Greetings from Your New CMP Governance Commission Chair!
I am honored to be this year's Chairwoman of the CMP Governance Commission. Our mission is to ensure that the CMP program is a reflection of the meetings industry, is relevant to all event professionals and that the policies are consistent with certification program best practices.
2016 is clipping along at a fast pace and so is the events industry. In 2020, we will start to see the next generation in the workforce, the iGeneration, and believe it or not some of them will hold the CMP designation! Twenty years ago, I received my CMP and it was a completely different experience, studying for and taking the exam. The content of the exam continues to change as our industry changes. The governing body of knowledge for the CMP draws from CMP International Standards. It is reviewed and refreshed to ensure it represents the knowledge and skills of event professionals today.
As a holder of the CMP, I want to ask you what you think the future of the CMP is and what skills and qualities does it need to represent in the year 2020? How should employers be viewing those who hold the CMP? How should the CMP be perceived outside of our industry in the year 2020?
As the next generation enters the workforce and our industry, what will they be valuing in a certification? Fifteen years ago, I started the first event management degree in the United States. Today, I am so pleased that we have more and more event management degrees in the market. Having a more educated workforce in event management propels our industry forward faster. Our industry is changing from the old saying of "I fell into it" to a profession of choice. How does the CMP fit into those entering our profession with a degree in event management?
I ask you to join me in this conversation and share your opinions with me. You can find me on LinkedIn, Twitter @jsperstad, or good old email, jsperstad@madisoncollege.edu. While I don't know what the future holds, I do know that what the CMP needs to be is what it is today, the designation that represents our industry's best practitioners who have proven their knowledge and skills that remain competitive in a dynamic marketplace. I will be asking the CMP Governance Commission these questions and ask you to share your thoughts and opinions with me as you too represent the CMP community and can help us shape the future.
I look forward to hearing from you and thank you for elevating our profession by challenging yourself in obtaining the CMP.
Peace.
Janet
2016 Chair, CMP Governance Commission
Events Industry Council