The Value of Expiring Certifications

A while ago I wrote an article about the value of certifications -  (https://cabin7promotions.blogspot.com/p/certifications-more-than.html) This one is sort of a Part 2 to that article.

Part 1 establishes the value of obtaining certifications, and with that, inherently, the value of retaining certifications. Some certifications have no expiration date, while others expire. Some recertification is merely re-upping a certification fee. Others may require retesting. And some are based on experience and learning obtained during the current certification period.

I would like to talk about the third option, the certifications which require various levels of learning throughout the certification period. I am most familiar with PMI, so if this sounds much like the PDU concept, that is why. But this can also be taken generically, as the value is the same whether it is for PMI or any other certification organization.

The “earning via learning” is what I clumsily call the third option, and I happen to think it’s the best option, primarily for two distinct reasons, which I will discuss. But first, let’s make some assumptions. Let’s assume a certification period is for more than one year, let’s say 3 or 5 or longer, for this article. Let’s assume the recertification process requires that a person earns 60 units of learning (how “a unit” is measured is not relevant for the examples). These units can come from reading books, blog entries, watching videos, attending training sessions, giving training sessions, writing blogs, going to seminars, and so forth.

So let’s explore why “earning by learning” is valuable.

1)     Times change. Things change. Regulations change. Technology changes. People change. Change is inevitable. If a person certifies in 2015, it is highly possible things have changed in that industry, at least a little bit, but probably significantly, by the recertification date in 2018. If a person is earning those “units of learning” over the 3 years, when recertification time arrives, they are up to date. They already have the requirements to recertify, they are not 3 years behind.

2)     From a more human side, many people, regardless of their industry, tend to get focused on their task at hand. Focused on exactly what they are working on for that company or job position. They, subconsciously, “put blinders on”. “Earning by learning” recertification forces them to “take the blinders off”. Technology might be moving along, but their particular department, for valid reasons, is still using older technology. While people are heads-down in their job, studies on learning, or job satisfaction, or ways to elicit viewpoints, are being conducted and new techniques, new measurements, new processes are being developed. This is where the value of “earning by learning” plays a big role. If a person needs 60 units in 3 years, that’s around 2 units per month. In order to not need to get 60 units one month before recertification, it behooves a person to spread them out evenly over the 3 years. By doing so, one is forced to “take the blinders off” – even if just for 2 hours or so a month.

Thus “earning by learning” is an extremely valuable and important method of recertification. In my opinion, even more beneficial than a required exam every 3 or 5 years, because the person using the “earning by learning” method is always growing.

(Note : The opinions expressed in my articles are my own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of any organization to which I am affiliated, nor to any organization mentioned within the article)

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