How to become a Certified Environmental Professional (CEP)

 

Becoming a Certified Environmental Professional (CEP) is an excellent accomplishment that can further your career and pave the way for new opportunities. The CEP program has been in existence since 1979 and provides a standard of excellence for environmental professionals.

To become a Certified Environmental Professional (CEP), you will need to meet specific requirements. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at the process and what steps you need to take to achieve this designation.

Step 1: Meet Education Requirements

The first step toward achieving CEP certification is to earn an undergraduate degree from an accredited institution. The type of degree is not specified, but it should be in a science or engineering field, or a related field with significant environmental coursework.

Step 2: Accumulate Applicable Work Experience

After you have earned your degree, you will need to gain professional experience in the environmental field. According to the CEP requirements, you should have at least nine years of professional experience, five of which must be in a responsible charge position.

Step 3: Pass the CEP exam

CEP certification requires passing a comprehensive exam that assesses environmental professionals' knowledge and skillset. This exam includes a broad range of topics, including environmental regulations, health and safety, air and water quality, contaminant investigation, and remediation, among others.

The exam is computer-based and offered at testing facilities throughout the United States, Canada, and other international locations. The cost to take the test is $750 for NAEP members and $1200 for non-members.

Step 4: Continuing Education

Once you have earned the CEP designation, you must remain compliant with continuing education requirements to maintain the certification. Environmental professionals holding the CEP must earn a minimum of 40 hours of continuing education per year. These hours should include up to four hours of ethics education.

CEP certification is recognized worldwide as a standard of excellence for environmental professionals and sets the bar for knowledge, skill, and experience in this field. Achieving it requires hard work, dedication, and a passion for environmental protection. With the growing importance of sustainability and environmental responsibility, being a CEP is an asset to professionals working across several industries.

 A career as a Certified Environmental Professional (CEP) can offer significant opportunities and is an excellent achievement that can help advance your career. If you're looking to move into environmental regulation and consultancy, earning certification as a CEP can help expand your career opportunities.