Q & A
In March of 2010, the board of directors of CAHPI agreed to absorb the operations of the National Certification Program pending a complete review. The intention was to restructure a viable model for certification that recognized fundamental changes in the industry landscape, including provincial licensing.
This new beginning is the logical next step in a journey that began a decade and a half ago – a push led by CAHPI members to raise standards for the industry and protect the public. This next phase in that journey promises to maintain CAHPI's position as the leader in the Canadian home inspection industry, and will ensure that CAHPI members continue to be recognized as the best-qualified home and property inspectors in Canada.
CAHPI National's Action Plan
Q: What is our vision?
A: Third-party accreditation of certification programs to a consistent level of quality, adoption of a national examination to verify knowledge and continuous improvement and "raising of the bar" on competency standards.
Q: What are we doing?
A: CAHPI National has appointed the National Steering Committee and have contracted Griffiths Sheppard Consulting to prepare the NCCA applications for accreditation. We have joined the Institute for Certifying Excellence (ICE) as an organizational member, we have signed a letter of intent with ICE's "National Commission for Certifying Agencies" (NCCA) to have CAHPI certification programs undergo NCCA assessment and opened a dialogue with the Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors (NHIE) to adopt the National Home Inspection Examination for Canada. We are preparing the first applications from provincial associations for submission in Spring 2011.
Q: Why?
A: CAHPI recognizes that there is a need for re-affirmation of high standards of competence for the home inspection industry and primacy of the National Occupational Standard as the baseline for the home inspection profession.
Q: What does it mean to you the home inspector, your customer, industry?
A: Third party accreditation of your provincial certification brings credibility to your RHI designation. Both your customer and the industry will understand that we are being held to a higher standard. With an accredited certification process our association demonstrates that it is serious about providing qualified and trained professionals.
Q: What are CAHPI's Assets?
A: CAHPI's key assets in this process are: National Occupation Standard (NOS) revised 2008, National Standard of Practice NSoP revised 2010 and the on-site Field ¬Inspection formally known as Test Inspection with Peer Review (TIPR). These assets provide credibility to the services CAHPI members provide.
NCCA/ICE
Q: Who are they?
A: NCCA is the National Commission for Certifying Agencies. They develop standards of excellence and accredit voluntary certification programs. ICE is the Institute for Credentialing Excellence. It was formed as the membership association for credentialing bodies. Visit their website for full details www.credentialingexcellence.org.
Q: What role do these organizations play in CAHPI's plan?
A: NCCA will be asked to perform the first accreditation reviews in Spring 2011. This process will standardize the membership criteria across Canada and eventually harmonize the Registered Home Inspector (RHI) designation providing interprovincial mobility. ICE membership will provide discounted NCCA accreditation application fees, access to ICE network, access to policy/template library, discounts on publications, and updates on important issues in certification.
NHIE
Q: Who are they?
A: National Home Inspector Examination (NHIE) has been approved by NCCA as part of ASHI's certification program. The Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors is an independent not-for-profit organization. Membership organizations and for-profit companies have inherent conflicts of interest in providing tests for public protection. Because EBPHI does not depend on membership dues revenue, it is free to focus wholly on consumer protection in home inspector competency assessment. Read more about the NHIE on their website www.homeinspectionexam.org.
Q: What role will they play in CAHPI's plan?
A: A Canadian version of the National Home Inspector exam will be developed and implemented by the certifying bodies. The National exam will be administered by an independent third party and will not be subject to conflict of interest.
Q: Why is it important to have a National exam?
A: A National exam will provide a consistent and comprehensive measurement of knowledge without conflict of interest.
Certification Authority
Q: Who are they?
A: CAHPI's model provides the possibility of multiple certifying bodies measuring competence to recognized standards such as each of the CAHPI provincial/regional associations, other home inspection membership organizations and franchises provided they meet the standard.
Q: What does it mean to you the home inspector?
A: CAHPI provincial/regional members need only to belong and pay fees to their provincial/regional association. RHI's belonging to an association with third-party accreditation will have interprovincial mobility with other associations with accreditation. This revised model is inclusive, exacting and most important, sustainable. Nothing in the new model prevents other bodies from meeting the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA) accreditation standards and certifying the unaligned – but CAHPI members will not subsidize that activity.
Regulation/Legislation & Interprovincial Mobility
Q: What is the impact of having third-party accreditation of provincial certification programs?
A: Home inspection is fast becoming a regulated industry. Licensing is a reality, and provincial governments will determine who gets to practice in their jurisdictions (e.g. BC and Alberta). A large number of 'unaligned' inspectors will only seek credible certification when the market compels it (e.g. licensing).