Taking BCM Training Global

By THOMAS C. MAWSON, CAE

DRI International is responding to the phenomenal growth in awareness of business continuity and emergency response. DRI International is a leading provider of educational courses and professional certification in business continuity management (BCM). The organization has now taken two major steps toward making the organization a truly global enterprise.

I. The Courses
To complement the organization’s on-site course offerings around the world, DRII now offers nine online courses that correspond to the “Professional Practices for Business Continuity Planners,” the body-of-knowledge in business continuity. These new courses prepare individuals for the DRII certification examination in business continuity management.
Individuals in Europe, Asia, Australia and North and South America who desire professional certification in BCM now have a choice. They can either attend on-site courses offered by DRII’s certified instructors, or they can participate in self-paced, introductory-level instruction through any of nine course modules that correspond to the 10 subject matter areas of the professional practices. DRII has also adopted a new system for identifying courses. (New online courses are identified as BCOE for business continuity online in English.)
The nine online courses modules are:
• BCOE100: Project Management Principles in Business Continuity Planning
• BCOE200: Introduction to the Principles of Risk Management
• BCOE300: Introduction to Business Impact Analysis
• BCOE400: Developing Business Continuity Strategies
• BCOE500: Emergency Preparedness and Response
• BCOE600: Business Continuity Plan Implementation
• BCOE700: Awareness and Training Programs
• BCOE800: Exercising and Maintaining Plans
• BCOE900: Crisis Communication and Coordinating with External Agencies

II. The Exam
Through our partner, Thomson Prometric, the DRII certification exam is now available at all local Prometric proctored testing facilities worldwide.
This new service brings DRI International certification in BCM a step closer to universal acceptance. For the first time, anyone seeking DRII certification can take courses in preparation for the examination in the convenience of their home or office – and at their own pace. They can then visit the DRII Web site, www.drii.org, to obtain details and procedures in order to register for the certification examination at their nearest Prometric test facility. Prometric facilities deliver the exam in a computer-based, proctored environment. Participants receive the results of their exam within minutes after completion. The exam results are simultaneously reported to DRI International headquarters so the office can send materials relevant to achieving certification in BCM, based on the individual’s experience level.
This new service, combined with our online courses, is bringing certification in BCM to all corners of the globe. For more information on DRII programs and services, or to register for a class near you, visit the DRII Web site or call (703) 538-1792.

Thomas C. Mawson, CAE, is the executive director of DRI International. Prior to joining DRII, Mawson served as director of leadership development for the American Society of Civil Engineers and executive director of the Foundation for Professional Practice. He is a Certified Association Executive with more than 24 years of experience in not-for-profit management.
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