SECP6: Your First Credential Road Map Coursework, Experience, Study Strategy and Resources

CM Credit Hours: 1 

Earning your first professional credential can seem overwhelming, especially when balancing work, education, and personal commitments. This session provides a practical roadmap for professionals preparing to pursue their first certification, guiding attendees from understanding eligibility requirements and gaining relevant experience to developing an effective study plan and leverageing available resources.
Participants will learn how to evaluate credential requirements, identify opportunities to build qualifying experience, select study materials and preparation cources, and create a realistic timeline that fits their schedule. The session will also highlight common challenges faced by first-time candidates, strategies for staying motivated, and lessons learned from professionals who have successfully navigated the certification process.
Whether attendees are early in their careers or ready to begin preparing for examination, they will leave with actionable steps, recommended resources, and professional framework to confidently pursue their first professional credential.

Identify three benefits to earning a professional credential
Differentiate between three different credentialing organizations
List three resources used to prepare candidates for testing
Build a personalized plan for obtaining first professional credential 

Introductory

Career Development Pathways

Education and training

In-person

Student and Early Career Professional Track

Practitioner

Small Group Discussion