Certification & Credential Programs
Tacoma Public Schools is dedicated to ensuring every student will graduate with one or more Industry Recognized Credentials that will advance their competitiveness for entry-level employment and post-secondary education opportunities.
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In order to fly your drone under the FAA's Small UAS Rule (Part 107), you must obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate from the FAA. This certificate demonstrates that you understand the regulations, operating requirements, and procedures for safely flying drones.
Students can earn the ServSafe Food Protection Manager Certification, accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)-Conference for Food Protection (CFP). The ServSafe print and online food safety exams are accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) under CFP Standards and are nationally accepted
The Transportation Worker Identification Credential, also known as TWIC®, is required by the Maritime Transportation Security Act for workers who need access to secure areas of the nation’s maritime facilities/vessels, and others who require a TWIC®. TSA conducts a security threat assessment (background check) to determine a person’s eligibility and issues the credential. U.S. citizens and non-U.S. citizens in certain immigrant/non-immigrant categories may apply for the credential. Most mariners licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard also require a credential.
The Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC) is a credential issued by the United States Coast Guard in accordance with guidelines of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) to United States seafarers in order to show evidence of a mariner's qualifications.
Child care providers in Washington State are required to take initial training as well as ongoing annual training to maintain their child care license. All training is logged in the Department of Early Learning's MERIT (Managed Education and Registry Information Tool) system, Washington State's Professional Development Registry.
CESCL certification is required by the Washington State Department of Ecology, Construction Stormwater General Permit for personnel responsible for monitoring stormwater at construction sites disturbing one or more acres of land, or are part of a larger common plan of development. NWETC’s 2-day CESCL course is a dynamic interaction between traditional classroom-style lectures and hands-on field exercises. Interactive dialogue between the attendees and the trainers is also promoted, to encourage a shared learning environment.
FANUC Robotics: Handling Tool Operations and Programming credentials include these skills:
Power up and Jog the Robot
Recover from common program and robot faults
Execute production operations
Create, modify and execute a material-handling program
Create and execute MACROs
Monitor, Force, and Simulate Input and Output Signals
Backup and restore individual programs and files
There are standard terms and knowledge expected of all persons working in entertainment. From what the parts of a typical theatre are called e.g. fly rail, grid, downstage, proscenium, to basic safety knowledge of Personal Protective Equipment, what is OSHA and why do we have Safety Data Sheets. This exam covers workplace safety, stage directions, basic theatre architecture, and job descriptions common to the entertainment industry, the knowledge that is required regardless of where you work.
The USITT BACKstage Exam (Basic and Comprehensive Knowledge Exam for High School Technical Theatre Students) is designed to evaluate the knowledge and work readiness of technical theatre students at the high school level.
Developed by educators and industry professionals, BACKStage is the most comprehensive examination of its kind and will assist students in determining their readiness for post-secondary activities in technical theatre.
For workers who operate aerial or scissor lifts or work around them.
Forklifts, also known as powered industrial trucks, are used to lift and transport cargo in construction and a variety of other industries. OSHA requires employers to ensure that all forklift operators are certified through formal instruction, practical training, and a performance evaluation.
The ParaPro Assessment is for prospective and practicing paraprofessionals. It measures skills and knowledge in reading, math and writing and the ability to apply those skills and knowledge to assist in classroom instruction.
S/P2 training helps schools and businesses reduce risk and instill a safety culture in all industries and gives students the awareness they need to recognize the hazards around them, as well as providing training on skills that are desirable to employers.
The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Entry-Level certification tests is designed to indicate a satisfactory level of practical knowledge-based readiness for the workforce in candidates seeking a career in the automotive service industry. ASE Entry-Level certification tests are available for the Automobile, Collision Repair/Refinish, and M/H Truck segments (series). ASE Entry-level certification is the first step in building career credentials as an automotive service professional.
