Change is inevitable when a determined mission is to always strive for improvement. That is what brought the National Inventory Certification Association (NICA) to create a 2nd rendition of the certification program for the Certified Inventory Specialist (CIS) designation.

These changes were not made on a whim. Instead we monitored the process, conducted additional research, and had discussions with some members of NICA and also members of other associations. We know that changes affect all members, and didn’t take the altered certification and renewal of the designation lightly. However, our findings have encouraged minor changes that we believe will be accepted in a positive manner.

Incrased CEU Requirement

The number of CEUs required to apply to take the CIS Certification exam has increased from 10 to 15. An almost unanimous agreement that 10 CEUs were not enough to cover an overall education, whether that education be experience, formal education, or online courses offered by NICA. The general consensus is that 15 is still very reasonable, but gives more credibility to the certification due to the increased effort.

The new itemized list of the requirements to achieve CIS certification can be found here on the NICA website.

This small change will help ensure a more well-rounded education, giving more credibility to our certification program.

Assistance during the transition

This improved format takes effect immediately, and everyone will be grandfathered into the new process. If you are currently working towards your certification, please contact the NICA office if you need clarification or assistance. We will work with you individually during this transition to help you achieve your goal.

In addition to your association creating new courses on a scheduled basis, the Inventory Institute is focusing on providing CEU-approved webinars and other opportunities as well to provide a variety of options to meet your CEU requirements for certification.