Practitioner Certification Practices

Purpose of these Practices

This document outlines the baseline requirements that Accredited Vendors or companies pursuing accreditation shall follow when designing and delivering Practitioner Certification services to their clients. As such, it can also be used to educate practitioners about what to expect when attending a certification training with an ACCT Accredited Vendor. The content in this document was derived from the historical Practitioner Certification Structure and Requirements and reformatted into procedural guidance for Accredited Vendors to follow.

About Practitioner Certification Practices

Scope

The Practitioner Certification Practices establishes a common structure for identifying minimum practitioner skills and knowledge levels.

Purpose

The Practitioner Certification provides a shared model for recognizing practitioner skills and promotes consistent practice across Vendors who are accredited to provide this service. These practices support understanding of practitioner competencies and facilitate transferability between programs.

Foundation of Competencies

Practitioner certification is a vendor’s credential issued to individuals who successfully complete knowledge and skills assessments aligned with the specific competencies found in:

ANSI/ACCT 03-2019, Chapter 2 – Operation Standard, Section C Staff Competencies

Vendors providing certification shall rely on the competencies and requirements within that standard in addition to the practices contained in this document.

Certification Program Administration

This establishes the requirements vendors shall follow when administering practitioner certification.

Certification Levels

Vendors shall offer certification at the following levels, as appropriate to their services:

Level I Practitioner
Level II Practitioner
Course Manager

Certification Tracks

Each certification level includes four independent tracks. These define the applicability and transferability of certification.

Site/System Specific Track

Valid only for the course where the training took place; transferable only to duplicate systems. Site/System certifications include only the knowledge and skills needed for that specific course. Practitioners may be certified in some activities but not others.

Spotted Activities Only Track

Transferable to other courses for spotted (low) activities only. This would include skills for facilitating spotted/low elements.

High Activities Only Track

Transferable to other courses for high elements and canopy zip line tours. This would include skills relevant to high activities.

Full Certification Track

Transferable only for the operating systems in which the practitioner is certified. This includes high and low (spotted) activity competencies. Transferability is system-specific.

Vendor Responsibilities as Certifying Bodies

Accredited Vendors or vendors who are pursuing accreditation issuing practitioner certification are considered certifying bodies and shall meet the following administrative expectations.

Definition of a Certifying Body

A certifying body is the organization issuing certification. Candidates may or may not have received training from that organization. ACCT International is not the certifying body and does not hold certification information.

Testing Administration Requirements

Vendors acting as certifying bodies shall:

a. Ensure Qualified Testers

A qualified person shall administer both the written and practical tests.

b. Develop and Administer All Required Tests

The certifying body shall develop and administer:

A written knowledge test
A practical skills test

Each test shall address the competencies outlined in the Operation Standard.

c. Provide Reasonable Testing Accommodations

Reasonable accommodations shall be made for candidates with disabilities.

Certification Record keeping Requirements

The certifying body shall maintain records documenting:

Candidate names
Test results
Certification details

Vendors are strongly encouraged to consult legal counsel regarding record retention requirements.

Candidate Portfolio Requirements

Prior to testing, the candidate shall provide a portfolio documenting required skills, training, and experience.

The portfolio shall include:

Résumé
Training records with syllabi/descriptions
Program delivery log
Installation/Inspection log (if applicable)
Competency checklists
Professional memberships (if applicable)
Other relevant certifications/accreditations
Presentations/publications (if applicable)

ACCT provides an optional sample portfolio; no required format exists.

Passing Score Requirements

Candidates shall pass the written exam with at least 80%.

Skills Demonstration Requirements

Candidates shall demonstrate proficiency in all skills required for their certification level and track.

Issuance of Certification Documentation

The certifying body shall issue a certificate/card including:

Practitioner name
Certification level and track
Certification date
Expiration date
Certifying body name
Trainer/tester names
Operating system(s) certified
Site/System certificates must list the location and system.
Site/System certificates must state non-transferability

Practitioners use a plan for unmet standards due to disability.

Certification Requirements By Level

This provides level-by-level procedural requirements for vendors conducting certification.

