1. How can I find out if an individual has the CCPE designation?
The CCCPE website hosts a database of certificants which is routinely updated.
2. What are the requirements for certification?
Certification involves meeting standard competencies of education and practice. There is not a specific degree requirement. Rather, applicants must have at least an undergraduate degree and must meet the educational competencies outlined in the CCPE Application Kit through university accredited courses. In addition, they must also have 4 years of work experience (with one of those years being mentored), or 5 years of work experience or more. Supporting documentation in the form of work products, demonstrating that the competencies related to professional practice have been met, must be submitted.
3. Is there any benefit in having the CCPE designation?
The CCCPE is endorsed by the International Ergonomics Association (IEA) and as the only recognized ergonomics certifying body in Canada. Individuals who have attained the CCPE have demonstrated that they have met set high standards of competency in education and practice. This helps to both protect the Ergonomists and the client. CCPEs are expected to abide by the Code of Ethics. More and more employers are looking for candidates with the CCPE designation and the CCCPE Board works on promotion the designation on an ongoing basis.
4. What is the difference between ACE Membership and Certification?
ACE is a professional organization of Ergonomists and those interested in ergonomics. Its primary objectives are to promote networking and continuing education opportunities for its members and to promote ergonomics in Canada. Attaining certification is a separate process by which an Ergonomist may submit an application meeting the criteria specified in the CCPE Application Kit in order to obtain the professional certification of the Canadian Certified Professional Ergonomist. ACE members are not required to be certified Ergonomists, nor are they required to be ergonomists as their full time employment. Becoming a member of ACE does not include a submission of education and work experience documentation. Non-ACE members may apply for certification with the CCCPE. All AE/CCPEs must renew their ACE membership each year and pay their annual CCCPE dues to remain in good standing with their AE/CCPE certification.
5. Do I have to be a member of ACE to apply for AE/CCPE certification?
Non-ACE members may apply for certification with the CCCPE. Note that certification will be pending until the applicant becomes an ACE member. All AE/CCPEs must renew their ACE membership annually and pay their CCCPE annual dues in order to remain in good standing with their AE/CCPE Certification.
6. Does the CCPE certification have a Continuance of Certification requirement?
Yes. The Continuance of Education requirements span 5 years, beginning in the calendar year after receipt of the designation. For example a person who receives the CCPE designation in July 2015 will begin to track points in 2016 for the period of January 2016 to December 2020. They then make the CoC submission in 2021 according to the deadlines as outlined in the Continuance of Certification Program.
7. How should I keep track of my Continuance of Certification points?
We suggest keeping track of your professional activities on an ongoing basis from the date of obtaining your certification. You can use the Continuance of Certification form as you go, and be sure to keep all relevant documentation as well.
8. My activities don’t easily fit into the Continuance of Certification form and it seems like I don’t have enough points. What should I do?
Fill the form to the best of your abilities and submit it to the Board (if this is your year to submit it), by the deadline for submission that year. Include a letter to show your justification for why the points should be allocated to a certain category and the Board will consider your position. In any case, send in your submission!
9. The Application Kit says that if I am a Full Member of ACE, I do not need to provide education logs. Is that correct?
Yes, but note that the title “Full Member” is not a current category of membership. Current categories are Member, Affiliate and Student, and the former “Full Member” was a category that existed prior to the implementation of certification. It required submission of education and work product documentation. If you are not sure whether you were a Full Member, please contact the National Office.
10. Do I need to submit the education logs if I apply under the Pre-July 1997 (10 Years Experience) category?
No. You need only to submit your official transcripts for the education portion of the application, and not the education log with details on course hours. Please note that the Board reserves the right to request the education logs after review of the application if there appear to be major gaps in educational competencies.
11. How do I figure out whether I have any gaps in my education before applying for CCPE?
Your education must meet the hourly requirements for each competency outlined in the CCPE Application Kit. The onus is on the applicant to show that their education does indeed meet the educational competencies. Once the courses have been broken down in the education log, any gaps in meeting the hours in each competency will be revealed, and further education may be needed to fill those gaps.
