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What Can ISHM Do for You?
By the Managing Director, Phillip Mueller
Occasionally, around renewal time, we receive an email from a certificant, questioning the need to continue their certification. That is a personal decision based upon where you are at and where you want to go in your career. However, many certificants report that the CSHM designation has helped them obtain a job, gain a promotion or contract.
We are constantly doing what we can to promote the CSHM in a fiscally responsible manner. We have promoted the CSHM through the following methods:
- About three years ago we entered into an agreement with Compliance magazine. We believe this relationship has increased the safety and health manager’s awareness of the CSHM. Also, completing quizzes and taking on-line courses assist in obtaining COCs.
- We have begun a program where colleges/universities offering degrees in safety and health management may apply for a special program for the Associate of Safety and Health Manager. Candidates applying for the ASHM may take the CSHM with two years work experience rather than five. Five schools are currently approved: University of West Virginia, Grand Valley State University, Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and Oakland University. Currently, we have more than 30 ASHM members. This program seems to be a positive way to advertise our certification program at no expense.
- Attempts have been made to promote the CSHM through email and presentations to local ASSE chapters.
- We have purchased a display booth and have promoted the CSHM at the ASSE and NSC national conventions. The display booth was also used to promote the CSHM at the Michigan Safety Conference.
- The best way for us to advertise has been through word of mouth and our website. Both methods have been instrumental in gaining applicants for the CSHM.
Aside from promotion, the money we collect goes to fund a number of initiatives to enhance the value of the CSHM. First of all, we have expended a significant amount of our funds towards the vitally important accreditation process. We joined NOCA at the formation of ISHM, because this membership organization works with the accrediting body NCCA. Membership to NOCA is very important to our succeeding in the accreditation process. We also hired two professional contractors to assist in the preparation of our submissions to NCCA.
Additionally, during the early stages of ISHM”s development there were many expenses related to trademark and logo registration. We hired an attorney to review our Incorporation application, our bylaws and our submissions to the United Patent and Trademark Office for registering our logo and the Institute for Safety and Health Management, so that others could not legally use those names. We now have an application in to the same office for the Certified Safety and Health Manager, which has been pending for some time.
To summarize this article, I have attempted to explain what we do to promote our certification programs, how the CSHM designation may benefit our certificants and hour your funds are spent. My question to you is, “What else would you like to see us do to further enhance the value of your certification? Let us hear from you.
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Copyright 2006 ISHM Institute for Safety and Health Management
2004 Hatton Court #101, Columbia MO 65203
(877) 201-4053 Contact
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