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Technical Communication Certification

Technical Communication Certification. 1. What is certification?. The process through which an organization grants recognition to an individual ... [who] meets certain established criteria. “Certificate” versus “certification” “Certification” versus “licensure”

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Technical Communication Certification

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  1. Technical Communication Certification 1

  2. What is certification? The process through which an organization grants recognition to an individual ... [who] meets certain established criteria. • “Certificate” versus “certification” • “Certification” versus “licensure” • “Licensure” versus “accreditation” 2

  3. Certification and professions A profession is marked by three attributes: • A unique body of knowledge • A code of ethics • Certification of qualified practitioners 3

  4. Certification milestones • First discussed in 1964 • First sanctioned work: Ad Hoc Committee on Certification in 1975 • Membership surveys: 1975, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1995, 1997 • Certification RFP issued in 1985; response not pursued • Feasibility study commissioned in 1998 • Began work on Body of Knowledge (BOK) in 2007 • Benchmarking report on professions in 2008 • Value proposition adopted in 2009 • Certification program approved by Board on 30 April 2010 4

  5. Certification drivers • Legitimize the contributions of, and respect for, our profession • Establish uniform worldwide performance standards • Increase the employability and salary of certified practitioners • Satisfy employers’ expectations • Reduce hiring risk for employers • Bring in non-dues revenue for the Society 5

  6. Guiding principles • Certification is voluntary • Certification focuses on uniform areas of practice where technical communicators provide unique value • Applicants must meet prerequisites to be eligible for certification • Applicants must demonstrate knowledge, skills, and experience • Assessment involves a variety of methods • A core certification provides the basis for certification growth • Applicants must agree to adhere to the STC Code of Ethics • Opportunities are provided to applicants for remediation • Once granted, certification must be maintained 6

  7. Areas of practice • User, task, and experience analysis • Information design • Process management • Information development • Information production • Review coordination and reconciliation 7

  8. Example of salary impact 8

  9. Value to employers • Employers find that certified professionals are more often competent and successful than uncertified ones • Employers spend less to hire, train, and replace certified employees • Therefore, employers seek out and pay more for certified professionals 9

  10. Fee schedule (TBD) Consider these association fees: • ISPI: $995 • The Data Warehousing Institute: $975 • ASTD:  $799 • Human Factors International: $750 • IEEE: $645 • STC online certificate course $595 (member) • APMP: $450 • ASQ: $450 • IIBA: $450 • PMI: $405 • Accreditation in Public Relations: $385 • ABC: $320 • AMWA (certificate): $275 • BELS: $250 10

  11. Application packet • Résumé or curriculum vitae • Attestation from you and your client (boss) • Signed Code of Ethics • Work samples and artifacts • Accounts (stories) of projects 11

  12. Evaluation process • Several sessions per year • Application screened by STC office • Packet examined by three trained evaluators (who receive honoraria) • Under non-disclosure • Each evaluator looks at three packets (evaluator-applicant ratio is 1:1) • Evaluate against established criteria • Results: • 3–0 vote: certify • 2–1 vote: return for clarification • 1–2 or 0–3 vote: reject 12

  13. Certification and BOK • The STC BOK is being fleshed out • It will become the basis for future examinations • It will become the basis for future specialty certifications 13

  14. Certification marks • Certificate • Plaque • Pin • Logo • Designation • Listing on Web site Steven Jong, RTFM 14

  15. Certification and degree • Certification assesses both what you know and what you’ve done • However, a technical communication degree (or equivalent) is a solid foundation to becoming certified 15

  16. If you can’t demonstrate/don’t know an area • Use completed projects, not current ones • Use samples from previous jobs • Redact samples • Do the case study instead • Take a class first 16

  17. Expanding beyond writers • Specialty certifications (future) • Requires BOK • Opportunity for partnerships 17

  18. Maintaining certification • Certification is good for three years • To maintain it, continue your education to maintain current skills or learn new skills, and stay active in field • Reapplication packet contains fee and proof of course attendance • Screened by STC office • Results: Recertify or return 18

  19. International certification • Only STC has the international reach to offer international certification • We can use the same model internationally • Requires the BOK • We must revalidate our work outside the North American market 19

  20. To learn moreor help out • STC Certification Committee • Steven Jong, stevefjong@comcast.net 20

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