By Steve Rizer
It will be interesting to see the degree to which professionals and their prospective employers will value the Association for the Advancement of Cost Engineering (AACE) International’s new Certified Scheduling Technician (CST) credential. In a recent interview, ConstructionPro Week asked AACE International Executive Director Dennis Stork, “About how many professionals are expected to enroll in the program … and by when?”
In response to this question, Stork said, “We anticipate that the participation pattern will be similar to that of the Certified Cost Technician (CCT) program, which has a similar target audience. The CCT had 166 individuals challenge the examination in 2012 with 80 passing.”
AACE International is targeting the new program to “the young professional with a minimum of four years of professional experience or a four-year degree.” The program is designed to give less-experienced professionals the opportunity to advance their scheduling skills, knowledge, and professional development and be distinguished as a CST prior to obtaining the prerequisite eight years of relevant experience necessary to garner certification as a Planning and Scheduling Professional (PSP), which AACE International also offers.
The CST program offers the following benefits, according to AACE International:
- The program identifies less-experienced scheduling professionals who have demonstrated a level of competency, knowledge, and ability in applying scheduling principles early in their career.
- It distinguishes less-experienced scheduling professionals from their peers to employers, clients, and the industry.
- Professional practices for the scheduling profession are raised and improved by giving special recognition to those who achieve a high level of competency in scheduling early in their careers.
- Increased awareness of scheduling principles at the collegiate or technician level of the organizations will occur, and the program will promote more employers hiring technician-level professionals.
The CST exam consists of multiple-choice questions and covers basic supporting skills and knowledge of scheduling. The computer-based testing exam is “open book” and permits the use of the recently completed AACE International “Certified Scheduling Technician (CST) Certification Primer.”
AACE International will open registration online for the CST July 1. After registration is approved by AACE International headquarters, candidates may schedule for and take the exam at any of more than 500 testing centers worldwide.
