Benefits of Certification

Why Certification?

Certification is the recognition by the private sector of voluntarily achieved standards, as opposed to licensure, which involves the granting of a license by a governmental body based on applicable laws or regulations. The word "credential," which encompasses both systems, is derived from the Latin word "credere," which means to believe ... to put trust in. The word "certify" is derived from the Latin "certus" (certain) and "facere" (to make). We therefore have signified our belief, or trust, in those who have been "made," or granted, a certification. The process, as implemented today, clearly promotes professional accountability.

Where is certification heading in the next ten to twenty years? The changing structure of the workplace, and of many kinds of work, will most probably result in the increasing importance of certification as employers look for evidence that employees have acquired the knowledge and skills necessary to keep pace with workplace needs.

Another important factor in the growth of certification is the globalization of many industries, with security management clearly among them. Skill sets need to be transportable, and to carry the same meaning in all parts of the world.

The increased attention being given by the federal and state governments to constituent, or consumer, protection is an additional factor in the importance of certifying professionals - in this case security managers. As long as an industry sets standards and requirements of its own to demonstrate mastery of appropriate knowledge and skills, government agencies have not felt the need to intervene.