The Wedding International Professionals Association (WIPA) and The International School of Hospitality (TISOH) announces the launch of the Certified Wedding Industry Professional certification (CWIP).
This special partnership involves WIPA as the issuer of the certification, with development and learner training done by TISOH, and administration handled by Certplace. The Certified Wedding Industry Professional (CWIP) credential establishes a baseline of knowledge within the community elevating the professionalism of the entire industry.
The cornerstone of the CWIP is a first-of-its-kind competency study for the wedding industry developed with research funding from the Timothy S.Y. Lam Foundation and conducted by Donnell G. Bayot Ph.D. CHE CPCE CFBE. WIPA commissioned this study towards the creation of a wedding professional certification. The study uncovered four domain bases for wedding professional competencies, namely planning, business, elements, and client management. Within the four domains are 27 sub-competencies that comprise required skills for wedding professionals.
As with the membership profile of WIPA, the certification is geared towards a diverse set of creative and production partners, as opposed to being planner centric. As envisioned by WIPA and TISOH, such a certification benefits individual wedding professionals, wedding clients, and the profession. For the individual wedding professional, a certification signifies that they have the knowledge and skills to perform the job competently. For the client, a certification represents a standard of ethics and competency that allows for more confident hiring decisions. For the profession, a certification standardizes wedding professionals’ skill levels and elevates the industry’s reputation.
This comprehensive certification program encompasses the certification, an online training course, the exam and an administrative portal that allows applicants to apply and manage the process every step of the way. Those who earn the certification receive a certificate, access to a digital badge system and the right to use the CWIP designation.
The certification book, The Professional’s Guide to the Wedding Industry, is the core of the program. The book is an exhaustive compilation of core competencies presented in an engaging, training oriented format that assists wedding professionals in defining and enhancing their skills across all four domains of wedding industry knowledge. The content includes contributions from industry professionals, industry-recognized standards, competency foundations, and other references.
“The CWIP development process was a monumental task with the involvement of 100’s of wedding professionals who responded to multiple rounds of surveys. Additionally, over 30 leading wedding experts contributed to the book and over a dozen WIPA members involved in the development process. I am grateful to everyone for their dedication to advancing the wedding industry.” Said Timothy M. Lam, Executive Director for TISOH. “The first discussions for a peer-reviewed certification for wedding professionals began in 2014 to create a baseline of knowledge for wedding professionals. Today with the launch of the CWIP, a new chapter in wedding education is born.” said Kevin Dennis CPCE, Certification Chair and WIPA’s Immediate Past President.
Information on the CWIP can be found at: certplace.com/certifications/cwip
About WIPA
WIPA (Wedding International Professionals Association) is a not-for-profit association for leading wedding professionals worldwide. Its mission is to provide industry-leading education for members, produce inspirational networking events, and advance the ethical standards of the wedding industry. The founding board worked with a diverse group of WIPA members to develop professional conduct and a code of ethics to achieve the highest standards of excellence. For more information, visit www.WIPA.org or call (844) 444-9300.
About Certplace
Certplace is a certification management company dedicated to quality and ease of use for both certifiers and professionals. Certplace is managed by the principals of TISOH: The International School of Hospitality, a 16-year-old accredited continuing education institution based in Las Vegas, NV, USA. Visit www.certplace.com
About TISOH: The International School of Hospitality
The International School of Hospitality (TISOH) was founded in Las Vegas, Nev., in 2005. TISOH offers quality short-term, practical training and career development programs in hospitality. Developed for the industry and by the industry, TISOH’s small class sizes and online courses include: concierge, conference management and event planning, catering, exhibition & tradeshow management, hospitality leadership and supervision, hospitality human resources, hospitality marketing & sales, hotel operations, and wedding coordination and design. Diploma graduates, trained by working experts in the field, enjoy an 85 percent job placement rate (pre-pandemic). TISOH is an academic partner of the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute and is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training. For more information, visit www.tisoh.edu or call (702) 947-7200. Hospitality CLIMB online training can be found at www.hospitalityclimb.com.
