The topic of certification maintenance comes up more these days when I’m talking with APICS members. The discussions range from “What is it?” to very specific questions about the requirements and process. I would like to address at least the common issues in the next few paragraphs.

APICS established the certification maintenance program in 1997.  This program will maintain the integrity and value of the CPIM and CFPIM credentials by requiring the ongoing development that is common in the best professional certification programs.  Now maintaining your certification will not only demonstrate the solid, in-depth understanding of production and inventory management, but simply the “encouragement’ to participate in ongoing professional development. 

The basic requirement of the certification maintenance program is to earn points by demonstrating ongoing professional development with participation in a variety of activities.  Activities are classified into four categories: continuing education; presentations, publications and educational development; service to the resource management profession; and professional membership.  The points required to successfully maintain your CPIM is 75, while 100 points are required to maintain CFPIM.  The program requires these maintenance points to be earned and certification maintenance to be applied for in five-year intervals, commencing from the date of initial certification.  If you were certified before 1998, your first cycle would be January 1, 1998 through December 31, 2003.  If you have been certified after January 1, 1998, your cycle begins on the date you become certified and runs five years.

If a person does not accumulate the required amount of points and apply for certification maintenance, their certification will be suspended by APICS.  If your certification is suspended, 15 additional points will be required for each year your certification is suspended [20 for CFPIM] will be required for each year your certification is in suspension over the core of 75 [100 CFPIM] points required for the five-year interval.  Suspension will only last 5 years, after which the person would be required to complete the full CPIM certification process.  You still have plenty of time to accumulate your maintenance points.  The earliest applications (for those certified prior to 1998) are not due until the month of your certification 2003! 

As a chapter we make an effort to communicate the certification maintenance point values of all of our activities and even provide members with updates of some of this information.  Due to the wide variety in what and where certification points can be accumulated from, APICS (society headquarters or the chapter) is not able to track all your points accumulated.  Members must keep their own record of certification maintenance points. 

I have a few good suggestions for everyone with questions on this topic:

Obtain a copy of the Certification Maintenance Brochure (Stock #09033) from APICS.  This can be downloaded from www.apics.org/Certification/maintenance.asp in a .pdf format or ordered from (800) 444-2742.

Record all certification maintenance points earned to be safe.  As mentioned, there are four categories; however, this report includes some of 3 activities.  It is the responsibility of the candidate making the certification maintenance application.

Remember, certification maintenance improves the integrity and prestige of the APICS certification credentials.