But for people who don't know our firm, it's helpful to be able to say I'm certified. Passing the rigorous exam for certification is one of the ways he has pursued it. Ken's remarks summarize two of the most frequently cited motivations for pursuing certification. Practitioners feel certification is a distinguishing feature in a crowded field, an added boost in marketing as well as a demonstration of a high level of competence. For those readers who are not familiar with the program, here is a quick review.
Certification is a program for advanced practitioners.
There's often confusion about the relation of the Governing Board's advanced certification program to accreditation and to state certification and licensing laws. Accreditation refers only to sanctions given to specific educational programs at colleges and universities. As for state certifications and licensing, one of the simplest and most important differences is that they are mandated by law, whereas Governing Board certification is completely voluntary. In addition, state and provincial laws demonstrate only minimum competency, not advanced competency. We on the Governing Board like to think, in all modesty, that certification is the roadmap to the top of the profession.