Continuing Education (CE) Basics
The recertification process provides credential holders with the opportunity to demonstrate the reinforcement, retention, and maintenance of their knowledge and skills and the retention of their knowledge of current practice. Recertification also provides encouragement to, and acknowledgment for, participation in ongoing professional development activities.
Credential holders are required to retain and submit documentation for each continuing education activity completed.
CESP Recertification Information. This document outlines the requirements for continuing education (CE) credits, as one of the two options for CESP™ recertification by the ESPCC. Updated last July 2021. https://apse.org/requirements-for-ce-credits/
Employment Support Professional Certification Council (ESPCC) does not preapprove credits to individual candidates.
For information about the Pre-Approval of Continuing Education Credits for trainers, select "Continuing Education Providers" to read more.
Submit when you have earned and uploaded at least 36 CE credits and are prepared to remit the recertification fee ($125). The ESPCC will send email confirmation to you once your application is confirmed as showing all renewal requirements have been met. Congratulations, your certificate is then updated and sent to you in an email.
Please note that the application is only available via APSE Apply at www.apse.smapply.org as "Recertification Application." Paper applications will not be accepted unless there is a disability-based accommodation request (email cesp@apse.org).
Review Process: The ESPCC/APSE Staff will review all recertification applications for completeness. Additional documentation may be requested to determine compliance with the documentation.
Applicants for recertification that do not provide additional documentation within 30 days of their initial review will be denied recertification through the online recertification application.
How to earn CE credits that will be approved by the ESPCC:
The CESP credential is for employment support professionals (ESPs) and ensures that those who hold it maintain an ongoing commitment to learning in the area of competitive, integrated employment. Therefore, continuing education credits (hours) need to be specific to supporting employment.
All CE activities must be directly related to the Certified Employment Support Professional (ESP) Content Outline.
- Acceptable activities include the knowledge and skills defined by the Content Outline published by the ESPCC including content related to ethics and values.
- Activities that are considered normal employment duties of an ESP will not be accepted for CE credits.
- Although mandatory trainings and general disability trainings are valuable to the role of an ESP, they are not specific to employment. General disability-related training does not count toward recertification (i.e. Mental Health First Aid, non-employment disability specific training).
- You will be asked to select which Domain each activity you are submitting for CE credit relates best to. Select one (1) of the four domains that most closely relates to content covered by the activity. See the Content Outline, but just choose your best guess.