an you charge a tuition fee to offset your expenses? Yes.

Step 3 Costs and Sponsorship Pt. 1 W hen thinking about your costs in developing and conducting a successful certification review/study program, consider not only The actual expenses but also the time element. F actor in the costs for the training space, if any, student materials, pens, notepads, A/V equipment, etc. What about refreshments, coffee, water, soda, snacks? These items can help to make your program that much more successful. A small amount of research can go a long way to keeping your overall expenses, very low.

Step 3 Costs and Sponsorship Pt. 2 C onsidering that tuition at an ASIS International review or prep program can be cost-prohibitive to some chapter members plus the added expenses associated with traveling to those events; it’s not unreasonable to charge a tuition fee. These fees can also be another source of revenue for the chapter. W hat can you charge? It’s important to provide value to the students. How you package your program can go a long way towards it’s success. For example, charging a tuition fee of $100.00 per student for a program that is one evening per week, five weeks in duration, includes student manuals/learning materials and refreshments is not over the top. You may wish to charge more or less.

Step 3 Costs and Sponsorship Pt. 2 S ponsorship can be an added benefit to your program. Individuals and organizations both within and outside your chapter membership can donate the training space, A/V equipment, food and refreshments or funds toward your expenses. J ust make sure to give these entities the proper recognition during the program, in your chapter newsletters, press releases and other mediums. A formal “Certificate of Appreciation” is also a nice touch. T here are some chapters who absorb the costs into their accounts and therefore offer the programs free-of-charge.

Step 4 Review and Study Materials Pt. 1 T he materials that are covered in the presentation as well as the study guides are crucial to the learning process for the students. Powerpoint Presentations and materials for Review programs are available for download on some chapter websites. O f course, you may ask other chapters who are conducting the same program, if you can use their materials. Your Region Leadership Team will also be able to point you to sources for this information. Lastly, you might need to create the presentation yourself.

Step 4 Review and Study Materials Pt. 1 S tudent materials can be copies of the actual Powerpoint presentation. Consider purchasing flash drives for each student and providing a tablet for note taking. U tilizing flash drives can keep your costs lower. Build this into your overall expenses. This allows you to have the presentation, videos, practice tests and supporting documents all in one convenient place for the students and it provides additional “VALUE” to your program.

Step 4 Review and Study Materials Pt. 2 T he CPP, PSP and PCI Study Guides offered by ASIS International can range in price from $104.00 for members and $204.00 for non-members. However, your chapter can purchase these guides for your program at a cost of only $30.00 each. For Details, Contact: Matthew W. Mantione Manager, Region & Chapter Relations ASIS International 1625 Prince Street Alexandria, VA 22314-2818 USA +1.703.518.1443 | +1.703.519.6298 (f) +1.703.519.6200 main www.asisonline.org Email: [email_address]

Step 5 Set the Date W hen considering a date and schedule in which to conduct your review/study program, if possible, avoid any major holidays. Many families take vacation in June when their children are off for the summer so keep this in mind. Likewise, try to avoid the ASIS International Annual Seminar & Exhibits and other large events that your chapter may be involved in. W hile there are many dates throughout the year that your program may be scheduled, July and August work well as they are close enough to the ASIS International Annual Seminar that graduates from your program can take their examination at the event while the information is still fresh.

Step 6 Marketing M arketing your review or study program can be accomplished in a number of ways. The better job you do in marketing and showing value in the program, the greater your turnout. At monthly chapter meetings Through your chapter email roster Contained within your monthly newsletter On your chapter website and region website At conferences and training events Press Releases, local newspapers and social media

Step 6 Marketing D on’t forget to open your doors to other chapters and their members for participation. Some students may be willing to travel great distances for the opportunity to attend. Lastly, don’t forget to invite other security professionals who are not in the chapter. You can charge a higher tuition fee for these students. It is beneficial to show these individuals the benefits of membership in ASIS International.

Step 7 Obtaining Students E nsure that you have a strong enrollment process, ready to go. Start marketing your review or study program as early as possible and set a cut-off date for registration. If you plan to charge a tuition fee for participation in the program, you may want to set two separate prices. One for chapter members in good standing and one price for non-ASIS International members. S ome chapters require that other fees be paid up-to-date such as chapter membership fees, missed luncheons, etc. Use your best judgment with what works for your chapter.

Step 7 Obtaining Students O nce someone expresses interest or enrolls in the program, COMMUNICATION IS KEY . Frequently keep in touch and follow-up with these individuals to ensure that they have the best information available. Don’t be surprised if students enroll that are already CPP, PSP or PCI certified. They may want to brush up on their skills or need the credits for re- certification. E nrollment or registration forms are easy to create and should be required for ALL attendees. Start collecting tuitions as soon as a student enrolls. This will aid in the student’s commitment to attending and completing the program.

Step 8 Instructors Y our selection of instructors is a critical piece in the success of the review or study program. Ask for volunteers from your chapter membership to act as instructors for your program. A few tips on how to choose the right instructors for your venue: Instructors should already be CPP, PSP, or PCI certified. You can use a CPP instructor in a PSP program and vice versa. Instructors should be enthusiastic about adult education. Previous teaching or training experience is helpful however don’t negate those potential instructors that have little experience in this area. They may surprise you.

Step 8 Instructors It’s always a good idea that the instructor be qualified in the areas they are covering. It allows their professional experience to be brought into the class which adds to the quality. Ensure that all instructors are agreeable to the schedule and materials.

Step 9 The Presentation T he presentation, itself, can be the easiest part of this process. A successful review or study program can be modeled and utilized year after year. Create a checklist to assist you. Ensure that all instructors are on time. All student materials are ready and available. The training space is clean and organized. All A/V equipment is working properly. Sign-in sheets are provided at the beginning of each class. Give time for breaks as appropriate and needed. Create an atmosphere of open dialogue and communication.

Step 9 The Presentation Allow for networking and problem-solving scenarios. Graduates should all be provided with a “Certificate of Completion”. Instructors should be provided with a “Certificate of Appreciation”. Instructors should also be provided a formal letter from the Chapter Chairman annotating the instructor’s participation and time spent on this program, for re-certification purposes. Take a photo of the class and insert it into the chapter website, newsletter and other promotional mediums.

Step 10 Feedback O btaining proper feedback is very important in the training process. It allows us, as administrators, the opportunity to learn a great deal. This can be very beneficial for the success of future review or study programs within the chapter. It also empowers the students to share their opinion and take ownership in the process. Prepare a feedback or evaluation form and provide it to the students at the completion of the program. Here are some tips: What did you like best/least about this program? What was the most/least important learning area? Like/Dislike materials, training space, refreshments? Comments about instructors How can we improve this program?

Conclusion T hat’s ten easy steps you can take to develop and conduct a successful CPP, PSP or PCI review or study program. Remember that it’s always a good idea to follow-up with your graduates to see how they did on their examination. This information can then be shared and celebrated with the chapter and region. I f they have not taken the examination, how you can assist them in reaching their certification goals. S till need assistance? Reach Out to your Region or Corporate leadership or other chapters for answers.

Conducting Successful Certification Review Programs

More Related Content

Similar to Conducting Successful Certification Review Programs (20)

More from pfarina (16)

Conducting Successful Certification Review Programs