Certified Employee Training Program (CETP) Undergoes Exciting Changes In 2020

(December 17, 2019) — The industry’s long-standing Certified Employee Training Program (CETP) is undergoing exciting changes in the way it delivers safety education and compliance material to the propane industry workforce. In a letter to industry professionals, Eric Kuster, vice president of safety, education and compliance at the Propane Education & Research Council (PERC), announced plans underway to make workforce training and certification better, faster, and cheaper. PERC is designing a more flexible system to better serve today’s workforce, and future hires alike, who learn differently than previous generations.

The changes will:
• Move all CETP training and CETP certification to a new, online Learning Management System (LMS)
• Break up CETP training into smaller units that can be customized to fit worker job tasks
• Save companies the expense of sending employees to several days of classroom training and the lost productivity from being away

All current courses and certification programs will be moved to the PERC LMS as of Jan. 1, 2020 and will be available in their current format throughout 2020. The transfer includes all training records, tests, and skill evaluations for more than 100,000 propane professionals who have earned certification since the program began in 1987. Users will be able to conveniently access all materials from their desktop computer, laptop, cellphone, or tablet.

CETP has traditionally been packaged into 14 areas of certification. We intend to break that material into 45-50 smaller modules so that workers don’t waste time on material not relevant to their specific duties. PERC will add these new modules to the LMS as they are developed. It expects any certification program changes to be approved by June 2020 and implemented by Jan. 1, 2021.

PERC also is retaining a familiar partner, Industrial Training Service, for help desk services during this transition to PERC’s system. After 33 years working with the propane industry, ITS knows the certification program from top to bottom. They can be reached at (800) 757-1554. They will also be sending dedicated email for helpdesk service in the next few weeks. Please watch for it and other important details in future communications.

PERC is committed to creating innovative, world-class safety training materials for the propane industry. PERC encourages feedback as it begins this journey with propane professionals. Contact Eric Kuster, vice president of safety, education and compliance at PERC at 202-452-8975, if you have a need for additional safety and training products not already offered, if there state regulations that PERC training could help meet, or if your state requires licensing that requires additional training.