The Association of Equipment Management Professionals (AEMP) announces that the Certified Equipment Manager (CEM) exam will be available four times a year at testing sites in more than 165 countries around the world and all 50 states in the U.S. This is the first time the exam is being offered nationwide and globally at a site other than one of AEMP's two annual conferences.
"This is going to open up the CEM certification to those professionals who previously felt it wasn't within their reach due to time or travel constraints," Jim Phillips, AEMP vice-president of education, said.
The CEM exam will be available at secure testing sites offered through Pearson VUE, a leading provider of proctored, computer-based testing solutions. Test sites are listed at pearsonvue.com/vtclocator/. Numerous sites are available and Pearson guarantees a site within 50 miles of a potential test-taker in the U.S.
Along with the increase in test locations, AEMP is now offering the exam four times a year, for two full weeks each test quarter. It will also continued to be offered in conjunction with the Professional Development Institute (PDI) at AEMP's two annual events for asset management professionals, the Management Conference and Annual Meeting, held each spring, and the Asset Management Symposium, which takes place in the fall. Those choosing to test at one of the two meetings can better prepare for the exam by taking advantage of peer-to-peer learning at the PDI, while global exam participants may choose to prepare online with the PDI Level 2 courses at AEMP University, aempu.org.
Phillips also spoke of the significance of the launch, from an internal perspective. "We have spent several years planning this. So many people – our dedicated committee members, partners and the AEMP staff – have put countless hours into the development of this program and we're thrilled to see it come to fruition."
The CEM is the industry's only recognized standard for showing the qualifications of a manager of heavy off-road equipment fleets or municipal/government fleets. It's based on the 17 core competencies identified by AEMP as necessary to being an effective fleet manager: benchmarking, customer service, employee training, environmental requirements as they apply to fleet management, financial management, human resources, life cycle analysis, outsourcing, parts management, preventive maintenance, procurement and acquisition, risk management, safety, shop/facilities management, specifications, technology, and warranty and performance guarantees.
In addition to the CEM program, AEMP offers two other industry-recognized, professional certifications. The Equipment Manager Specialist (EMS) credential is designed as an entry-level certification for those seeking to expand their skills and plan for a career in fleet asset management. New in 2011, the Certified Equipment Support Professional (CESP) is intended to educate equipment suppliers on the challenges equipment managers face when dealing with end-user business associates.
