The Certification Question?

 

The most asked CPTED question that we receive is about certification. The terminology can be quite confusing, a matter not helped by the inconsistent application of terms. The following outlines the key differences, which will help provide some clarity to the certification question, according to a blog posted on the Life Strategies Ltd. website by Cassie Taylor on October 12, 2016.

 

Certificates of Completion

 

There are two ways the term “certificate” can be used.  In one instance, it’s an overarching term for training which comprises an individual or set of courses focused on one skill or a closely related set of skills. Upon completion, students receive a “certificate of completion” and they can list this training on their resume within their education section or on their company profile for consulting work. There is no ongoing commitment to the training provider who was the issuer of the certificate.

 

 The CPTED Professional Training Centre will issue a “certificate of completion” upon completing the Level 1 or 2 course. Our courses follows the CPTED Ontario four-day Level 1 and 2 Course guidelines. This in no way constitutes third party endorsement as it is intended to represent a minimum standard for trainers issuing a Certificate of Completion.

 

CPTED Certification 

 

In the second instance, a “certificate” related to an individual’s ability to perform a skill or closely–related set of skills is issued subject to being reviewed by an independent body such as a professional association or governmental regulatory body. These certificates are conferred after some sort of assessment of proficiency which may include a review of educational achievements and/or years of experience, completion of supervision and/or exam, and even mapping of competencies or verification of proficiencies from employers.

 

The issuing body typically requires an ongoing commitment to continuing professional education, yearly membership, and adherence to re-certification guidelines. This “certification”, “credential” or “designation”, as it’s more accurately referred to, may be required depending on whether or not the profession is regulated.

 

Individuals obtaining certification can put the relevant acronym after their name and can be considered “certified”.  The standards required for true CPTED certification are rare in the CPTED field.

 

Doing Your Due Diligence

 

It is important that persons seeking true CPTED certification know and understand these requirements.  If your provider of CPTED trainer falls short of these requirements, you should not consider yourself CPTED certified, regardless of how the course may be marketed.  This is especially true of private training companies, that do not offer third party (independent) review despite their assertions to the contrary.

 

We urge all persons seeking to better themselves through CPTED training to exercise due diligence before selecting a CPTED trainer or being swayed by unsubstantiated claims of training companies that offer CPTED “certification”.  Should you decide to settle for anything less, understand that knowledgeable trainers and prospective employers should not be expected to respect these claims regardless of the source.

 

 

* Excerpts of this article were taken from https://career-engagement.lifestrategies