Certification Programs
Introduction
PSPA Certification Programs have been developed as an educational driver as well as a formal method of recognizing our members who successfully complete our proprietary, independent, non-biased, knowledge-based Examination Process.
Certification is a Powerful Tool
Formal education when coupled with professional certification establishes a level of expertise within a field of study. When an individual becomes “Certified” they acquire a designation which further establishes qualifications in their professional ability, credibility, and opinion.
Upon successful completion of any PSPA Certification Program, members become approved and are encouraged to display the PSPA Certification acronym: CSO, CSS, and CSM on their applicable business correspondence.
The CSO, CSS, and CSM designations do not pre-qualify or represent a member’s ability to perform. The certification designations are not intended to be used in lieu of an employer’s or end user’s responsibility to independently: screen, select, hire, train, or supervise its workforce. As with all professional vocations, workers must be effectively qualified, trained, and supervised to best ensure a safe, secure, lawful, and desired outcome.
PSPA advocates that all Private Security Professionals meet all applicable federal, state, and local requirement(s) prior to any deployment for work. Additionally, PSPA advocates that all Private Security Professionals acquire and retain all requisite educational skillsets and hands-on field training necessary to lawfully, safely and effectively perform all general, as well as, site-specific job requirements, policies, procedures and best practices prior to any deployment for work.
As with all professional vocations, new-hire training, on-going training, refresher training, and continuing education must be sought in order to remain current with today’s ever-changing laws, rules, regulations, and best practices.
Program Instructions
All PSPA Certification Programs (described below) are offered to all PSPA “Registered” Members.
Certificates of Certification are posted within your Virtual Office (immediately after successful completion) and available for: view, download, and/or forward (via email) as deemed appropriate.
Certificates of Certification are valid for three (3) years.
To become re-certified after expiration, depress the below, Click Here - To Start Your Exam button.
For Best Results, maintain your Virtual Office (file folders) which includes your “Manage Your Account” and “Manage Your Biography / Resume” to ensure all information is accurate and up-to-date.
Endnote
Effective Career Development
Career development is often described as the process that forms an individual’s work identity. Career development is a significant part of human development and spans over an individual's entire lifetime, beginning when an individual first becomes aware of how people make a living.
For most individuals, career development occurs without any intervention from others. Most begin to think about occupational choices early in life, while others won't give the subject much thought until they are relatively close to seeking employment.
While most individuals go through this cognitive thinking process independently, almost everyone can benefit from expert career guidance. Advice from a career counselor or other similarly trained specialist coupled with applicable training and education can measurably improve chances of placement within a chosen career field as well as foster improved job satisfaction, overall success, and opportunity for promotion.
With this, people who are skilled and knowledgeable are the ones who are most likely to be hired, while those who don’t may not make it past the second round of screening.
For those individuals who made it, their overall abilities (more often than not) aided in their quest for getting hired. For those who did not, their lack of formal education, ability, skills, and know-how (more often than not) served as a barrier to getting hired.
Fundamentally speaking, those seeking employment or continued employment must understand the importance of career development. Effective career development aids in obtaining desired objectives, both during the job search and while employed. Effective career development can significantly improve the opportunity for increased employment longevity, promotion, pay, incentives, bonuses, benefits, job flexibility, and overall job satisfaction.
In the end, an employer’s objective is to maximize its human resources productivity to best achieve its goals. With this, on-going career development (weather employer provided or employee sought) aids in that outlook by ensuring the best match between people and jobs.
Certified Security Officer (CSO)
The Certified Security Officer (CSO) program is designed to evaluate the skillset of entry-level, mid-level, and senior-level personnel (Security Officers) who are not charged with the supervision or oversight of others. The program is also applicable to Employers and Clients who: own, manage, oversee, and/or engage security programs, security personnel, or life safety services.
