I have been writing this column for a few years now. I don’t get paid anything for it and I don’t work for MD Publishing or TechNation. I contribute on a volunteer basis because I saw a need for it and asked the editor at the time if it would be of interest to the publication. The rest is history.
The reason I say that is so you will not think I am advertising for MD Publishing, TechNation or MD Expo. But I think all of them are great! Let me explain why. They offer many opportunities for us to earn CEUs toward recertification.
I think by now everyone knows the recertification system has changed from points to CEUs. You are required to get a minimum of 15 CEUs for continuing education in a three-year period. Many people have seen that and lost their minds! It is easier to accumulate credits in the CEU system than it was with the old points system. Each hour presentation or class you attend equals one CEU. If you go to a two-day tech school put on by a manufacturer that is eight hours a day that would equal 16 CEUs.
I was recently at the MD Expo in Irvine, California. At that Expo alone there was an opportunity to earn 14 CEUs. That is only one conference. There are two MD Expos a year. There are similar education opportunities at each of them. This would be an easy way to get the minimum requirement of 15 CEUs in three years. You would only have to go to one Expo in the three-year period and then get another CEU somewhere else.
Where else could you get a CEU? What if you can’t travel to conferences like the MD Expo? Not everyone gets to do that kind of thing very often. One in a three-year period is not that much, but let’s say you can’t go. The answer is easy, there are webinars. TechNation has been having at least one webinar a month for a couple of years. Looking at the webinar schedule online (1TechNation.com/webinars) I see that there are 12 webinars from June 2017 until the end of 2017. Each webinar is one hour or longer and worth 1 CEU. Once again, you have a minimum requirement of 15 CEUs for a three-year period. You can see how over a three-year period these can really start to add up.
You can no longer claim CEUs or points for reading TechNation magazine, but I hope you still will read it because it is a good way to stay in touch with what is going on in the HTM world. TechNation has several other ways to help you stay up to date on your certification renewal process. Just do a little at a time and it will add up fast.
For more information go to www.1technation.com to explore the offers and be sure to look at the webinar schedule. You can also view archived webinars. And maybe I’ll see you at one of the upcoming MD Expos? If are able to attend one, please be sure to come say “Hi.”
