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Enhance your professional standing or advance your career by earning a certificate in a specialty area. Gaining a certification shows that you have achieved a level of excellence in that subject and have fulfilled a number of requirements.

Associate Public Manager (APM) Program Overview

If you are a new or experienced supervisor or you just want to sharpen your supervisory skills, consider a certification through the Associate Public Manager (APM) Program. Interesting coursework and practical work-related discussions geared toward state government processes will help you acquire the skills and knowledge you need to be a successful supervisor in today's changing workplace.

Topics

  • Setting priorities to increase productivity
  • Motivational strategies to help get peak performance
  • Techniques for sharpening interviewing and selection skills
  • Minimize crises through proper planning and preparation
  • How to manage disciplinary situations and the grievance process
  • How to use the EPMS to improve performance
  • Practice coaching skills to maximize employee job performance

Courses

You can complete the APM Program by enrolling and completing the required classwork as your schedule allows or you may complete the program as part of a cohort group. To earn the APM certification, employees must complete all requirements of the program within three years.

Fee

Agencies that choose to have employees participate will pay for each individual course. The fee for each is as follows:

  • Coaching — $180
  • Supervisory Practices — $300
  • The 5 Choices to Extraordinary Productivity — $210

Program Certificate

If you have completed the required coursework and wish to apply for APM certification, click here.

Additional Information

For more information on the APM Program, click here.

Associate Public Manager Program (APM) Cohort

If you are a new or future supervisor or you just want to sharpen your supervisory skills, consider a certification through the Associate Public Manager (APM) Cohort Program. Interesting coursework and practical work-related discussions geared toward state government processes will help you acquire the skills and knowledge you need to be a successful supervisor in today's changing workplace.

Employees who participate in an APM cohort group will complete the required coursework on a set schedule and will have access to a mentorship program. Each APM cohort will generally complete the program in nine months.

Topics

  • Setting priorities to increase productivity
  • Motivational strategies to help get peak performance
  • Techniques for sharpening interviewing and selection skills
  • Minimize crises through proper planning and preparation
  • How to manage disciplinary situations and the grievance process
  • How to use the EPMS to improve performance
  • Practice coaching skills to maximize employee job performance

Courses

Mentorship Program Summary

In addition to the required coursework, the APM Cohort Program includes access to a mentorship program.

  • To ensure each participant has access to a mentor, each agency is required to nominate someone from the agency to serve as a mentor for each employee enrolled in the program. Mentors will be paired with APM Cohort Program participants from an agency other than their own.
  • The mentorship program provides APM cohort participants with access to an experienced state employee who can help them navigate employment with the state and learn the aspects unique to public employment.
  • Mentors are required to meet their assigned APM mentee in person three times during the APM Program and to attend an orientation presentation September 14, 2023.

Fee

Agencies that choose to have employees complete the program as part of the cohort group will pay a one-time program fee of $1,000.

Application Information

The application process for the 2023-2024 APM Cohort Program is now open. Applications will be accepted until May 30, 2023. Click here to download the application. 

Additional Information

For more information on the APM Cohort Program, click here.

Certified Public Manager (CPM) Program Overview

The South Carolina Certified Public Manager (CPM) Program is a nationally accredited management development program for managers and supervisors in South Carolina state government. The program was initially accredited by the National CPM Consortium in 1996 and was reaccredited in 2016.

Philosophically, the South Carolina CPM Program strives to encourage innovative management practices and high ethical standards. The mission of the CPM Program is to provide quality training for public administrators, to assist agencies in developing future leaders, and to recognize management as a profession in the public sector. The CPM Program promotes on-the-job application of learning and gives participants experience in solving agency problems.

Program Administration and Advisory Committee

Overall administration and curriculum direction of the South Carolina CPM Program is provided by the South Carolina Department of Administration's Division of Program Management. The CPM Advisory Committee advises on policy, program content and agency needs.

Confidentiality

CPM Staff and participants must understand that training information and materials are confidential and will not be disclosed to anyone inside or outside of the organization unless prior authorization is given.

Policies Governing the CPM Program

This program is an Equal Opportunity Training Program in keeping with the provisions of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the American’s with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Attendance of Candidates

Class participants must attend at least 90 percent of a class to receive full credit for the class. Candidates may miss up to 30 percent of their scheduled classroom training days and remain in good standing.

Testing of the Candidates

There is one CPM exam, which is a take-home essay. Candidates take the CPM exam in late spring following completion of the full course load. Candidates are given three weeks to complete the exam. The CPM exam is evaluated on a “meets standard” and “does not meet standard” scale. No letter grades are issued. Candidates will have two opportunities to meet passing criteria on the CPM exam.

Project Requirement

To receive credit for the CPM Project, candidates must meet the minimum standard for success as defined in the CPM Project Success Criteria Worksheet. Candidates must also submit work by the deadline given by Statewide training for each segment of the project. If a candidate does not receive credit for their project, then the candidate may submit another project the following year. If a candidate does not receive credit after submitting a project the second time, then he or she will no longer be considered an active candidate.

Guides for Leaders

Course Information

Calendars

Class of 2022 Information

The South Carolina Certified Public Manager class of 2022 completed all program requirements in May 2022.  

Application Information

The application process for the Certified Public Manager Program - Class of 2025 is now open. Applications will be accepted until May 30, 2023. Click here to download the application. 

Fee

The program fee is $2,150. Details on payment options are provided during the application process.

Additional Information

For more information on the CPM Program, click here.

Human Resources Professional Development Program (HRPD) Overview

The program is designed to be completed in its entirety — learning is maximized when cohort groups share information and form a network. In addition, program topics are sequenced and integrated to promote knowledge retention and the connection between HR components.

  • Program content, which includes current issues, is organized into three broad content areas: The HR Big Picture, which includes sessions like Ethics and HR; HR Functions, which includes Employee Relations and other topics; and HR Retention and Accountability, which includes HR Metrics.
  • The learning approach implemented includes pre-work and application activities where appropriate. In addition, HR agency representatives/subject matter experts will be used to describe real examples of innovative practices.

Program Goals Include:

  • Serving as a succession pool development strategy for state government's HR community.
  • Broadening participants' HR knowledge base and developing leadership potential.
  • Creating a network that shares "best practices" among agencies' HR functions.
  • Challenging participants to think strategically and act as a business partner to support their agencies' respective missions.

Calendar

Application Information

The application process for the Human Resources Professional Development Program - Class of 2023 has closed. We will begin accepting applications in January of 2024 for the next cohort.. 

Fee

The cost of HRPD certification, which must be completed as a cohort group, is $1,000 per participant.

Additional Information

For more information on the HRPD Program, click here.

Professional Development Program (PPD) Overview

The Public Professional Development (PPD) Program is a certification developed for professional/technical staff to enhance their ability to work with teams, gain presentation skills and manage priorities. Practical coursework covers a variety of topics including:

  • Understanding and dealing effectively with conflict.
  • Developing effective group facilitation skills and brainstorming.
  • Using techniques for successful meeting management and team building.
  • Delivering presentations with a positive impact.
  • Using strategies to maintain a healthy balance between personal and professional development.
  • Setting priorities and managing time.

Courses

Program Certificate

If you have completed the required coursework and wish to apply for PPD certification, click here.

Additional Information

For more information on the PPD Program, click here.