Certification Update: Renewals Are Coming In! & Testing/Coronavirus Update

COVID-19 EMERGENCY IMPACTS TEST CENTERS. Our certification tests are provided by PSI.  Many of their test centers are closed due to the novel corona virus. If your test is impacted, you will be called by the test center, and you can check their website here. If you need to reschedule due to illness please notify us as well at administrator@certificationsUSCC.org

RENEWALS!!

We launched the first professional composter credential, the Certified Compost Operations Manager (CCOM), back in 2016.  Everyone who was certified between that time and the launch of the second credential, the Certified Composting Professional (CCP), had three years to renew or pay a maintenance fee.  Since the program faced a couple technical setbacks since the initial launch, the first round of renewals was not due until April 2.

Invoices for April renewals went out at the beginning of March, and we are pleased to report that many people have already renewed and paid their maintenance fees.

What does renewal mean? Certification credentials are issued for three years (or a little longer in the case of the initial group).  After that time, you can renew if you meet two conditions:

1. You are in good standing with the Certification Commission, which means your maintenance fees are paid
2. You have attended at least 30 hours of continuing education, and documented this through the recording of 30 Professional Development Hours (PDHs).

2a. If someone does not have 30 PDHs, they may opt to retake the certification test.  We are offering that test at 50% off right now.  Passing the test will renewal your certificate for 3 years.  However the test-instead-of-PDHs option can only be used once, and next time around you’ll need to have the 30 PDHs in order to renew.

Some people might have been counting on attending a conference, such as BioCycle West Coast or Waste Expo, where you can earn over 20 PDHs.  However, because those conferences have been cancelled or postponed due to the COVID-19 emergency, you have a new option: webinars.

We are now accepting credits from Webinars!  Many certificants asked us about using webinar for continuing education credits.  Your Commissioners heard you!  We are working on adding this capacity in multiple ways:

• Right now you can use this form to document your individual participation in a webinar. In addition to the usual information, we just ask that you summarize a key learning element from the webinar.
• You could organize watching a webinar or stream a conference session (live or on-demand) in a group setting, and use this form.
• We are working with Forester University to provide credits for webinars related to using compost for stormwater management.  There are a few there now, with more to come. You can find those listed HERE.
• Within the year we expect to launch our own “Learning Center” where we will be able to add other content for education and credit.