Business travel associations this spring will launch the
next generation of professional education and certification programs.
About a year after it first announced local business travel
immersion programs to help global business travel professionals better
understand regional nuances, the Association of Corporate Travel Executives in
Sydney this March is slated to debut the Around The World in 80 Hours program.
Designed to meet the needs of both travel management
professionals and university students, the program will continue through May
with classes in Shanghai, Mumbai, Dubai, Frankfurt and São Paulo.
In June, the summer session is scheduled to begin in
Singapore and advance to Sydney, London, Moscow, New Delhi, Mexico City, São
Paulo and Doha before ending in August in New York.
The curriculum in each destination is designed to provide
economic and cultural insight; updates from airlines, hotels, travel management
companies and travel managers; an introduction to the region's corporate travel
industry; procurement practices; and key performance indicators. Traveler duty
of care, risk management and technology also will be focus topics in each
destination, according to ACTE global education director Amber Kelleher.
"We saw a gap in education on global corporate travel
management, and that's been ACTE's strength for many years," Kelleher
said. "We're also very focused on bringing younger professionals into the
corporate travel profession, and this is a way of doing that as well."
Based on feedback regarding prices and time commitments,
Kelleher expects enrollment to be about "two-thirds travel professionals
and one-third students." Weekly costs of $2,295 and the $26,995 complete
program fee include local transportation, lodging and many meals, but not
transportation to and from the starting and ending points.
The 12-week tab "is an expensive program for a student
and more affordable and easier for professionals to go city-by-city,"
Kelleher said. To address that, ACTE created internships and even a fellowship,
similar to some MBA programs, that allow corporations to pick up the tab and
gain an intern or fellow to complete research or other work negotiated by the
company.
AirPlus was the first company to sign up for a fellowship.
ACTE "hadn't considered that a company would view the program as a
recruitment tool," but upon request developed fellowship and internship
options, said Kelleher. "We've had phenomenal response from students
interested in free tuition for the program and had some really strong
candidates." While just one candidate won the AirPlus fellowship, she said
ACTE officials are trying to recruit other companies to allow more candidates
to partake in the program.
Companies have looked at the program in unique ways,
Kelleher said. One, for example, decided to offer a week of training in a city
of choice as the prize for a sales incentive program.
While the University of Houston's Conrad Hilton College is the
program's university of record, Kelleher said ACTE has "reached out to the
top travel schools around the world" to ask for their involvement. Some
recommended students, instructors or local experts. Others advised ACTE on
market nuances that the curriculum should address.
ACTE also "reached out to a number of people who've
been recommended to us" as destination experts or resources in each
destination, Kelleher added. "It's sort of like hosting visitors, but
people have been great about introducing us to the right people and opening
doors."
To ensure that the program benefits all participants, ACTE
asked each to detail their needs and arranged for dedicated curriculum experts
from the University of Houston and other local instructors.
Enrollment varies by city, from five to 25. "Reception
for the program has been extraordinary, and from all over the world,"
Kelleher claimed.
GBTA Academy
The spring also marks the launch of most of the Global
Business Travel Association Academy's associate- and manager-level courses. The
first associate-level course debuted in Canada in October. Others are scheduled
for the United States (in April and July), Shanghai (in April), Europe,
Australia and Latin America, according to GBTA Academy dean of education Amanda
Cecil.
The GBTA Academy offers three levels of professional
education:
Associate:
entry-level, one-day or web-based training for those with less than three years
of experience, or with travel as a small percentage of their workload, to "introduce
them to the concepts of travel management, managing supplier relationships,
safety and security, travel technology and measuring success"
Manager: advanced
courses for travel managers in the field for three to seven years looking for
core education to boost their knowledge and abilities
Leader: executive
education program called the Global Leadership Program at Wharton School of
Business, designed for those with seven to 10 years or more in the travel
industry
Formerly known by various names and specialized for meetings,
as well as corporate, government and sports travel management, the entry-level
associate course "has been regionalized, translated and will be offered
around the world next year," Cecil said. "We currently have Canadian
and U.S. versions, and a European version is coming online." While all
versions are English-language, she said GBTA is "quickly realizing that
other languages may be demanded."
Instead of various vertical courses, Cecil said specialist
travel managers in the athletics, government or meetings fields "should be
able to adapt this to any setting."
Students at the end of in-person or online training must
complete a test to prove their knowledge of core elements. Some regions prefer
to have students return a second day after training to take the test.
The manager level is where GBTA "has made significant
changes in the last year," Cecil said. "We reached out to
world-renowned business schools and created a curriculum for a travel manager
with the University of Virginia" Darden School of Business. Another
university partner is expected to be announced this fall and "by 2013,
this program will be released in multiple regions of the world."
"We took the last six months to do a needs assessment
of the travel management professional. We looked at the core competencies and
found that people need information on process improvement, strategic sourcing
and higher-level thinking."
UVA faculty met with travel managers and worked with GBTA to
conduct focus groups to "really survey the scene to learn what the needs
of this profession in 2012 and beyond are," Cecil explained.
The manager-level program will begin in March with a
one-week immersion session at UVA, followed by a work-based project. "We're
asking participants to take an area that needs some attention in their
organization, use the knowledge they received from the university program and
do something that's impactful." The report, research or other work product
must be submitted and reviewed by GBTA before a certificate is awarded.