12. Can I fill gaps in my educational requirements with workshops put on by ACE or other professional associations?
Courses used to meet the educational requirements must be university accredited. However, if you are only a few hours short of meeting a competency, workshops may be used to ‘top up’ your hours (up to 10% of each knowledge area’s hours) provided the workshop meets the criteria outlined in the CCPE Application Kit.
13. Is there a list of approved courses or degrees that meet CCPE requirements?
No, there is no listing of approved courses or degrees as courses and degree programs are subject to change over time. You will need to ensure that the courses you take meet the current educational competency requirements for CCPE. (See current Application Kit).
14. Will the CCCPE certify that courses offered by our university meet CCPE requirements?
No, the CCCPE will not certify university courses. They will however, provide guidance to a university which is developing a program to meet the educational competency requirements.
15. Is there a list that provides the breakdown of hours into knowledge areas for specific courses?
No, as courses are constantly changing, there is no list that provides a breakdown of hours for specific courses. You may wish to contact an individual with CCPE who graduated from your university to see if they will share their breakdown with you. Note, that you will need to verify the breakdown in case the content of some courses have changed. PLEASE NOTE: The reviewers may have reallocated hours on an applicant’s behalf, which means that their original application may not be appropriate for others to copy in their own applications. Hours for courses should each be individually considered.
16. I know other people who have graduated from the same university and have attained the CCPE designation. Do I still have to send in the education logs or can I just send in my transcripts?
As individuals can take different courses to attain the same degree and because course contents tend to change over time, you must still complete the education logs and send them with your application. PLEASE NOTE: The reviewers may have reallocated hours on an applicant’s behalf, which means that their original application may not be appropriate for others to copy in their own applications. Hours for courses should each be individually considered.
17. How do I break down the hours of courses into the education log?
The courses must be broken down into the appropriate competencies. For example, from a 30 hour course, 10 hours may fit into competency B2, 5 hours into C1 and 15 into D1. Course hours cannot be used twice (“double dipping”), for example 10 hours applied to B1 can not also be applied to D2. Your education must meet the full hours stated in the Application Kit for each competency.
18. Can I double dip on course hours?
No, course hours attributed to one competency cannot be used to also fulfill another competency. However, one course may be broken down into more than one competency (e.g. of a 30 hour course, 10 hours to competency A1, 10 hours to competency B1 and 10 hours to competency C1. See question #17 as well.
19. What does “mentored experience” mean?
Mentored Experience is one year of professional experience which has been overseen by a qualified individual. A Mentor must be a CCPE, a Member of ACE or another IEA Federated Society or an individual certified through an IEA accredited certification body during the time the mentoring takes place.
20. Does a mentor have to work at the same company?
No, the mentor must meet the applicable criteria (see #19) but does not have to work at your company.
21. How much documentation is needed to prove mentorship?
See the mentor guidelines for more information.
22. Do you have to pay a mentor?
No, mentors are volunteers.
23. What if I don’t meet CCPE requirements the first time that I apply? Will I get feedback to tell me what I need to do to fill gaps in experience or education?
Yes, if you do not meet the CCPE requirements the first time you apply, you will receive a letter outlining the gaps in your application that need to be filled. If you believe you actually have met the criteria outlined in the letter, you may appeal the decision. Note that any additional materials submitted in the appeal must have been completed in the time period prior to the submission of your application.
24. Can I submit my application to someone at CCCPE for preliminary feedback to see if I will meet the requirements before I pay the application fee?
No, as the CCCPE Board is comprised of volunteers, they will not review documents prior to official submission.
25. Can I email my application for Associate Ergonomist?
Yes, all Associate Ergonomist (AE) applications can be emailed in, except for one original educational transcript, which must be mailed to the CCCPE office.
26. If I complete my application sometime between the March 1 and September 1 application deadlines, can I send it in for evaluation anyways?
You are welcome to send in your application at any time. However it will not be evaluated until the next application deadline arrives.