The CSO program is a broad-based (14 Category / 100 Question) Vetting Examination designed to evaluate previously acquired industry knowledge and/or knowledge that may have been acquired by reading the educational briefings contained within the program.
The CSO designation does not pre-qualify or represent a member’s ability to perform. The CSO designation is not intended to be used in lieu of an employer’s or end user’s responsibility to independently: screen, select, hire, train, or supervise its workforce. As with all professional vocations, workers must be effectively qualified, trained, and supervised to best ensure a safe, secure, lawful, and desired outcome.
The CSO program is available to all “Registered” Individual Members of PSPA. The payment of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or the use of a pre-approved Corporate Identification Number (CIN) Code is due only upon successful completion of the entire program. Certificates of Certification are available immediately after receipt of payment.
A minimum proficiency score of 80% is required to pass the 100 question examination.
Click Here - To Start Your (CSO) Exam
Certified Security Supervisor (CSS)
The Certified Security Supervisor (CSS) program is designed to evaluate the skillset of entry-level, mid-level, and senior-level personnel (Security Supervisors) who are charged with the supervision or oversight of others. The program is also applicable to Employers and Clients who: own, manage, oversee, and/or engage security programs, security personnel, or life safety services.
The CSS program is a broad-based (7 Category / 150 Question) Vetting Examination designed to evaluate previously acquired industry knowledge and/or knowledge that may have been acquired by reading the educational briefings contained within the program.
The CSS designation does not pre-qualify or represent a member’s ability to perform. The CSS designation is not intended to be used in lieu of an employer’s or end user’s responsibility to independently: screen, select, hire, train, or supervise its workforce. As with all professional vocations, workers must be effectively qualified, trained, and supervised to best ensure a safe, secure, lawful, and desired outcome.
The CSS program is available to all “Registered” Individual Members of PSPA. The successful completion of the CSO program is a prerequisite to the CSS program. The payment of One Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($150.00) or the use of a pre-approved Corporate Identification Number (CIN) Code is due only upon successful completion of the entire program. Certificates of Certification are available immediately after receipt of payment.
A minimum proficiency score of 80% is required to pass the 150 question examination.
Click Here - To Start Your (CSS) Exam
Prerequisite > Successful completion of the (CSO) Exam
Certified Security Manager (CSM)
The Certified Security Manager (CSM) program is designed to evaluate the skillset of entry-level, mid-level, and senior-level personnel charged with managing, leading, or directing people, departments, offices, branches, and companies. Within the private security industry, a variety of "job titles" exist, each of which are applicable to this designation. These job titles include, but are not limited to: Site Supervisor, Security Supervisor, Security Manager, Security Director, Field Manager, Project Manager, Operations Manager, Branch Manager, Area Manager, District Manager, Regional Manager, Vice President, President, and Company Owner/Operator. The program is also applicable to Employers and Clients who: own, manage, oversee, and/or engage security programs, security personnel, or life safety services.
The CSM program is a broad based (Multi-Topic / 200 Question) Vetting Examination designed to evaluate previously acquired industry knowledge and/or knowledge that may have been acquired by reading the educational briefings contained within the program.
The CSM designation does not pre-qualify or represent a member’s ability to perform. The CSM designation is not intended to be used in lieu of an employer’s or end user’s responsibility to independently: screen, select, hire, train, or supervise its workforce. As with all professional vocations, workers must be effectively qualified, trained, and supervised to best ensure a safe, secure, lawful, and desired outcome.
The CSM program is available to all “Registered” Individual Members of PSPA. The successful completion of the CSO and CSS program is a prerequisite to the CSM program. The payment of Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) or the use of a pre-approved Corporate Identification Number (CIN) Code is due only upon successful completion of the entire program. Certificates of Certification are available immediately after receipt of payment.
A minimum proficiency score of 90% is required to pass the 200 question examination.
Click Here - To Start Your (CSM) Exam
Prerequisite > Successful completion of the (CSO & CSS) Exam
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