The National Green Infrastructure Certification Program (NGICP) has a new owner. While the new owner will use its infrastructure and experience to broaden NGICP’s reach and streamline its certification procedures, NGICP trainees will still enjoy access to a world-class green infrastructure curriculum and a robust network of like-minded professionals.
EnviroCert International (ECI; Sacramento, California), an established training and certification organization that has issued over 40,000 credentials to environmental professionals in more than 40 countries, added NGICP, established by the Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Virginia) and DC Water (Washington, D.C.) in 2016, to its growing list of certification programs on January 26.
“WEF conducted a rigorous search to identify a partner best-suited to help NGICP reach more would-be green infrastructure professionals and become a better resource for the future of the stormwater management sector,” said Adriana Caldarelli, director of the WEF Stormwater Institute. “We are excited to work alongside ECI to see NGICP into its next stage of development.”
ECI’s top priorities include increasing access to certification, maximizing the program’s reach, and expanding services.
Infrastructure and Experience
Immediately after acquiring the program, ECI worked with international proctoring company Prometric (Baltimore) to resume certification exams in an online format without compromising exam security. ECI is also exploring options to provide the full NGICP curriculum in a pre-recorded, online format, aiming to maximize accessibility for test-takers, described ECI Executive Director Robert Anderson. In-person training opportunities will still be offered.
“ECI recognizes the challenges for many individuals who are not located near larger urban areas or cannot afford to take a week away from work, travel, stay in hotels, and pay registration fees for training classes,” Anderson said. “Therefore, ECI can offer an affordable alternative for individuals with recorded online training modules and also assign a trainer to be available for any questions or mentoring.”
ECI staff are also working to reach additional green infrastructure professionals by translating the curriculum into Spanish, which will make the program more desirable for trainees in the 22 Spanish-speaking countries in which ECI already operates.
Building on Stormwater Expertise
NGICP joins a host of other ECI-managed certification programs tailored to the stormwater profession. Among other programs, ECI offers the following credentialing courses:
- Certified Professional in Stormwater Quality;
- Certified Professional in Erosion and Sediment Control;
- Certified Professional in Municipal Stormwater Management;
- Certified Erosion, Sediment, and Stormwater Inspector; and
- Certified Professional in Industrial Stormwater Management.
In 2021, the organization also will launch new programs for Water Pollution Control and Stormwater Inspection, Anderson said. ECI is also exploring possibilities for a green infrastructure design certification, which it expects to implement in mid-2022.
Although WEF will no longer manage NGICP directly, it will assist ECI with technical and organizational input, leveraging its strong network of sector-leading stormwater professionals, researchers, and practitioners. ECI recently hired two former WEF staff members — Sarah Stallard and Pallavi Raviprakash — who played instrumental roles in establishing NGICP and stewarding the program through its initial growth.
“The acquisition of NGICP is exciting for ECI and the stormwater industry. ECI will provide NGICP an exciting growth opportunity both national and internationally,” Anderson said.
Learn more about NGICP at www.ngicp.org. Learn more about ECI at www.envirocert.org.
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