Types of Certificates

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

regarding ACRE Training & Certificates of Achievement

 

Each year ACRE members provide ACRE approved training and award certificates of achievement to those who complete successfully all training requirements. ACRE training is usually pursued by professionals working in the field of employment services for people with disabilities.

 

What types of Certificates of Achievement are available?

ACRE endorses competency-based training 2 areas:

1. Employment Services (basic and professional levels)

2. Employment Services with an Emphasis on Customized Employment (basic and professional levels) 

Only trainees completing ACRE approved training can earn the ACRE certificates of achievement.

  • Trainees must complete all training requirements of the ACRE approved training, which is a minimum of 40 hours of training, to complete the Basic Certificate of Achievement in Employment Services or With the Emphasis on Customized Employment.
  • To earn a Professional Level Certificate of Achievement, a trainee must complete the Basic Level ACRE Training and then enroll in an ACRE approved Professional Level. Trainees must also have a minimum of 1 year of employment service experience.

You can download either set of competencies by going to the bottom of the Competencies tab.

 

If I receive a basic level certificate of achievement, and then I take extra training, can ACRE award me a professional level certificate?

While additional training is always recommended for professional growth, the training would need to be part of an ACRE approved Professional level training.

Certificates of Achievement are awarded by training providers who are ACRE members. ACRE does not award any certificates. 

 

Who provides ACRE approved training?

ACRE has many organizational members who have ACRE approved training.  Since 2005, ACRE training providers have been awarding certificates of achievement to trainees who complete all training requirements. Thousands of professionals nationally have obtained an ACRE Certificate of Achievement. Visit the Certificate Registry for a list of the total number of certificates awarded as well as to search the database of names.

To enroll in ACRE approved training you must find a training provider that offers either in person, online or a hybrid training that meets your needs. See the options at the Training tab http://www.acreducators.org/find-training-providers.

 

Does ACRE offer a “Certification” Program?

ACRE does not have certification programs. ACRE members with an ACRE approved curriculum award a “certificate of achievement” to trainees, who complete the training requirements successfully.  

If you are interested in pursuing a professional “certification” you should explore the APSE Certificate for Employment Service Professionals (CESP). For more information go to the APSE website: www.apse.org.  APSE lists on their website recommendations for how to prepare to take the CESP exam (ACRE training is one suggested option to prepare for the exam).

IMPORTANT: APSE's CESP credential is a certification, which requires ongoing training in order to maintain the CESP certification.

 

What is the difference between ACRE and APSE?

ACRE is a membership organization for trainers who specifically work in the area of training professionals who provide employment services. ACRE offers a service of reviewing training curricula against the ACRE employment services competencies (which are based on the APSE competencies) in order to become an ACRE training provider.

APSE is a membership organization for people working in the field of employment for individuals with disabilities. Among other activities, APSE developed and maintains the CESP credential, and it administers the CESP exams. If you want to be Certified, APSE is the organization that can help you.

 

How long is my certificate of achievement good for? Are there continuing education requirements to maintain my certificate?

The certificate of achievement demonstrates that completion of training requirements, thus it never expires. Once awarded, there are no requirements for ongoing training, though ACRE encourages professionals to continue their professional development.

It is important to know if your state requires ongoing training for professionals working in employment services. You can ask your funding agencies if such requirements exist in your state.

 

How do I get my name on the certificate registry? Do I have to be an ACRE member?

The ACRE Certificate Registry is housed on the ACRE website. The Certificate Registry is a database of names of all trainees who have completed the requirement of an ACRE approved curriculum offered by one of the ACRE Organizational members. To be listed on the Registry the following must happen:

  • An individual must enroll in an ACRE approved training.
  • The trainee must complete all requirements of that training.
  • The training organization submits all names to be added to the Certificate Registry.
  • Trainees need not be ACRE members to have their names listed. ACRE is a membership organization for Training Providers.

 

What should I do if my name should be on the Registry but is not?

If you have successfully completed an ACRE approved training program and received a certificate of achievement but discover that your name is not on the registry, you should do the following:

  • Be sure the training you completed was ACRE approved. Check the certificate of achievement to be sure that it was an ACRE Certificate of Achievement. (You can also find a list of ACRE approved training providers on the ACRE website)
  • Confirm with the training provider that you completed all requirements of the training.
  • Ask the training provider if your name has been submitted for the registry.
  • If it has been submitted, ask the provider to contact ACRE to let us know of the problem.

Important: Often times, the ACRE Training provider waits for all trainees to complete the requirements and then they submit a single list. There are often delays on their part in submitting names. Once names are received by ACRE, it can take a couple of weeks for them to be added in the Certificate Registry.