The Child Development Associate Credential is based on a core set of standards set to evaluate and prepare early childhood educators as they work to enter the professional world. Not only is it valuable for professional development, but it can also be a key piece of becoming a qualified, exceptional teacher to young children.
Skills measured: Understand HTML Fundamentals (10-15%) Understand CSS Fundamentals (15-20%) Structure Documents Using HTML (30-35%) Present Multimedia Using HTML (10-15%) Style Web Pages Using CSS (20-25%)
The American Sign Language Proficiency Interview (ASLPI) is a holistic language evaluation used to determine global ASL proficiency. The basic precept in this type of evaluation is to find out through a face-to-face interview what an individual can do with the target language at a given point in time. The ASLPI is a 20-25 minute video recorded interactive dialogue between the examinee and the interviewer. The interview is rated by a team of evaluators and examinees are awarded an overall proficiency level on a 0-5 rating scale. Language proficiency evaluation was originally developed by the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) of the US Department of State and has been used by the government for decades. Adaptations to the language proficiency evaluation were made with respect to ASL and the ASLPI was born. The ASLPI is utilized by agencies, schools, universities, programs, and employers.
Seaman is the third enlisted rank from the bottom in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard, ranking above seaman apprentice and below petty officer third class. Navy JROTC students who have completed at least 3 years (3.0 credits) can enlist at this higher rank above seaman apprentice.
A seaman apprentice is in training for shipboard service as a seaman. Their duties include the maintenance and operation of ships, operational support, medical support, and administrative or personnel work. Navy JROTC students who have completed at least 2 years (2.0 credits) can enlist at this higher rank above seaman recruit.
Within a year of joining military service, soldiers will typically be promoted to Private First Class. Soldiers holding this rank are important to this branch. They are considered the backbone and workforce strength of the military. Lincoln and Mt. Tahoma Army JROTC and Silas Marine Corps JROTC students can enlist in the Army at this higher rank after completing three years of JROTC courses (3.0 credits).
After completing Basic Combat Training, most soldiers receive the rank of Private Second Class. This is the first promotion the majority of enlisted soldiers earn after completing basic training, or they will get promoted after serving six months in the Army. Lincoln and Mt. Tahoma Army JROTC and Silas Marine Corps JROTCstudents can enlist in the Army at this higher rank after completing two years of JROTC courses (2.0 credits).
An Airman First Class is an enlisted airman in the United States Air Force at DoD paygrade E-3. A Airman First Class receives a monthly basic pay salary starting at $2,161 per month, with raises up to $2,436 per month once they have served for over 3 years. Air Force JROTC students who have completed at least 3 years (3.0 credits) at Foss are eligible to enlist in the Air Force as an E-3 Airman First Class.
An Airman is an enlisted airman in the United States Air Force at DoD paygrade E-2. ... In addition to basic pay, Airmans may receive additional pay allowances for housing and food, as well as special incentive pay for hostile fire and dangerous duties. Air Force JROTC students who have completed two years (2.0 credits) at Foss are eligible to enlist as an E-2 Airman.
The OSHA Outreach Training Program is OSHA’s primary way to train workers in the basics of occupational safety and health. The OSHA Construction Outreach Training Programs were developed by the OSHA Training Institute with the intent to assist employers in training and introducing employees to the basic practices of identifying, reducing, eliminating, and reporting hazards associated with their work.
The Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED credential equips students to recognize and care for a variety of first aid, breathing, and cardiac emergencies involving adults, children, and infants and satisfies OSHA, workplace, or other regulatory requirements. Upon successful completion, a valid 2-year certificate for Adult and Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED is issued.
Students learn what a financial market is and how their own lives are impacted by the global financial market. They also explore the history of the markets and how stock exchanges have transformed over time. Acting as brokers, students attempt to predict how various industries are impacted by current events. Modules include financial markets, macroeconomics, company financing, and personal investing.
