Is a CCMP Certification Worth the Investment?

The Certified Change Management Professional certification – or the CCMP certification – is widely recognized as one of the most valuable change management certifications.

But how does the CCMP certification compare to other change management training programs?

Below, we’ll explore the pros and cons of the CCMP certification and compare this certificate to other change management training options.

What Is the CCMP Certification?

The CCMP certification is offered by the Association of Change Management Professionals (ACMP). As the name of the certification suggests, it is ideally suited for business professionals interested in managing organizational change.

It is suitable for anyone involved in managing or leading change projects, including:

• HR professionals
• Project managers
• Change managers

Like other change management and organizational development certifications, the CCMP certification is designed to impart the skills and knowledge needed to implement successful change in an organization.

Among other things, the CCMP certification trains professionals on change management best practices as defined by the ACMP.

Steps To Obtain the CCMP Certification?

Steps:

1. Submission of the application and payment. Applicants have one year to complete their application process once it has begun. After submission, ACMP will review it within five days.
2. A potential audit. The ACMP will randomly select a certain number of applications to audit. If selected for an audit, applicants will be required to submit proof of their work experience, education, and change management training.
3. Answering a set of essay questions. Applicants must answer five essay questions about change management. These five questions relate directly to the five process groups in the ACMP’s Standard for Change Management. To pass, applicants must answer three out of those five questions successfully.
4. The CCMP exam. The exam is a multiple-choice exam that consists of 150 questions. Applicants have three hours to complete the exams, with an optional survey afterwards.

Only those with a certain amount of experience in change management are eligible to receive the CCMP certification.

For instance, those who have a bachelor’s degree must have around three years of experience working in change management. Those with a secondary degree must have around five years of experience.

In addition, applicants must have received training in change management that meets ACMP’s training requirements. ACMP’s website has a list of Qualified Education Providers that provide the necessary training.

If applicants meet these criteria, they are free to submit their application. Applicants who successfully complete all of these steps will then receive their certification.

How Valuable Is the CCMP Certification?

There are several benefits to obtaining a CCMP certification.

Having a CCMP certification, for instance, demonstrates:

• A dedication to change management
• Knowledge of ACMP’s change management practices
• Ongoing professional development in the field of change management

Having a CCMP certification not only offers career benefits, it also improves one’s ability to actually execute and manage change projects.

As a result, certification can generate a positive return for the organization as well as the person obtaining it.

CCMP vs. Other Change Management Training

The CCMP program is only one among several change management certifications.

A few other options include:

• Certification from change management consultancies.Prosci is one example of a consultancy that offers extensive change management training. They conduct workshops, classes, and certification training, both online and offline. It is worth noting, however, that their training focuses on their own change management methodology, which differs from ACMP’s methodology.
• Certificates and training at accredited educational institutions. There are quite a few accredited schools that offer degrees and certificates in change management, such as Northwestern. Obtaining a business degree with a specialization in change management may be a good choice for those who want to become change management professionals.
• Change management training that does not offer certification. Though certifications can offer a number of career benefits, as mentioned, not everyone needs or wants a certification. After all, certifications often require more rigorous effort, passing exams, and so forth.

Having a certification can certainly be a boost to one’s career potential. For some professionals, however, certification may not be desirable.

In those cases, training and workshops may be perfectly suitable.

How to Choose the Right Training Program

The CCMP can certainly benefit anyone who works in the field of change management.

As we have seen, however, there are many other options when it comes to training and certification.

When weighing the pros and cons of each, there are several points to consider, such as:

• The actual content of the training program
• How a certification or program will affect one’s career
• The needs and preferences of one’s employer
• How suitable a change program is for today’s digitally reliant world
• Costs and requirements

Some professionals may find that the CCMP is the best choice for their needs, while others may prefer a different route. Or, in some instances, those who specialize in change management may choose to obtain both the CCMP and other change management training.