| Is the CPCP Examination
required for membership? |
This is not a mandatory, but a voluntary
certification exam. If you choose not to take the test, that decision
does not prevent you from renewing your membership, nor will it replace
the provisions of membership if the test is taken. Note: CPCP
credentials are required for trainer members.
|
| Why has the SPCP elected
to offer a certification examination? |
| The exam was originally planned as a test to be
used by SPCP trainer members as well as by licensing states and other
interested governmental bodies. It became clear that many states did not
want this burden and wanted professional organizations to conduct the
testing. Our members have asked us to provide them with a fair and
objective exam. They wanted the credibility of a true certification
rather than only having a certificate of completion from training. |
| What does this mean? |
| This type of examination tests the candidate in a
manner where their knowledge or “competencies” are tested against those
of their peers. Certification is a formal recognition of comprehension
of a specific body of knowledge demonstrated at the time of the
examination. It is a mark of excellence and demonstrates that a
certified individual has the knowledge to provide a particular level of
quality service. Certification is an investment in a professional’s
career. |
| How was the examination
developed? |
| After close to three years of writing questions or
“items” based on current reference materials in our industry and
obtaining feedback, the SPCP contracted the services of Reasoning, Inc.,
a professional test development company. They are well known in the
“testing community” and have developed, through experience with
statistical feedback on many thousands of test items, an unparalleled
understanding of the psychometric consequences of particular wordings
and turns of phrase. These understandings are incorporated into our exam
in a way that provides us with the highest possible degree of security.
The final step was the development of a pass/fail standard through the
cut-score method whereby several Subject Matter Experts participated
with Reasoning, Inc. staff. The final “product” was delivered directly
from Reasoning to our test administrator, LaserGrade, Inc. |
| I wish to study for the
examination. What topics are covered? |
| The following areas are covered in the 100
question, multiple choice exam: infection control, diseases and
disorders, anatomy and physiology, pigmentology (understanding pigment),
technical applications, regulations, client management, and
documentation. (See the resource list.) The candidate has one and a half
hours to complete the exam. |
| Will I become “board
certified?” |
| Candidates passing the exam will become a
Certified Permanent Cosmetic Professional. This term best describes the
credentials and is not confusing to the general public. While we have a
Certification Board, we will not use “Board Certified” as a
credentialing term. |
| Why has the SPCP chosen
not to employ elements of hands-on testing as part of the certification
process? |
Research has revealed there are no consistent ways
for us to conduct hands-on testing and remain completely objective.
Results of testing in this fashion make it extremely difficult to
monitor the effectiveness of the candidate or test administrator.
The exam provided by SPCP is designed to evaluate competency at a
fundamental level since the SPCP believes no permanent cosmetic
professional should be performing procedures on clients unless they are
able to successfully pass the exam. |
| What advantage is there
if I am an SPCP member? |
Upon passing the CPCP Exam, all candidates will
receive a certificate and will be able to use the acronym CPCP after
their name.
Only SPCP members are able to take the exam and renew certification at a
greatly reduced fee.
To honor the achievement of successfully passing the CPCP examination, a
pin with the CPCP logo will be presented to each Certified Permanent
Cosmetic Professional in attendance at the SPCP Convention during the
Annual Members Meeting in March.
|
| Certification is another
industry related expense. What measures are being taken by the SPCP to
ensure the exam is cost-effective? |
| Since this is an entry-level exam, the SPCP does
not believe the candidate should have to obtain expensive study
materials or attend certification workshops. We do provide a list of
helpful resources; some of them are at no cost to the candidate as well
as sample questions to allow the candidate to observe the style of
testing. We offer the exam through our test administrator, LaserGrade,
who has over 1000 secure and supervised test centers worldwide, thereby
eliminating the need for costly travel arrangements and hotel
accommodations. |
| What happens after I send
in my application? Where do I take the exam? |
| After the SPCP verifies your application as
complete, you will be sent an authorization letter with a number to
contact LaserGrade to make arrangements to take the computer-based exam
at one of their test facilities of your own choice. Choose a date and
time convenient to you within 6 months of your authorization. You may
review the list of available test centers at:
http://www.lasergrade.com/locate.html.
If there is no exam location available to you, SPCP conducts exams at
our educational events. There is an ongoing effort to provide the
opportunity for certification to professionals worldwide. Contact the
SPCP office for more information.
|
| How will I know if I
passed? |
| You will know upon completion of your exam if you
have achieved a passing score. If not, you will be immediately eligible
to apply for a retest within one year without having to show further
proof of education. If you do not successfully pass the exam upon the
second attempt, you will need to wait a full calendar year and begin the
pro-cess over again. The current pass rate is 75%. The minimum passing
score is 81. |
| Certification renewal is
every two years. Do I need to take the examination again? |
| If the Certified Permanent Cosmetic Professional
(CPCP) complies with the guidelines of accumulating at least 12 hours of
continuing education in the field of permanent cosmetics and takes a
live bloodborne pathogens class within the next two-year time frame, the
exam does not have to be taken again. A renewal notice will be sent at
least 6 weeks prior to the two-year anniversary date of your
certification. It is important the SPCP always has a current address
since we cannot be responsible for undeliverable mail. Failure to renew
on time forfeits the right to use the CPCP logo and advertise
certification. If the CPCP does not renew on time, re-testing is
mandatory, so it is crucial to know when your certification expires. |
