What's in it for me?
Certification is a professional development process designed to help you improve your skills and knowledge in the field. In the end, the better skilled we are as professionals the better the quality of the services we provide to individuals and our communities. But there are other reasons as well, like professional, career and personal development, public recognition for the work that we do, personal pride, and to give us a sense of purpose in our profession.
Who should become certified?
MAWD's certification is available to everyone engaged in workforce development as a profession. Whether you provide direct services to customers like a job developer, case manager or counselor or you provide administrative support such as a manager, supervisor, fiscal officer, planner, MIS, or monitor, there is a basic and advanced certification opportunity for you.
Why MAWD?
MAWD's vision is to promote the professional development of its members and its membership is the most diverse of any workforce development association in the state. MAWD membership includes professionals from the DWD, DSS, AEL, Vocational Education, Vocational Rehabilitation, Higher Education, WIA providers, Welfare to Work providers, Veterans Progams, Job Corps, Corrections, Community Action Agencies, HUD Employment and Training Programs and others. In this era of service integration MAWD represents all of us.
Is MAWD the same as NAWDP?
The MAWD certification model was built to be compatible with the NAWDP certification model. While MAWD certification doesn't automatically lead to NAWDP certification yet, if you are certified in one it will make getting certified in the other much easier. We are working to establish MAWD as a state chapter of the NAWDP and to streamline the certification processes so that membership and certification in one means membership and certification in both organizations.
Workforce development professionals from all across the state are applying for certification and MAWD membership is on the rise. I'm very proud to say that Missouri is again leading the way...there are other MAWD's out there, associations in other states that will look to our success as we work with NAWDP to make both certifications work and to bring the benefits of membership in both organizations closer to home.