Level 1 Practitioner Requirements

Eligibility

Minimum age: 18 years

Training Hour Requirements

Training shall be delivered by a qualified person:

Track	Training Hours Required
Site Specific	8 hours
Spotted Only	20 hours
High Only	20 hours
Full Certification	40 hours

Competency Requirements

Practitioners shall possess all competencies in the Operation Standard Section C and work under supervision in routine situations.

Experience Requirement

No experience is required prior to testing.

Certification Duration

Certification is valid for 1 year.

Recertification Requirements

Candidates shall either:

Document 50 hours of delivery experience in the past year and retest, OR

Complete 16 additional hours of training and retest.

Level 2 Practitioner Requirements

Eligibility

Minimum age: 18 years

Training Hours

Track	Level I Hours	Additional Level II Hours	Total
Site Specific	8	16	24
Spotted Only	20	24	44
High Only	20	24	44
Full Certification	40	40	80

Competency Requirements

A Level II practitioner shall:

Possess all Operation Standard competencies
Solve most non-routine situations
Provide leadership to less experienced staff

Experience Requirement

Candidates shall document 200 hours of work experience. This includes direct program delivery and preparatory work.

Certification Duration

Valid for 3 years.

Recertification Requirements

Candidates shall either:

Document 150 hours of experience + 24 hours of training in the last 3 years and retest,
OR
Retake initial Level II training hours and retest.

Additional training may include workshops, college courses, publishing, etc.

Course Manager Requirements

Eligibility

Minimum age: 21 years

Training Hour Requirements

Includes 30 hours of management training (16 specific to course management) beyond Level II training.

Track	Level II Hours	Additional CM Hours	Total
Site Specific	24	30	54
Spotted Only	44	24	74
High Only	44	24	74
Full Certification	80	40	110

Experience Requirement

Candidates shall document 500 hours of work experience (delivery + administration).

Competency Requirements

Course Managers shall:

Possess all Operation Standard Section C competencies
Demonstrate substantial operational experience
Implement operations management competencies

Certification Duration

Valid for 5 years.

Recertification Requirements

Candidates shall either:

Document 300 hours of experience (30 hours may be training) and retest,
OR
Take 30 hours of training (16 in CM training) and retest.

Note: Level II certification is not required for CM recertification.

Inclusion of People with Disabilities

This chapter provides procedural requirements for incorporating reasonable modifications into certification processes.

Inclusive Participation

People with disabilities shall be included as candidates for any certification level. For non-U.S. certifications, local regulations may vary.

Modifications and Accommodations

Modification Discussion

Candidates and certifying bodies shall discuss the reasonable modifications required to participate in the certification training and to obtain the desired certification level.

A reasonable modification is any change, modification, or alteration to an existing program, structure, method, or curriculum enabling access to a person with a disability. Accommodations should generally be readily achievable and may be simple (changing font size on a liability waiver) or complex (creating an up-haul system for high element access). Accommodations shall not pose an unreasonable safety risk or create undue burden on a vendor.

Required Accommodations

Certifying bodies shall offer reasonable and appropriate modifications. When making appropriate modifications, trainers are encouraged to consider a practitioner’s function, results, or outcome, not the usual manner in which a task is performed by counterparts without disabilities. This also includes any or all tasks listed as essential functions below.

Documentation Requirements

All modifications and adaptations shall be documented as part of the candidate's certification record.

Adjustment of Certification Level

If a candidate cannot perform essential functions with modifications, the certifying body may adjust the certification level.

Legal Considerations

U.S. vendors are encouraged to review ADA guidance; others should review local laws.

Essential Functions of Practitioners

This outlines the essential functions required of certified Challenge Course Practitioners. Essential functions represent the fundamental job duties associated with practitioner roles across all certification tracks.

Some functions may not apply to every certification track (e.g., “Spotted Activities Only” practitioners may not need all high-element mobility functions).

Essential Function Categories

The essential functions are grouped into six competency domains. Each domain includes specific sub-requirements that describe the expected physical, cognitive, and interpersonal abilities of a certified practitioner.