Calif. WEA Adopts Digital Age Certification Process
The California Water Environment Association (CWEA) will transition its 71-year-old certification program from paper-and-pencil to computer-based test delivery, according to a press release from Pearson VUE, the computer based testing business of Pearson.
Beginning January 2009, certification exams will be delivered throughout the Pearson VUE owned and operated network of more than 200 Pearson Professional Centers, as well as the expansive Pearson VUE® Authorized Test Center network throughout the United States.
CWEA is a non-profit public benefit association of 8,800-plus professionals in the wastewater industry that is committed to keeping California's water clean. CWEA trains and certifies wastewater professionals, distributes technical information, and promotes sound policies to benefit society through protection and enhancement of California's water environment. Its certification program covers six vocations and provides the public with assurance that certificate holders have a level of competence that enables them to perform the essential duties of the job safely, effectively, without close supervision, and without further training.
"Over the past six years, our test volume has more than doubled," said Chris Lundeen, CAE, CWEA director of Certification. "We needed a more efficient and faster way to get our wastewater professionals certified and into the workforce. We also deliver certification tests for a number of association partners outside of California. Computer-based test delivery meets these needs better than traditional paper-and-pencil based programs, and we look forward to working with Pearson VUE to provide our candidates with a better and higher quality testing experience."
"We are pleased to be working with CWEA as they transition to computer-based delivery," said Robert Whelan, president of Pearson VUE. "Our expansive test center network will not only meet their program's coverage and quality needs, but will allow CWEA candidates to become certified and out into the workforce faster."