Certified College Professional Program

What is the CCP?

The Certified College Professional (CCP) program is designed to provide a statewide overview of the Florida College System (FCS), enhance individual job performance, build future leaders, and designate college professionals who demonstrate the knowledge essential to the practice of higher education.

Why CCP?

Regardless of your academic background and professional experience, the CCP designation can set you apart from the rest of your colleagues and go a long way to advancing your career in the Florida College System. If the following applies to you, then earning the CCP designation may be a good decision:

• You are employed by an institution within the Florida College System as a full-time employee, part-time employee, or adjunct faculty for at least one year, OR
• You are employed as a full-time employee by an organization related to the Florida College System for at least one year.
• You are committed to upholding the AFC Certified College Professional “Standards of Conduct”.
• Your college president will support your effort to earn the CCP if your tuition payment will be supported by your institution.

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THE BENEFITS OF PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION

Professional certification is a way to validate working knowledge and expertise in a particular occupation, or group of related occupational areas. A voluntary professional certification program can contribute significantly toward the setting of standards that lead toward higher performance on specific tasks. Certification also encourages aspiration for the standards that come with it, and provides the opportunity to become recognized as a skilled and knowledgeable professional.

The Certified College Professional (CCP) Program provides employees of the Florida College System (FCS) and related organizations with the opportunity to earn a designation related to their work as a college professional or one who works with college professionals, and exposes them to content and experiences they may not be able to obtain elsewhere. The program is a value-added benefit of membership in the AFC and is offered at a discounted rate of $200 to members. The CCP enhances the AFC’s role as the primary professional development provider for the Florida College System.

It is important to recognize that the “Certified College Professional” (CCP) will be a designation, not a license. Licensure is a regulated domain related to specific standards and training in a specific industry or field. Licensure is based on a set of “minimum requirements” designed to protect the general public from incompetence. Conversely, voluntary certification endorses a broader set of knowledge related to an industry and occupational area. It is often built upon the demonstration of enhanced competence and knowledge. There are many certification programs that exist that are not connected to regulatory requirements.

CERTIFIED COLLEGE PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM PRINCIPLES

1. The CCP is portable designation recognized by the institutions within the Florida College System.
2. The CCP promotes individual professional skills, as well as knowledge of the Florida College System.
3. The CCP enhances an individual’s resume which may lead to opportunities for advancement.
4. The CCP provides opportunities for candidates to learn aspects of the Florida College System they may not be exposed
          to in their day-to-day work environment.
5. The CCP provides FCS institutions and related organizations an option through which colleges may motivate and reward
          employees.
6. The CCP enhances the AFC’s role in the professional development of its members.