SHRM to Launch Human Resource Certification on Jan. 5

WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwired - Nov 20, 2014) - After years of research and months of preparation, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) will launch its premier competency-based certification on Jan. 5, 2015, President and CEO Henry G. (Hank) Jackson announced today.

Speaking before more than 850 SHRM chapter and state council volunteer leaders, Jackson said, "After years of research and discussion, we knew that the next evolution of certification should help HR professionals demonstrate that they have the knowledge and behaviors needed to excel in their careers today as business leaders."

SHRM announced in May that it was creating a certification program for human resource professionals based on the SHRM Competency Model. Since then, it has developed the SHRM Body of Competency and Knowledge, which documents nine behavioral and technical competencies that serve as the basis for the SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP™) and SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP™) program.

"Based on feedback we've gotten, we're confident that the SHRM-CP™ and SHRM-SCP™ certifications will be the gold standard for HR professionals," Jackson said.

He spoke on the first day of SHRM's Volunteer Leaders' Summit in Washington, D.C. Many attendees are completing a certification pathway process during the event, making them among the first HR professionals certified by SHRM. The pathway opens to other certified HR professionals on Jan. 5.

"Business is telling us what they need from HR, and we must deliver," Jackson said. "Our new Body of Competency and Knowledge and our new certifications are tools that prove that HR understands where business is today, where it's headed tomorrow and that HR is the value proposition in today's business environment where people are the competitive edge."

Beginning on Jan. 5, HR professionals can apply to take exams for the SHRM-CP™ and SHRM-SCP™, with the first testing window from May 1 to July 15, 2015. For those preparing for the exam, the 2015 SHRM Learning System will be available beginning in December.

During his State of the Society address, Jackson unveiled SHRM's national "Advancing HR" campaign, including a television commercial that will air in top business markets and print and digital advertising.

Jackson also shared highlights from the past year, including:

• SHRM membership now tops 280,000 and represents more than 100,000 organizations of all sizes and industries.
• SHRM programs are now being delivered in more than 30 countries.
• SHRM is the leading global authority on HR and people management, with a more than 80 percent satisfaction rate among members.

MEDIA: For more information, contact Kate Kennedy of SHRM Media Relations at 703-535-6260 and Kate.kennedy@shrm.org or Vanessa Gray at 703-535-6072 and Vanessa.gray@shrm.org.

About the Society for Human Resource Management
Founded in 1948, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) is the world's largest HR membership organization devoted to human resource management. Representing more than 275,000 members in over 160 countries, the Society is the leading provider of resources to serve the needs of HR professionals and advance the professional practice of human resource management. SHRM has more than 575 affiliated chapters within the United States and subsidiary offices in China, India and United Arab Emirates. Visit SHRM Online at www.shrm.org and follow us on Twitter @SHRMPress.