Spotlight On Education

The Road Less Traveled

By Debbie Griffiths, Director of Education and Credentialing

Most of you are already aware of our CCAM (Certified Community Association Manager) designation. This designation is the foundation for the other designations CACM offers. In fact, most of you reading this have already earned it, but do you know the true value and worth of the CCAM?

Sure, you had to take some classes, pass some exams, complete an application, and submit some recommendations, but it doesn’t end there. In fact, having your CCAM is just the beginning and the possibilities are endless.

Let’s take a trip down the CCAM lane. In order to maintain your CCAM, there are 30 hours of continuing education units (CEUs) that includes attending one annual Law Seminar and taking an Ethics class. Those two tasks amount to 12 of the needed 30 CEUs. Now we come to a fork in the road. What classes should I choose to get the remaining CEUs?

Let’s start with insurance! Did you know CACM offers three insurance classes? Financial statements are a pretty prominent part of a manager’s job, and guess what. We have a class for that as well. We even have classes for understanding reserve studies and strategic financial planning.

Want to take a different path? No problem. We also offer courses in enhancing your professional development as well as governance within communities, and those are just a few examples of our many offerings.

If that isn’t enough, enhance your career with one of our four specialty certificates – Large Scale, High Rise, Portfolio Management, or New Development. These specialty certificates are a perfect way to grow in this industry.

Want to take your education to the next level? We’ve got you covered with the MCAM (Master Community Association Manager) designation. This is the crème of the crème designation. Earn this, and you are in the company of the best and brightest in the industry.

Wait...is this the end of the road? That answer is a resounding “NO!” Earning a designation from CACM sets you apart. These designations are the only ones that are specifically geared to managing associations in the State of California.

CACM ensures that managers earning their CCAM are provided the education needed to understand the numerous state requirements. No other organization provides this assurance.

Along with our designations, CACM hosts Regional Forums, annual Law Seminars, High Rise/Large Scale Summit and an Executive Leadership Summit every year for you, our managers. Not only do people come together to hear the latest industry topics, but it is a tremendous opportunity to network with industry partners and with each other. There is a wealth of information that can be found by simply talking with each other.

The next time you attend a Law Seminar, guestimate the number of years everyone in the room – managers and industry partners – have been in this industry. That number is staggering. Who best can we learn from than each other?

As we make the turn to the next street, let’s remind ourselves of the value of our CACM membership. Are you aware that CACM is the only organization that advocates for you, our community managers? Whether its topics for the Regional Forums, new educational courses, or better yet, advocacy in our state legislature, CACM is always working for you, so the next time you put your CCAM pin on, take a second look at it, smile, and wear it with pride.

For more information on our educational programs, please email the education department at education@cacm.org.

It’s Official!

The California Law Series course has now been approved for DRE credit. This is our fourth class that has now been approved for DRE credit and joins Basics of Association Management (BAM), Foundational Ethics and Advanced Ethics with CACM’s ability to offer courses for DRE credit as a value-added benefit for our manager members.

How can you obtain DRE credit from CACM? It’s simple. When you register for one of these classes, simply check the box on the registration form that you want DRE credit or, if you are registering on the website, click “yes” when prompted to do so. CACM will work with you about scheduling the proctor and exam for that course. It’s that easy!

Any questions, please contact our Education Department at education@cacm.org.

Missing A CEU? Law Journal Quiz May Help

Winter 2022 Law Journal

Have you been frustrated to learn that you are short just one or two CEUs for recertification and had to apply for an extension? Well, look no further! The Education and Credentialing Team have brought back the Law Journal exam. How will this work? Simply read an issue of the Law Journal, pass an exam, and earn 1 CEU. A maximum of 4 CEUs can be earned per year. The cost for the exam will be $50. For more information, reach out to education@cacm.org.