International Association of Outsourcing Professionals Expands Certification Training Options with New COP Bridge Program

    /24-7PressRelease/ - POUGHKEEPSIE, NY, June 05, 2008 - Outsourcing professionals will be able to apply training and education from outside institutions toward earning the industry's Certified Outsourcing Professional (COP) designation through a new COP Bridge Program announced today.

The International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) will now accept approved educational, training and certificate courses from institutions, associations and corporations toward its COP certification and recertification.

The prestigious COP designation is the globally recognized standard of excellence for professionals in the field who have mastered the end-to-end process of outsourcing.

More than 100 professionals from companies around the world have earned the designation since it was launched by IAOP in 2006, with hundreds more in the process of becoming certified.

"This new initiative builds a bridge between accredited courses and the COP program," said Christina Powers, Senior Managing Director, Training and Certification, IAOP. "It will provide professionals with access to get the needed training points for certification and recertification, while also creating a connection to other valuable outsourcing programs."

Professionals will be able to select from programs listed in the association's "Outsourcing Professional Course Catalog" and count up to 25 points of the Knowledge and Training requirement toward COP certification and as much as 16 hours for recertification. Up to 100 points are needed the meet the Knowledge and Training criteria. In addition to this requirement, professionals also must earn at least 50 points in the Experience section of their COP application.

"The COP certification has now reached a critical mass and matured to the point where the COP Bridge Program is needed and being sought," Powers said. "Many organizations have requested that IAOP create this type of program and now we are ready to open the floodgates."

The exposure in the IAOP course catalog from current and prospective COPs also will provide universities, colleges, associations and corporations with increased visibility and prestige for their organizations' outsourcing-related programs. To have a course accepted, universities, companies and associations must submit a COP Bridge Program Accreditation Application.

The points awarded for each qualifying course will be based on a review by IAOP of its coverage of "IAOP's Outsourcing Professional Standards and Professional Skills" as defined in its Outsourcing Professional Body of Knowledge (OPBOK).

IAOP has continued to expand the COP program to make it more accessible to professionals. This year, it added 15 more COP Master Class offerings globally through a partnership with Quint Wellington Redwood, a Netherlands-based leading global management consultancy firm. An online version of the course also is offered through IAOP's Academic Alliance Partner, Syracuse University.

About IAOP
The International Association of Outsourcing Professionals (IAOP) is the global, standard-setting organization and advocate for the outsourcing profession. With 40,000 customer, advisor and provider members worldwide, IAOP helps companies increase their outsourcing success rate, improve their outsourcing ROI, and expand the opportunities for outsourcing across their businesses. To learn more, visit www.outsourcingprofessional.org.

Media Contact:
Michael Forbes
IAOP Communications Manager
(845) 452-0600, ext. 118
[email protected]

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