Post 23 — which will be the final post of 2022 before we move into ’23 — will piggyback off the last two weeks’ worth of posts which highlighted the Assistant Superintendent Certificate Series (ASCS) and Equipment Manager (EM) membership.

I mentioned last week I wanted to highlight the Equipment Manager Certificate Program (EMCP), but before I did, wanted to highlight the EM membership itself. With that done, let’s get right into it.

23. Equipment Manager Certificate Program (EMCP)

Beginning in 2015, to build a competency-based continuing education curriculum for turf equipment managers, GCSAA enlisted subject matter experts to conduct a job task analysis and define the body of knowledge a successful turf equipment manager possesses. Based on those findings, a comprehensive list of competencies was identified in eight domains and GCSAA’s Equipment Management Certificate Program (EMCP) was born.

GCSAA’s EMCP is broken up into two levels. Level 1 is a series of exams designed to demonstrate proficiency in key competency areas related to turf equipment.

The program is made up of eight exams covering the key competency areas of:

• cutting units
• drivetrain systems
• electrical systems
• engine technology
• hydraulic systems
• metalworking and fabrication
• spray systems
• fundamentals of turfgrass operations

All exams are closed book and taken online. Testers will need a computer to take an exam and must also have a proctor for each exam.

Following the development of the EMCP Level 1, the second level – Equipment Management Certificate Program Level 2 – was established based on advanced competencies in all eight domains and adding business, communication, leadership and environmental management.

Successful completion of all eight certificates in EMCP Level 1 must be completed to be eligible to begin EMCP Level 2, and both are prerequisites for earning the Certified Turf Equipment Manager (CTEM) designation which I’ll highlight next week. Happy New Year, all!