More than 60 cities will host professional management courses in 2005, an ambitious schedule developed by Community Associations Institute (CAI) to bring the convenience of continuing education to community association managers and volunteers in virtually every part of the country.
Fourteen different courses are offered as part of CAI's Professional Management Development Program (PMDP).
CAI's popular M-100, The Essentials of Community Association Management, is highly valued by professional managers, community association board members, and others involved in association governance and management. For managers, the M-100 is the starting block for attaining professional designations and gaining the skills and knowledge needed to accelerate professionalism, careers and marketplace value. For board members and others, the course is a practical review of the fundamentals of community management.
"Everyone involved in the community association business can benefit from the M-100," says Michele Jerome, CAE, CAI's vice president of education. "From legal issues and rules enforcement to finances and assessment collection, this course provides knowledge and information to help you avoid the most common – and troublesome – pitfalls of community association management and governance."
The M-100 is also offered as a home-study manual and an online course.
More specialized PMDP courses include:
- M-201: Facilities Management
- M-202: Association Communications
- M-203: Community Leadership
- M-204: Community Governance
- M-205: Risk Management
- M-206: Financial Management
- M-310: Management Company Administration
- M-320: Advanced Physical Maintenance
- M-330: Advanced Insurance and Risk Management
- M-340: Managing the Large–Scale Association
- M-350: Manager and the Law
- M-360: Leadership Practices in Building Community
- M-400: Contemporary Issues in Community Association Management
Taught by recognized experts, these two- and three-day courses have helped thousands of professionals gain in-depth understanding of the critical elements of association governance and management. Specifically targeted to professional managers, these courses remove the guesswork from often-complicated issues, providing the knowledge and perspective that make managers more effective—and valued—employees.
"Expertise is highly valued in our competitive marketplace," says Jo-Ann M. Greenstein, chair of CAI's Education Advisory Committee. "The more you learn, the more valuable you become, not just to the community or communities you serve, but also to your employers, whether community boards or management companies."
Greenstein, who holds a Professional Community Association Manager (PCAM) designation, points out that managers who own a PCAM earn an average of 50 percent more than those without a designation. "Managers who want to distinguish themselves and increase their earning potential will take advantage of these educational opportunities and use them to earn credits toward their professional designations."
Greenstein would know: She's the owner of Advantage Property Management, a successful association management firm located in New Jersey. In addition to the PCAM, the most advanced credential offered by CAI, Greenstein also holds the Association Management Specialist (AMS) designation and the Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA), which is administered by the National Board of Certification for Community Association Managers.
To learn more about the PMDP courses or to view the 2005 schedule, go to http://www.caionline.org/events/managers/pmdp/.