2025 Awards Finalists Professional Certification Programme of the Year
The Professional Certification Programme of the Year is a new Award for 2025 celebrating excellence in professional certification programs, an award highlighting initiatives that demonstrate outstanding design, delivery, and impact in supporting career development and industry standards.
Read on for more information on the 2025 finalists in this Award category at the 2025 International e-Assessment Awards.
British Compressed Air Society with NVQ Level 3 Diploma in Installation and Commissioning
Project Summary
The NVQ Level 3 Diploma in Installation and Commissioning, specifically for compressed air pathway, addresses a significant challenge in the engineering sector. This qualification allows experienced workers to enhance their skills while remaining actively engaged in on-site operations, facilitating career progression without disruption.
Commenting on being a finalist, BCAS said, “We are honoured to have been shortlisted for the Professional Certification Programme of the Year at the 2025 International e-Assessment Awards. This recognition marks a significant milestone for the British Compressed Air Society (BCAS), and reflects the dedication and ambition behind the development of our NVQ Level 3 Diploma in Installation and Commissioning.
This qualification was created to fill a critical gap in the engineering and construction sectors, allowing engineers—many of whom possess years of hands-on experience but lack formal credentials—to gain recognised qualifications without disrupting their work. The NVQ offers a flexible, accessible, and scalable solution, delivered through digital portfolios and workplace-based assessments, and has already begun to transform the way engineers engage with professional certification.
Being shortlisted is particularly meaningful for BCAS as trade associations are rarely recognised in this way.. This shortlisting highlights the vital role we play in shaping sector-specific standards and qualifications and supports our long-term vision of raising competence, compliance, and career progression across the compressed air industry.”
Consortium Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO), Conestoga College and Vretta with Enhancing Teacher Excellence: Mathematics Proficiency Test’s Innovative Approach to Professional Certification in Ontario
Project Summary
Mathematics education is crucial for academic success and societal progress. A 2022 Harvard study projected potential economic losses of up to $1 trillion due to declines in eighth-grade mathematics proficiency (Source: Harvard CEPR, 2022). Ten years ago, the Education Quality and Accountability Office (EQAO) reported that only 50% of Grade 6 students in Ontario met the provincial mathematics standard (2015-2016 school year). These data were further echoed by the 2019 Pan-Canadian Assessment Program, which highlighted achievement gaps across Canada, and the 2022 PISA results, showing a decline in Canada’s mathematical performance. In response, the government of Ontario introduced several initiatives to strengthen mathematics education (e.g. Renewed Math Strategy in 2016 and a $200-million strategy in 2018.) One key initiative is the Mathematics Proficiency Test (MPT). Announced in 2019, it became a certification requirement for teachers in 2020 to ensure they possess essential mathematics knowledge and pedagogy skills. Initially designed as an in-person computer-based test, the MPT shifted to a virtual format due to COVID-19 restrictions, delivering over 7,500 test sessions in 16 weeks. Today, the MPT serves over 10,000 candidates annually, evolving while maintaining high standards and striving to improve mathematics outcomes for more than 2 million K-12 Ontarian students.
Commenting on being a finalist, the EQAO said, “The EQAO, Vretta, and Conestoga consortium is honoured to be named a finalist for the 2025 e-Assessment Awards in two categories for the Mathematics Proficiency Test: Professional Certification Programme of the Year and Best Transformational Project.
Our nomination for Professional Certification Programme of the Year reflects the transformative impact of the Mathematics Proficiency Test in elevating teacher readiness across Ontario—ensuring future educators master foundational mathematical competency while leveraging pedagogical skills to improve student outcomes, setting a new benchmark for certification excellence.
This recognition holds special significance as it follows last year’s win for EQAO as Best Practitioner of the Year (Team)—a milestone that reinforced our commitment to advancing digital assessment. Today, we are proud to see our continued progress acknowledged once again.
This dual nomination affirms our ongoing commitment to developing assessment solutions that are learner-centered, technologically advanced as well as fair, inclusive and accessible to all.
By leveraging innovation in technology, we strive to empower educators, parents, guardians, stakeholders and the public at large with the insights and information needed to support student learning and improve student outcomes.
Our progress is powered by the strong collaboration among Ontario’s assessment agency, EQAO, our assessment technology partner, Vretta, our academic implementation partner, Conestoga College, and our valued administration partners across the province of Ontario. Together, we remain guided by our core principles: integrity, fairness, inclusivity, accessibility, flexibility, and responsiveness.
We are deeply honoured by this recognition and look forward to joining the global e-assessment community in June to celebrate the remarkable innovations across our industry. This gathering provides an invaluable opportunity to share knowledge and collaborate with fellow innovators and education professionals as we collectively advance digital assessment practices.
Our innovation journey continues: we’re already looking ahead to 2026 and new adventures to come.”