The $5,000 cost includes all instruction, room and board at
the university and a $300 fee for a two-day final meeting to be held before
GBTA's annual convention (this July, in Boston). Scholarships have been
available, both from GBTA and various local chapters, Cecil emphasized.
GBTA has set the maximum size of each session at 40
participants and as of early February had enrolled more than 30 for the first
session. GBTA was able to offer scholarships to all registered in the first
class, she added.
The leader-level course remains unchanged and was developed
by the GBTA Foundation at the Wharton School of Business.
"The difference between the manager and the leader is
that the manager is focused on travel professionals," according to Cecil. "The
leader is based on high-level business concepts such as strategic thinking,
implementing strategy, change management and leadership theory," which go
beyond standard travel management concepts.
The leader level is about an $8,000 investment for the week
at Wharton, plus three, two-day programs. Certificates are issued at completion
and those who wish may also enroll for an additional year-long research project
to earn the Global Leadership Professional designation.
In addition, the Academy is developing a designation, the
Global Travel Professional, to be awarded to those who successfully pass a
150-question test demonstrating their proficiency in travel management.
"It's our goal to continually review and stay on top of"
industry trends and curriculum needs, Cecil said. "I don't think the model
will change over the next year, but we'll continue to stay relevant to the
travel profession. The overarching mission of the Academy is to be the source
for education to elevate the profession."
Institute for Supply
Management
The Institute for Supply Management also continues to offer
test-based certification programs. In 2008 it introduced the Certified
Professional in Supply Management as a replacement for an existing program and
provided a bridge for existing certificate holders to upgrade to the new
program.
The professional credential indicates an individual's "dedication
to the field and certain level of knowledge," according to Institute for
Supply Management vice president of professional credentials Andrea Waas. "In
this tough economy, having the professional credential also provides an edge
over other candidates" who don't hold such a designation.
INDUSTRY
CERTIFICATIONS
Certified
Professional in Supply Management (CPSM)
Issuer: Institute
for Supply Management
Description: Designed for full-time supply management professionals with three years of experience and a bachelor's degree who pass three 165- to 180-question exams or a bridge exam if a Certified Purchasing Manager in good standing [see correction below]
Cost/Time: $269
per exam; $189 per exam for ISM members; each exam takes about 3 hours
Number of CPSMs:
3,861 as of January 2012; launched early 2008
Certified in Supply
Management (CSM)
Issuer: Institute
for Supply Management
Description: Designed for full-time supply management professionals without a bachelor’s degree who pass three 165- to 180-question exams or a bridge exam if a Certified Purchasing Manager in good standing
Cost/Time: $269
per exam; $189 per exam for ISM members; each takes about 3 hours
Number of CSMs:
Introduced November 2011
Certified Purchasing
Manager
Issuer: Institute
for Supply Management
Description: Original designation for those who passed four tests and met experience requirements, available for recertification only to existing holders who meet continuing education criteria
Number of CPMs:
53,120 granted from 1974 through 2009; 27,600 currently maintain designation
Associate
Certificate (formerly CTE, STP,
SBTP)
Issuer: Global
Business Travel Association
Description:
Gateway course for new travel managers or those with part-time responsibility
for travel to teach fundamentals of business travel management
Cost/Time: $450 or
$400 for GBTA members; one day or online
Manager Certificate
(formerly CCTE, SMMC, CGTE)
Issuer: Global
Business Travel Association and University of Virginia Darden School of
Business Executive Education
Description:
Designed for travel managers who want to improve their capabilities in process
improvement, risk management, budgeting, contracting and negotiation, strategic
sourcing and personal leadership
Cost/Time: $5,000
includes six days of professional development at Darden, all educational
materials, five-nights accommodations and all meals plus two days of classroom
instruction in July prior to the GBTA annual convention
Leader / Global
Leadership Program
Issuer: Global
Business Travel Association
Description:
Masters-level course for travel management professionals focuses on business
management topics rather than strictly travel management
Cost/Time: $8,000;
completion of a five-day course at the Wharton School and three, two-day
sessions within 24 months to earn a certificate
Global Leadership
Professional Designation
Issuer: GBTA,
Wharton School
Requirements:
Holders of the GBTA certificate of professional development may complete a
12-month program that includes a group project designed to apply knowledge to
an issue; Wharton issues continuing education credits
Cost/Time: $5,000;
two-day and one-day onsite sessions with Wharton professors, web-based sessions
and other independent works and committee meetings on project
Global Travel
Professional Certification
Issuer: Global
Business Travel Association
Requirements:
Passing score on a computer-based, 150 multiple-choice response test
administered in three-hour timeframe designed to measure "proficiency in
the profession." The first exam will be administered in July and
additional details to be announced
Around The World In
80 Hours
Issuer:
Association of Corporate Travel Executives
Description:
Immersion training program provides one week in each of 12 cities for economic,
industry and cultural briefings as well as corporate travel management best
practices; offered to professionals and university students for up to nine
undergraduate credits from the University of Houston's Conrad N. Hilton College
or ACTE certification for each city completed.
Cost/Time: $2,295
per city; $26,995 for 12-week program, university credit
This report
originally appeared in the February 2012 issue of Travel Procurement.
CORRECTION:
Institute for Supply Management membership is not required for any of its
certification or bridge programs, as reported in the February 2012 issue of Travel Procurement. While ISM no longer
offers the Certified Purchasing Manager designation to new applicants, it
continues to offer recertification to CPM holders in good standing who provide
documentation of required continuing education credits.