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Certification Program Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What You Need to Know About the Certification Program

We've put together this Certification Program FAQ to give you what you need to know to get started on the road to certification.  For further information about the certification program, call 847.375.4729 or contact Alisha Coplin at acoplin@personalizationpros.org.

Why should I enroll in APA’s Certification Program?

Enroll in the APA Certification Program to display your commitment to professional advancement, prove your passion for the industry, and affirm your value to current and future customers. With our association’s valuable educational seminars and webinars, you’re increasing your practical skills—why shouldn’t you have something to show for it? Your Certified Recognition Specialist or Certified Recognition Master credentials make you stand out from the crowd in a competitive field by proving your professional knowledge.

How do I enroll in the Certification Program?

Complete the certification enrollment form and return it with payment of the one-time enrollment fee ($125 for APA members; $270 for non-members). Once you receive confirmation of your enrollment, you can begin tracking your continuing education units (CEUs). You even can receive credit for courses you took up to one year before enrollment!

Who can enroll in the Certification Program?

Industry retailers, suppliers, and employees are eligible to join our certification program. Association membership is not required, though nonmembers pay higher fees for enrollment and educational offerings.

How do I achieve the status of Certified Recognition Specialist?

Enrollees in APA’s certification program can earn CRS status by earning 7.0 CEUs. Of these 7.0 CEUs:

  • A minimum of .45 CEUs must be from each of the three major categories (Technical, Business Operations, and Marketing).
  • Up to 1.0 CEUs may be earned from outside classes toward CRS.
  • Up to 1.0 may be earned by giving seminars or writing articles. To qualify for CEU credit, written articles must be at least 1200 words in length, and must be published in Insights or another industry publication.
  • There is no longer a limit to the amount of CEUs that may be earned through the APA home study materials including session recordings and webinars.

How do I achieve the status of Certified Recognition Master?

Enrollees in the APA certification program can earn CRM status by earning 17.0 CEUs and writing a 1200 word CRM paper. Of the 10 additional CEUs above those earned for CRS:

  • A minimum of .45 CEUs must be from each of the three major categories (Technical, Business Operations, and Marketing).
  • Up to 1.5 CEUs (additional beyond CRS) may be earned from outside classes toward CRM.
  • Up to 1.5 CEUs (additional beyond CRS) may be earned through giving seminars or writing articles. To qualify for CEU credit, written articles must be at least 1200 words in length, and must be published in Insights or another industry publication.
  • There is no longer a limit to the amount of CEUs that may be earned through the APA home study materials including session recordings and webinars.

How do I receive credit for seminars I take at the Personalization Expo?

You must complete a Seminar Evaluation/CEU Reporting Form that is provided at the seminar. You must attend the entire seminar to get credit for the course.

What do I need to get APA CEU credit for a class I took at my local community college or other outside source?

You need to submit the following documentation from the college or training provider:

  1. a brief description of the course and/or a copy of the course outline
  2. documentation of the actual number of classroom hours of the course
  3. proof of your enrollment
  4. documentation of your completion of the class

Note that we accept credit for outside seminars on the basis of expertise of the speaker, relevance to the awards industry, and adherence to APA’s antitrust and non-product promotion policies.

May I get credit for courses I take at another organization’s trade show?

The other organization must offer CEU credits itself in order for the units to be transferable. To offer CEU credits an organization must ensure that training courses meet certain requirements related to length of seminar, evaluation process and maintenance of records.

May I get credit for APA courses I took before I enrolled in the APA certification program?

You may receive credit for courses you took up to one year prior to enrolling in the APA certification program. To receive credit for these courses, email or  fax copies of the yellow receipts from the APA Seminar Evaluation & CEU Reporting forms that you filled out for each of these courses. Remember, you can get credit only if you submit a copy of the receipt from the Seminar Evaluation & CEU Reporting form. Fax all material to the attention of the Education Department at APA headquarters at 847.375.6480.

Why don’t I get CEU credit for attending panel discussions?

The certification program is structured so that CEU credit is awarded only for presentations that the speaker(s) prepared in advance, the content of which can potentially be pre-approved. Panels are spontaneous discussions that are not planned in the same way. This does not mean that the information provided by a panel discussion is not useful, only that we cannot award credit due to the more open-ended nature of that type of seminar. The brochure will always state whether or not CEU credit is granted for each seminar.

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