DSD eList announcement

Date: Oct. 4, 2018
To: Employment support professionals and other interested stakeholders
From: DHS Disability Services Division
Purpose: To inform employment support professionals that the CESP exam will be transitioning to computer-based testing and to provide information about requirements and registration
Effective: Immediately
Contact: kari@apse.org or 301-279-0060

Certified Employment Support Professional certification exam going digital

The Certified Employment Support Professional certification exam has moved to computer-based testing. You will take all exams in person at an approved testing center.

Why get certified?

The CESP is a credentialing exam for professionals who provide employment services to people with a variety of disabilities including intellectual, mental health, autism spectrum disorders and multiple physical and sensory disabilities.

The CESP satisfies credential requirements to provide the new waivered employment services in Minnesota. 245D license-holders may demonstrate staff competency by showing that employment specialists (job coaches) hold their CESP certification.

Requirements to take the exam

Test-takers must satisfy three requirements:

1. High school diploma, GED or equivalent

2. One year of employment-support professional work experience, which may include up to a maximum of three months of internship or practicum time; or nine months of employment-support professional work experience with training component

3. Agree to and sign the code of conduct included in the application.

Read more about the work experience requirements on the CESP frequently asked questions page.

If you have questions about eligibility, email the Association of People Supporting Employment First, which administers the CESP exam.

To apply

The exam will be given for one week every other month. Apply for the tests below during their corresponding application windows:

Testing window	Application window
Dec. 3-9, 2018	Oct. 29-Nov. 26, 2018
Feb. 4-10, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018-Jan. 28, 2019
April 1-7, 2019	Feb. 25-March 25, 2019
June 3-9, 2019	April 29-May 27, 2019
Aug. 5-11, 2019	July 1-29, 2019
Oct. 7-13, 2019	Sept. 2-30, 2019
Dec. 2-8, 2019	Oct. 28-Nov. 25, 2019

Apply online

Exam locations

Once the Association of People Supporting Employment First receives your application and verifies your eligibility, you will receive a scheduling authorization email from PSI – the third-party testing company – with information about registering for the exam at one of their exam locations. In Minnesota, there are PSI test-taking locations in the following cities: Duluth, Moorhead, Rochester, Thief River Falls, Woodbury and Edina. In addition, there are test-taking sites in Watertown and Sioux Falls, S.D.

Exam fee

The exam fee is $199 per test-taker

More information

Visit the CESP FAQ page.

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