Over the past few years, the Certification Advisory Council (CAC) and the HFTP Board of Directors have been discussing the Certified Hospitality Technology Professional (CHTP) Program. The question of how do we keep a technology certification relevant, is obviously one of the biggest questions we are faced with every time we meet.
As we all know, technology is evolving rapidly these days. The evolution and innovation of technology has also impacted the hospitality industry as well as the CHTP certification program. HFTP was aware that the CHTP exam was dated in some of the sub-section content areas that were tested on the exam. The study materials reflected this information as well. The perception of the CHTP program, from the industry’s point of view, is simply that the exam has some issues that needed to be addressed. HFTP is on a mission to fix these issues and the industry’s perception of the certification program as a whole. At our best efforts, HFTP has removed dated and subjective questions that were on the current CHTP exam.
A few weeks back, HFTP met with a group of members who are serving on the CHTP Task Force. The Task Force includes several certified individuals, hospitality educators, industry CIO types, and those with international representation as well. The Task Force took a deep dive and discussed the industry’s concerns, the history of the program, the issues we are faced with today and the future of the program.
As a result of the Task Force meeting, the group came up with several recommendations for a revamped CHTP program. Following below, is a sampling of the Task Force recommendations to be reviewed at the HFTP Certification Advisory Council (CAC) meeting scheduled for March 2014. The full list of recommendations will likely be sent for approval by the HFTP Board of Directors.
A few of the suggestions from the CHTP Task Force meeting include:
- Revised application life period
- Revised conditional credit option/ period
- Revised exam section structure
- Revised sub-section exam structure
- Revised source material and studying process
- Revised number of questions asked on the exam
- New list of competency areas to bring the exam to current times
- Maintenance plan to keep it relevant going forward
- New ‘target market’ of applicants
As you can see, this is just a short list and a good starting point of possible proposed changes that may be implemented to a revamped CHTP program.
If you are currently thinking about becoming a Certified Hospitality Technology Professional, the current program will be available for a limited time. If you are currently enrolled in the program, you will likely be given ‘must complete by date’. HFTP will likely stop accepting applications for the current program and place it on a short moratorium while the new program is being made ready for launch. More information about the new/revamped CHTP Certification Program should be released after the March Board of Directors meeting and/or at HITEC 2014.
Mick Nissen, CHAE, CHTP is the controller for Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club in Menlo Park, Calif. He is currently chair of the Certification Advisory Council and serves on the HFTP Board of Directors.
