PPB January 2017

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FEATURE | Head Of The Class
Fast-Track Your Certification
The PPAI Certification Fast-Track Program is an initiative aimed at providing
promotional products professionals with a minimum of five years of verifiable industry
experience with an avenue for “waiving” certain CAS certification requirements in
consideration of their experience, education, and/or achievements.*
The PPAI Fast Track Program is comprised of two applicant-submitted waivers:
• Certification Fast Track 15 “Waives” all six CAS-required courses (15 points) for
the applicant (each course will show as “Waived” on the applicant’s transcript).
• Certification Fast Track 75 “Waives” all six CAS-required courses (15 points) and
remaining 60 CAS points for the applicant—qualifies the applicant to immediately sit
for the CAS exam (each course will show as “Waived” on the applicant’s transcript).
*Specific criteria must be met to be eligible for CFT 15 and CFT 75; respective fees
apply. Contact PPAI at for more information.
An internal professional
development program can
be a valuable tool in helping
employees achieve PPAI
certification, and PPAI will work
with an individual organization
to create a scalable program
that’s customized to their
educational needs.
The main objective is to
provide support for established
internal education and offer
assistance with quick and
easy certification needs. PPAI
reviews a company’s internal
education for certification
credit opportunities and
provides discounts on certain
certification fees.
Through this process, says
PPAI Certification Manager
Julie Levay, the Association
bolsters the individual
company’s professional
development plan by allowing
company employees to not only
grow from provided internal
education, but to have that
knowledge accredited in their
pursuit of a highly respected
industry certification. “Overall,
these partnerships are helping
educate the industry, producing
knowledgeable, committed
promotional products
professionals,” she says.
Connect Your
Professional
Development
To PPAI
Certification
of time and money. With all that you’ve
got on your plate as a busy professional,
it’s reasonable to expect that you might ask
yourself, “Is certification worth it?”
At least two of the largest distributor
companies in the industry have decided
that professional development is not
just good for the individual, but it’s
good for the entire company—so they
provide opportunities for every employee
to earn certifications from PPAI’s
certification program.
Lewiston, Maine-based distributor Geiger
(UPIC: GEIGER) introduced an internal
development program for managers in
2006, extending it to all associates in 2007.
Laura Bosse, MAS, vice president of human
resources, explains how the company’s
program ties into PPAI Certification.
“We partner with PPAI to develop
an annual program for supporting
our associates in their pursuit of or
maintenance of CAS or MAS certification,
which is the foundation of our professional
development program,” she says. “The
program provides a common body of
knowledge and expertise. Associates who
are certified have an edge over others when
it comes to being considered for growth
opportunities within the organization.”
Under the program, Geiger management
associates must obtain MAS certification,
while non-management associates who
interact regularly with customers, sales
partners or production partners must obtain
CAS certification within a three-year period.
“Our training includes an additional, internal
certification in continuous improvement at
the leader or practitioner level,” she adds.
Bosse says that in addition to internal
training opportunities and a lending library,
Geiger offers a tuition reimbursement
benefit for college courses and encourages
staff to participate in external learning
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