MG&A’s Performance-Based Certification
As Customized Employment practices become more widespread, MG&A has developed a performance-based certification that supports a shared and standardized body of knowledge and application of quality services.
The certification builds upon the knowledge gained by the Gateway Training attendees and further develops their skill set to provide Customized Employment and Systematic Instruction services.
Mastering the practice of Discovery, Customized Job Development, and Systematic Instruction requires guided, supported experience in the field.
MG&A’s Performance-Based Certification requires first that the mentee has completed the requisite training in the area of certification. (Visit our Training page for details.)
Upon registering for certification, the mentee is connected with an MG&A mentor. Certification mentors are identified by MG&A for their expertise and interest in supporting participants as they learn to implement services in a way that will foster greater inclusion of people with disabilities in the workplace and their community. Mentees who obtain this level of certification are considered ready to deliver services in their content area.
Certification by an MG&A mentor signifies completion of the process of mentorship and supported field work that are required to fully prepare a staff person to independently deliver Customized Employment and Systematic Instruction services.
““Early in my career I worked as a job coach in a sheltered workshop. Largely the focus was on training individuals on specific piece rate tasks and attempting to help them increase productivity. If they could do this, then maybe they could get jobs of their own in integrated settings. Of course, if they couldn’t do the very narrow set of tasks available, they weren’t deemed as skilled enough to have their own job. I think back to the many people that I supported then and how they were motivated to work, but it was us that limited much of their potential by not figuring out what they wanted to do, what they could do, and what their conditions for success likely would be. My experience is that using MG&A’s approach to customized employment shows that these things can be figured out for individuals that experience a significant impact of disability and can lead to them having real jobs at real wages.””
ESTIMATED TIME COMMITTMENT
Each Certification requires roughly 20 weeks to achieve.
HOW LONG IS IT VALID?
MG&A Certification is valid for three years.
CERTIFICATION REGISTRATION
Register for your certification process below. Links will open in a new window. You will be asked to confirm you’ve completed training before submitting your request.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Discovery Handbook (PDF)
Discovery Activity Log (DOCX)
Job Development Handbook (PDF)
Job Development Activity Log (DOCX)
MG&A Performance-Based Recertification
MG&A’s Performance-Based Certifications are valid for a three (3)-year period.
Recertification validates your training for an additional three (3) years.
PROCESS
Recertification requires only a document review based in your certification content area (Discovery, Job Development, or Systematic Instruction). Similar to the process of initial certification, you will be asked to include in your sample all recent, relevant documents for your job seeker. You may not re-use documents provided during your initial certification.
MG&A’s Certification Manager (or a Certification Coordinator) will contact you to begin the process of document review upon payment of invoice.
Your certification will be renewed if your documents pass review. Should submitted work not meet MG&A standards, a recertification will not be issued. (Provisional renewal certificates may be issued, but only on a case-by-case basis.)
Failure to renew before your three-year certification will void both certification and training experience in the content area.