They read like alphabet soup. You can barely keep track of what each acronym means. Here’s a quick rundown of some additional specialized and general HR-related certificates available today:
CEBS (Certified Employee Benefits Specialist):
A 10-course curriculum designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of employee-benefit principles and concepts. Individuals earn the professional designation of Certified Employee Benefit Specialist upon completion of the program. Available through colleges, universities and the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP). For more information, visit http://www.ifebp.org.
CBP (Certified Benefits Professional) and CCP (Certified Compensation Professional):
The American Compensation Association offers a dual-track program for either designation. Both require a passing score on nine examinations, including three common core exams in total compensation management principles of accounting and finance, and quantitative methods. Dual-certification candidates with no previously earned CBP or CCP certification credits are required to pass 15 exams. For more information, visit http://www.acaonline.org.
CEAP (Certified Employee Assistance Professional):
This exam is given by the Employee Assistance Certification Commission. It is designed to demonstrate knowledge at the professional level of EAP work. For more information, visit http://www.eap-association.com/index1.htm.
HR Generalist Certificate Program:
SHRM’s two and a half-day seminar provides a basic overview of all the functional areas of human resources: compensation, administration, employee benefits, employee and labor relations, training and development, and staffing. It’s aimed at HR specialists desiring a generalist knowledge for career advancement, HR professionals in need of a broad-based technical refresher, and HR managers in small organizations desiring a broader perspective. For more information, visit http://www.shrm.org/seminars/hrgeneralist/htm.
Workforce, May 1999, Vol. 78, No. 5, p. 74.