Know the Difference

By Kristin Hill, LCI-CPC-SME, LCI-CPD-SME, LCI Director of Education and Certification 

With a growing number of “certification” programs in the Lean market, it’s easy to get confused. If you can’t tell the difference between certification and training certificate programs, you are not alone. To add to the confusion, many certificate programs mislabel themselves “certifications.” But the differences are clear when you look beyond the labels.

Simply put, a certificate is evidence of a course you have taken and nothing more. These training courses do not demonstrate adherence to industry standards, certify you to work in an industry and most don’t confer a designation. There is typically no experience required and the course could be developed and offered by anyone, so it offers no quality assurance.

In contrast, certifications, like those offered by LCI, test existing knowledge, skills, experience and competencies. They are developed in a rigorous way and offer evidence of passing an exam and meeting industry standards. Those that are awarded certifications can add a designation after their name.

Because certifications are issued by national organizations such as LCI, certifications are standardized. This means anyone in the industry can instantly recognize a national certification and know that it stands for rigor and quality. Certifications rely on the credibility, authority, and standards of their awarding organizations — LCI is widely recognized as the voice of authority in Lean Design and Construction.

Increasingly, owners and employers are asking for LCI-certified practitioners to be on their project teams because they can be assured that LCI has verified the experience and tested the knowledge of the certified person to meet industry standards. No other program in Lean Design and Construction can make this claim.

LCI’s certifications are the only true certifications available today for Lean Design and Construction. Knowing these distinctions will help people working in Lean Construction and Design with their decisions about their personal or team talent development and helps us all build the teams that have the experience the market demands.