Join a global community of certified communication professionals and take your career to the next level! IABC’s certification program is designed to recognize your expertise, keep your skills relevant, and demonstrate your commitment to professional growth. Whether you’re looking to land your next opportunity or enhance your performance in your current role, certification can open doors and set you apart in a competitive job market.
IABC launched a certification program that will offer four levels of certification to communication professionals, of which only two are currently available (see below). The certification program is administered by the Global Communication Certification Council (GCCC) – an arm’s length organization established by IABC for this purpose.
Learn more about GCCC and certification programs.
Two levels of certification are now available:
- Communication Management Professional (CMP)— for generalist, specialist and other business communicators established in their careers and looking to demonstrate their competence.
- Strategic Communication Management Professional (SCMP)— for highly skilled business communicators practiced in providing strategic communication advice and counsel to an organization’s leadership.
Steps to becoming certified
On the GCCC site:
- Review the requirements
- Download the latest candidate handbook
- Submit your application and pay the fee
When your application has been approved, you’re ready to take the exam (see upcoming exam dates and locations).
Interested in writing an exam virtually?
Write the CMP or SCMP exam at the time and location that works for you with the new remote proctoring options. Learn about this new way to get certified on the GCCC website and read our blog post.
Interested in writing an exam in person?
We are holding an in-person exam in Vancouver on Saturday, April 12, 2025. Location will be provided upon registration.
The IABC/BC chapter hosts in-person exam sittings once or twice each year for interested candidates. Each session allows candidates to write at either level of certification. If the scheduled exam date doesn’t work for you, please contact us at careerdevelopment@iabc.bc.ca in confidence to let us know if you’re interested in another date.
Maintain your certification
Once you’re certified, you must maintain your certification through continuing professional development and an annual fee.
How can IABC/BC support you?
From arranging an in-person exam to arranging a study group, we want to know what you need to complete your certification journey. Contact careerdevelopment@iabc.bc.ca.
Certified Communication Professionals in B.C.
Visit the GCCC website for the current list of CMP and SCMP graduates around the world. Congratulations to the following IABC/BC certified communicators (as of November 2023):
- Adam Brayford, SCMP
- Amanda Brittain, SCMP
- Ashleigh Erwin, CMP
- Elaine O’Connor, SCMP
- Danelle Wettstein, CMP
- Denise Orlandea, CMP
- Heather Merry, SCMP
- Jennifer Wah, ABC, MC, Fellow, SCMP
- Jessie Scheele, CMP
- Juli Holloway, SCMP
- Kris Olsen, CMP
- Kristin, Linklater, SCMP
- Laurie Dawkins, ABC, MC, SCMP
- Linda Ong, CMP
- Lynne Carothers, CMP
- Megan Clavelle, CMP
- Quinn Newcomb, CMP
- Shannon Henderson, SCMP
- Stephanie Dunn, SCMP
Want to know more?
To learn more about the certification exams and how to prepare for them, visit GCCCouncil.org to read the current Candidate Handbook, or get in touch careerdevelopment [at] iabc.bc.ca.
