NAPS certification is an earned privilege — one that will continue to set you apart from thousands of other staffing professionals across the country. To maintain your certification, you must participate in our mandatory continuing education compliance program. It keeps your knowledge current on the most vital employment laws and practices which affect your candidates and clients each day. Like so many other professional designations in business this program fits within our life-long learning strategy. We like to think of it as an opportunity to expand your mind and your value.

NAPS has approved many different ways you can obtain CEU credits, including independent study courses, NAPS annual conference, state and regional conferences & seminars, independent trainers and consultants, college courses, professional book/audiotape reviews and in-house training. All of these methods must be approved by NAPS to qualify for the continuing education compliance program.

The NAPS continuing education program requires that every three years from the date of certification you must meet 50 education hours (often referred to as contact hours) or 5.0 continuing education units (CEUs).

1 hour of staffing education equals .1 CEU; 10 hours of staffing education equals 1 hour. Therefore each certified professionals must have at least 50 hours of continuing education every three years.

NAPS will provide you with a log sheet to record all CEUs. This is your responsibility. In order to keep your certification intact you must submit the log sheet every three years to NAPS headquarters, along with a $50 administrative fee. DO NOT send any backup materials to prove compliance, such as letters and certificates, unless these are requested by NAPS. When you participate in an approved conference or seminar or seek out training from a NAPS-approved provider, please make sure you receive a letter or form with credit verification.

Programs should address either your professional or personal training needs as it relates to the staffing industry. They may either be grounded in industry subject matter or deal with personal issues such as time management and leadership development, which will help you grow as a professional. Programs that do not meet these guidelines will not qualify.

Holders of both designations need to only acquire 5.0 CEUs or 50 continuing education hours.

NAPS abides by the standards of the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET) which limits CEUs to only those being trained. CEUs cannot be achieved by preparing or delivering training programs.

Unless there are extenuating circumstances, you may elect to retake the CPC or CTS exam at the full registration

Education opportunities are easy to find for CPCs and CTSs. At the national level we offer independent study courses which allow you to work at your own pace, as well as our annual conference. Many state associations also offer conferences and seminars, where you can obtain CEUs. In-house training programs, independent trainers and training organizations will also be considered provided the programs are pre-approved by NAPS. The continuing education compliance program can be met through a combination of various options.

Each fall NAPS host its annual conference featuring a dynamic group of industry trainers and speakers. You can earn up to 16 continuing education hours or 1.6 CEUs for confirmed attendance at this educational event's keynote addresses, breakout sessions and roundtables. A CEU log form will be included in the conference program notebook, which you will receive at on-site registration.

Written by staffing industry and legal professionals, these independent study courses allow you to work within your own environment, at your own pace. Each study course gives you the opportunity to study and learn a specific industry topic, such as the interview process, EEOC guidelines, recruiting on the Internet and legal relationships, just to name a few. An informational essay is followed by a short examination, which must be completed and submitted to NAPS to qualify for CEUs. Courses can be downloaded or obtained through headquarters by calling 301.203.6700.

Not only do your local and regional conferences, meetings and seminars give you the opportunity to network with professional peers, you can achieve credit toward certificate maintenance. You should request a letter or certificate from meeting organizers to include with your CEU folder.

It has become industry standard to receive outside training from professional consultants and trainers. We are prepared to review the curriculum of these independent trainers. If the programs and methods meet NAPS standards, the trainer or training organization will be designated an "approved NAPS continuing education provider," which allows the trainer to award CEUs toward certificate maintenance. The trainer is responsible for issuing a letter or certificate indicating the number of CEUs being awarded. Applications to become independent trainers / training organizations can be downloaded or obtained by contacting fburtnett@recruitinglife.com

Certified individuals working for member or non-member firms may apply professional education experiences offered by their employer to the certification maintenance requirement as long as the firm has been pre-approved by NAPS as a continuing education provider. Staffing firm applications can be downloaded or obtained by contacting fburtnett@recruitinglife.com.

You can also obtain CEU credits for reading relevant professional materials or listening to NAPS conference audiotapes. All you have to do is complete and submit a written response to a series of discussion questions. Additional CEUs will be awarded to groups who meet and discuss the content and implications of their book/audiotape review. A listing of national conference tapes and periodicals, along with CEU guidelines, can be obtained from NAPS headquarters.

CPC and CTS designees engaged in college or university courses related to the staffing industry or professional development may seek to have their higher education activities approved by NAPS. This will be reviewed on a case by case basis and should be done before the class is taken. Applicants should submit a course description, agenda, program information and total class hours to NAPS headquarters for approval.

All of your CEUs must be recorded on the CEU log sheet. Remember to submit your CEU log sheet to NAPS, PO Box 2128, Banner Elk, NC 28604. Please do not submit forms or letters separately. You may be audited so keep your backup materials in your folder.

For additional information or clarification on the NAPS continuing education requirements for certificate holders or how continuing education units can be earned, contact Dr. Frank Burtnett, NAPS Certification and Education Consultant, Education Now, 6604 Grey Fox Drive, Springfield, VA 22152-2608; tel and fax 703.451.5889, email ednow@aol.com.