Greetings Members!
Training and educational advancement are important facets of being a better procurement professional. I have been fortunate throughout my career to have had a lot of support from higher ups to add to my knowledge base in public procurement. Attaining your CPPB and eventually your CPPO Certifications are milestones in your professional career. And now NIGP offers another pathway to certification through their NIGP-CPP Program.
I recently studied for and passed both modules of the NIGP-CPP curriculum. I chose to take this path because I (foolishly) let my CPPB and CPPO certifications expire, and didn’t renew them. I thought since I had retired, it wasn’t a priority anymore. But as I continue to work in public procurement, even in retirement, I have found that having a professional certification is still something to be proud of, and sometimes necessary if you want to be considered for future work.
NIGP offers several preparation tools to achieve your NIGP-CPP Certification. There are online Prep Guides, Exam Prep Courses, and Personalized NIGP-CPP Assessment quizzes that you can take. If you are considering working toward your NIGP-CPP certification, I highly recommend you use the Prep Guides and Assessment tools at a bare minimum. You will find all these resources under the Certification tab on the NIGP.org website.
Another excellent path to improve your procurement knowledge is found through our own Portland State University’s Executive and Professional Education Program. They offer many courses applicable to public procurement, including the PSU Certificate in Construction Contracting. If your current position responsibilities include construction contracting, or if this is something you would like to move to in the future, this course could be invaluable. I recommend you investigate the opportunities found there as well. Happy Learning!
Craig Johnsen
Columbia Chapter President 2023