Nova Scotia Career Development Association with CCDP – Certified Career Development Practitioner
Project Summary
The Nova Scotia Career Development Association (NSCDA), a not-for-profit organization, began developing a professional certification program in 2012 to assess and award the Certified Career Development Practitioner (CCDP) designation in Nova Scotia. Unlike certificate-based programs, which were offered in other Canadian jurisdictions, the NSCDA instead developed a competency-based assessment certification process focused on accessibility, standardization, and continuing competency, quickly gaining industry and government support.
In 2022, the NSCDA was entrusted with managing the national career certification program, consolidating five provincial programs under one banner. Given Canada’s vast geography, an e-assessment certification model was developed to ensure broad accessibility. This program is the first in the sector to integrate Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) as a core assessment method, with the NSCDA holding three trademarks for its certification process.
Launched nationally in December 2024 after a successful pilot, the program has enrolled 1,000 candidate profiles, facilitated more than 200 advising sessions, and continues to expand e-assessments. By strengthening the career development sector, this innovative model is setting a new benchmark for professional certification across industries in Canada.
Commenting on being a finalist, the NSCDA said, “Being shortlisted for the Professional Certification Programme of the Year by the-Assessment Association is a great honour—for our organization, our province, and most importantly, for the career development profession across Canada. This recognition speaks not only to the innovation of the certification model we’ve built, but to the passion, dedication, and collaboration that made it possible.
For a small not-for-profit rooted in Nova Scotia, to be seen on an international stage is deeply affirming. We’re a province known more for fishing villages than for professional certifications—but this shortlisting proves what’s possible when community, purpose, and innovation come together. It validates the vision we’ve held for over a decade: that career development practitioners, no matter where they are or how they started, deserve recognition, support, and a path to grow professionally.
This recognition strengthens our commitment to inclusion, accessibility, and excellence. It furthers our goal to elevate the profession across Canada and signals to our stakeholders—governments, employers, and practitioners alike—that the work happening here is relevant, resilient, and respected.
We are grateful beyond words for the support of the Government of Nova Scotia’s Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration, the Canadian Career Development Foundation, the National Certification Advisory Committee, our steering and technical working groups, and every practitioner across the country who lent their voice, their insight, and their time to this initiative.
To our small but mighty team at the NSCDA—your belief in the work and each other made this possible. We are proud, we are grateful, and we are just getting started.”
Securities Industry Development Corporation with Certified Capital Market Professional (CCMP) Programme
Project Summary
The Certified Capital Market Professional (CCMP) programme, covering CCMP-C (Compliance) and CCMP-SRI (Sustainable and Responsible Investment), is designed to address competency gaps in the Malaysian capital market. Developed in consultation with Securities Commission Malaysia (SC), Bursa Malaysia, and industry stakeholders, it equips professionals with essential regulatory, compliance, and sustainability expertise. The blended learning model, incorporating eLearning, webinars, and case-based workshops, ensures flexibility and practical application. CCMP-C1 is recognised as an alternative to Module 11 of the SCLE Licensing Handbook, reinforcing its credibility, while CCMP-SRI has achieved CPE accreditation to support ESG and sustainable finance skills development. Innovative assessments, including adaptive learning, remote proctoring, and scenario-based evaluations, enhance accessibility and fairness. The programme’s scalability and sustainability are ensured through technology-driven updates, continuous stakeholder engagement, and structured evaluation mechanisms. High participant satisfaction and industry adoption demonstrate its impact on professional development, compliance effectiveness, and sustainable business practices. By integrating cutting-edge learning methodologies and a future-ready framework, the CCMP Programme strengthens regulatory alignment and professional competency in the evolving capital market landscape.
Commenting on being a finalist, the Securities Industry Development Corporation said, “Being shortlisted for this award affirms the Securities Industry Development Corporation’s (SIDC) mission to empower the capital market workforce through structured, industry-driven certifications. The Certified Capital Market Professional (CCMP) programme is the result of strong collaboration between regulators, practitioners, and education experts — designed to build future-ready capabilities in compliance and sustainability.
This milestone recognises:
• Our dedication to closing talent gaps in critical areas
• Our commitment to accessible, high-quality learning through blended delivery
• Our role in strengthening professionalism, integrity, and governance in Malaysia’s capital market
It motivates us to continue evolving and expanding our impact — nurturing the next generation of market professionals who will shape a more resilient, responsible capital market.
We are deeply honoured to be shortlisted as finalists for the Professional Certification Programme of the Year category and wish to express our heartfelt appreciation to the Capital Market Development Fund and the Securities Commission Malaysia for their continued trust and support.
Most importantly, this achievement would not have been possible without the unwavering dedication and hard work of our SIDC team, who continue to uphold the highest standards in delivering impactful learning experiences. Thank you all for being part of this journey and for contributing to the success of the CCMP programme.”
For more information on all finalists in the 2025 International e-Assessment Awards, visit our finalists webpage.
