Certified Employment Support Professional

1 Application Link: Need any assistance? Visit or email 0 Certified Employment Support Professional 2021 Certification Handbook Employment Support Professional Certification Council Updated 6/2021 Application Link: Need any assistance? Visit or email 1 Application Link: Need any assistance? Visit or email 2 Table of Contents TABLE OF THE Certified Employment Support Professional (CESP) CREDENTIAL ..4 About ESPCC ..4 What is Certification ..4 Potential Job Roles, Practice Settings of Typical Candidates/ Credential holders ..4 Level of the Credential ..4 Target Audience of the Credential ..5 Geographic Scope.

2 7 APPLYING FOR CERTIFICATION ..7 Eligibility Rationale ..7 Nondiscrimination ..8 Certification Fees ..8 Submitting the Exam Eligibility Application at ..9 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ..9 Definitions .. 10 Documentation Requirements for Eligibility .. 10 ACCOMMODATIONS .. 12 Non-Discrimination Policy for Individuals with 12 How to Request Accommodations for the Examination .. 13 SCHEDULING AND TAKING YOUR EXAMINATION .. 14 Scheduling Your Exam .. 15 TAKING THE EXAM .. 15 What to Expect on Exam Day .. 15 Exam Results .. 16 Re-Test Policy .. 17 Exam 17 Using Your Digital CESP Certificate - Your New Credential .. 17 Use of the Certification Mark and Logo.

3 18 PREPARING FOR THE EXAM .. 19 Studying for the Exam .. 19 How the Exam was Developed .. 20 Application Link: Need any assistance? Visit or email 3 ESPCC CODE OF 20 Complaints & Disciplinary Action .. 21 Code of Conduct .. 21 MAINTAINING CESP CERTIFICATION - RECERTIFICATION .. 22 Submitting Continuing Education Credit for Recertification .. 23 Recertification by Exam .. 25 APPENDIX MATERIALS .. 26 Confidentiality Policy .. 26 Reconsideration of Adverse Decisions - Appeal Policy .. 26 Detailed Content 27 Glossary of Employment Support Professional Titles .. 31 Content Outline Glossary .. 31 Resume Building 33 Online Proctored (OLP) Exams.

4 35 Application Link: Need any assistance? Visit or email 4 The Certified Employment Support Professional (CESP) Credential The Certified Employment Support Professional (CESP ) credential recognizes individuals who have demonstrated a sufficient level of knowledge and skill to provide integrated Employment Support services to a variety of client populations. The CESP credential is intended to help employers, employees and potential employees by increasing the visibility of and access to competent individuals in the profession. Individuals who earn the CESP credential have demonstrated knowledge of the facilitation and advocacy skills necessary to help establish and expand equitable Employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

5 CESPs also raise awareness of benefits within the business community, and promote social change that fosters an independent, productive lifestyle for individuals with disabilities. About ESPCC The Employment Support Professional Certification Council (ESPCC) was established in 2011 by the APSE Board of Directors to establish and implement policies and procedures for the CESP certification program and to oversee the development of the CESP examination. The ESPCC is responsible for developing and overseeing all aspects of the certification program. What is Certification ESPCC developed the Certified Employment Support Professional (CESP ) program to set a standard of knowledge and distinguish Employment Support professionals who have shown they have the skill and competence to perform the requirements of the job.

6 Professional certification is different than a training or educational program. Training programs offer a certificate of attendance when an individual completes the coursework, but they do not give a credential. ESPCC used a nationally recognized process to define the roles and responsibilities of the Employment Support Professional and awards a credential after the individual passes an exam to demonstrate their competence. Potential Job Roles, Practice Settings of Typical Candidates/ Credential holders The ESPCC developed the CESP for Employment Support professionals (ESPs) who provide Employment services to individuals with significant disabilities by assisting individuals to obtain and maintain competitive Employment in integrated community workplaces.

7 The CESP credential is designed for job coaches, job developers, transition Employment specialists, job placement personnel, and Employment specialists/consultants who serve a wide variety of target audiences including individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities, mental health diagnoses, sensory impairments, physical disabilities, traumatic brain injury and autism spectrum disorders. Please see Glossary for further details about the potential job roles and practice settings of typical candidates/credential holders. Level of the Credential Application Link: Need any assistance? Visit or email 5 Eligibility requirements for test takers include education, experience, and code of conduct prerequisites to ensure that individuals Certified by the ESPCC have an acceptable level of knowledge (as demonstrated by the exam requirements) and skill (as demonstrated by the experience requirement) needed to provide Employment Support services at an entry level of competency.

8 Individuals who earn the CESP credential have demonstrated knowledge of the facilitation and advocacy skills necessary to help establish and expand equitable Employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities. CESP s also raise awareness of benefits within the business community, and promote social change that fosters an independent, productive lifestyle for individuals with disabilities. Target Audience of the Credential The Certified Employment Support Professional credential is an industry standard. A CESP certification is a critical component to promote professionalism and elevate workforce development of Employment Support professionals.

9 Individuals that earn the designation of Certified Employment Support Professional demonstrate that they are among an elite group that is competent in best practices and possess the full range of skills needed to assist individuals with disabilities to succeed in Employment . Certifications are valid nationwide and are recognized as a symbol of quality and pride. The CESP program is the first in the nation to create national guidelines to validate and Support the training currently provided in the field. The certification program falls under the oversight of the Employment Support Professional Certification Council (ESPCC), established by the APSE Board of Directors.

10 The CESP is accredited through the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA). Accreditation for Professional or personnel certification programs provides impartial, third-party validation that the program has met recognized national and international credentialing industry standards for development, implementation, and maintenance of certification programs. The CESP s content validity is demonstrated through a comprehensive job analysis conducted and analyzed by experts, with data gathered from stakeholders in the occupation or industry. The Benefits of Certification The CESP Certification Program was created in response to increasing demand for a system to identify trained, experienced Employment specialists.