What is CPE Credit

1. What is CPE Credit? Continuing Professional Education, abbreviated as CPE, is an essential part of lifelong learning that aims to provide competent services in the workplace. CPE allows professionals to build on their credentials by offering a wide range of learning activities. CPE credits refer to points awarded to professionals after participating in specialized training. The credits are awarded according to study hours and play a considerable role in certification programs to help professionals maintain or upgrade their credentials. Here is everything you need to know about CPE credit. Why is CPE Important? Certification programs are essential as they help ensure that professionals keep on learning and remain on their toes on current developments in their respective industries by learning. Therefore, continuing professional education is essential and helps employees offer quality services. It also helps companies remain competitive by upgrading the education of their workforce. What Is Considered As CPE and How Can You Tell if a Training Qualifies for CPE Credits? For a program to qualify as CPE, it depends on the type of education and how it is conducted. CPE can be training programs like workshops, in-person training, conferences, webinars, and online classes. Each CPE program is unique. Some may be short, especially a course that seeks to refresh professional competencies or educate professionals about new technology in their field. Knowing if training qualifies to add your CPE credits is important as a professional looking to gain CPE credits. You can use applications like CompTIA’s CEU under the assessment tool. The tool will help determine if the activity satisfies the necessary program requirements for certification renewal. If it does, it qualifies as CPE and could earn you credit. How Can You Earn CPE Credits Private companies, industry associations, vocational schools, and colleges offer training opportunities to their employees for CPE credits. Before starting your training, you should research the organization offering the credit. Then, ensure that those credits will count towards their relevant professional conditions. The strictness of the standards will vary depending on your professional field. You can claim CPE hours from unstructured learning activities by filing a self-declaration form or certification review of courses that advance your skills or knowledge. You will earn your CPE hours depending on the number of hours you actively participated in the activity.

2. In-Person vs Online CPE Courses After the onset of the coronavirus pandemic and the stay-at-home directive, most institutions switched to online courses, including CPE courses. While in-person courses offer face-to-face interaction, they are hard to schedule due to the pandemic. Besides, in-person courses add a logistical challenge since you will have to travel to the school for each class session. Online classes offer a flexibility advantage even when your schedule is busy. You can access the class despite your geographical location as long as you have an internet connection. Additionally, you can study for the course at your own pace, with unlimited access to resources. With the School of Continuing and Professional Educationof William Paterson Universty, you can complete you degree with CPE credits. Students can submit a portfolio with life/work experience for course credit in their program of study. We will work with the department of that course to determine if your experience meets equivalent learning outcomes. If so, you could be granted credits and complete your degree more quickly. Check out our Prior Learning Assessment Portfolio page for more information.