EVERFI: Financial Literacy for High School is a digital program that helps teach students how to make wise financial decisions to promote financial well-being over their lifetime. Modules include banking basics, employment and taxes, budgeting, consumer skills, credit and debit, financing higher ed, and insurance.
Adobe Certified Professional credential exam objectives for Adobe Dreamweaver include working in the web industry, project setup, and interface, organizing content on a page, working with code to create and modify content, and publishing digital media.
Adobe Certified Professional credential exam objectives for Adobe InDesign include working in the design industry, project setup, and interface, organizing documents, creating and modifying visual elements, and publishing digital media.
Adobe Certified Professional credential exam objectives for Adobe InDesign include working in the design industry, project setup and interface, organizing documents, creating and modifying visual elements, and publishing digital media.
Adobe Certified Professional credential exam objectives for Adobe Photoshop include working in the design industry, project setup, and interface, organizing documents, creating and modifying visual elements, and publishing digital media.
Adobe Certified Professional credential exam objectives for Adobe Photoshop include working in the design industry, project setup, and interface, organizing documents, creating and modifying visual elements, and publishing digital media.
Demonstrate their ability to manage the OneNote environment, share and collaborate with other users, organize and find notes, and edit and link content in OneNote.
Demonstrates competency to customize the Outlook user interface format message content, create or insert graphic elements, and send and respond to emails and meeting requests. The exam covers the ability to enhance professional correspondence, create calendars, and schedule appointments. Application examples include coordinating building resources, sending messages for marketing campaigns, planning staff meetings, and assigning meeting action items.
Demonstrates competency in database design principles. The exam covers the ability to create and maintain Access Database objects including tables, relationships, data entry forms, multilevel reports, and multi-table queries.
Demonstrates competency to create, edit, and enhance presentations and slideshows. The exam covers the ability to create and manage presentations, insert and format shapes and slides, create slide content, apply transitions and animations and manage multiple presentations. Presentation examples include professional-grade sales presentations, employee training, instructional materials, and kiosk slideshows.
Demonstrates competency in the fundamentals of creating and managing worksheets and workbooks, creating cells and ranges, creating tables, applying formulas and functions, and creating charts and objects. The exam covers the ability to create and edit a workbook with multiple sheets, and use a graphic element to represent data visually. Workbook examples include professional-looking budgets, financial statements, team performance charts, sales invoices, and data-entry logs.
The Microsoft Office Specialist: Word Expert Certification demonstrates competency in creating and managing professional documents for a variety of specialized purposes and situations. Examples include a business plan, a research paper, a book, a specialized brochure, and a mass mailing.
Adobe Certified Professional credential exam objectives for Adobe Premiere Pro include working in the video industry, project setup, and interface, organizing video projects, creating and modifying visual elements, and publishing digital media.
Demonstrates competency in performing Word tasks - creating and managing documents, formatting text, paragraphs, and sections, creating tables and lists, applying references, and inserting and formatting objects.
Earning an Industry Recognized Credential (IRC) is verification by a third party, authorizing entity of a person’s qualifications or competency of specific knowledge and skills and is accepted by employers in an industry as being a preferred, recognized, or even required when these employers are hiring, keeping, or advancing their employees. IRCs are called by many titles including credentials, certifications, degrees, and licenses.
What is the difference between credential and certification?
A credential is awarded following an advanced level examination which follows rigorous exam development protocols, is psychometrically validated, and is delivered through a third-party testing service. A certificate is awarded for completion of an educational program to gain knowledge in a specific area.
Certification Key
CS - Computer Services
- Computer Science
- Exploring Computer Science
- Information Technology
HS - Human Services
- Healthcare Careers
- ASL
- Teach 253
- GRADS
- HCA
- JROTC
- Business & Marketing
ES - Environmental Services
- Horticulture
- Agriculture
- Plant Biology
- Environmental Science
ST - Skilled Trades
- Engineering, Video Production
- Woodworking
- Print Making
- Photography
- Culinary
- Glass, Welding
- Printmaking
- Ceramics