How Long Does It Take to Become BPM Certified?

Business process management (BPM) certification demonstrates your expertise in improving organizational performance through optimized business processes. But becoming a certified BPM professional is an investment – so how long does it take?

The timeline to earn your BPM certification depends on a few key factors:

• Your existing BPM experience level
• Study time invested
• Approach to gaining required BPM skills

We’ll break down what’s involved at each stage, from assessing your starting point to passing the exam. Read on for a complete guide to how long it takes to become BPM certified.

Assessing Your Current BPM Skills

The first step is honestly evaluating your present BPM knowledge. This determines how much work is needed to fill any gaps before you can pass the certification exam.

Those new to BPM may need 1-2 years of dedicated learning before they are ready to certify. But professionals with several years’ experience improving business processes may be ready within just 3-6 months.

To gauge your current skills, use BPMInstitute.org’s BPM Skills Self-Assessment. This covers areas like:

• Process modeling
• Process analysis and design
• Process measurement
• Process improvement methodologies
• Process technologies

Be truthful about your existing capabilities in each, The results will reveal your strengths and weaknesses so you can customize efficient exam prep

You want to target the areas requiring work rather than over-investing time in sharpening your already strong abilities.

Gaining the Necessary BPM Knowledge

Once you’ve self-assessed, it’s time to start developing the end-to-end BPM expertise needed to certify.

But how you go about it depends on your learning style and availability Three common approaches include

Structured Online Courses

Self-paced online courses let you learn on a flexible schedule. BPMInstitute.org’s structured curriculums like the BPM and Operational Excellence Learning Path provide comprehensive BPM training.

Expect to spend 3-6 months progressing through a learning path if you have some foundational BPM understanding. Total newbies may need 6 months to 1 year focusing on courses to get exam-ready.

Learning paths make it easy to fill knowledge gaps efficiently. You take only the specific courses needed to shore up weaker areas revealed in your self-assessment.

In-Person Classroom Training

Another option is signing up for multi-day BPM seminars or workshops. Topics tend to align with certification exam content.

Look for 3-5 day intensive sessions offering immersive education from BPM experts. In-person training accelerates learning through hands-on exercises and direct instructor access.

But classroom training works best for those already grounded in BPM basics. Total beginners may struggle absorbing so much new information in a short timeframe.

If going this route, plan for 1-3 focused seminars over a 3-6 month timeframe pre-exam.

On-the-Job Experience

Some professionals prepare for BPM certification by learning directly through months or years of on-the-job projects.

If your role involves actively improving business processes using methodologies like Lean Six Sigma, you’re informally building exam-relevant abilities.

But learning ad-hoc from experience alone takes longer. You may develop deep capabilities in certain areas like process mapping or metrics. Yet still have gaps in the broader end-to-end knowledge tested.

Typical timeframes to certify through informal on-the-job learning are:

• 1-2 years: For BPM specialists/analysts fully focused on process work. Accelerated skill-building from constant hands-on application.

• 3+ years: For non-BPM specific positions only spending a portion of time on process improvement. Slower development through inconsistent exposure.

Self-Study Duration

Regardless of approach – online courses, seminars or on-the-job skills – your self-study time investment also impacts readiness.

Plan on dedicating 10-15 hours per week consistently over your chosen training period. This ensures you fully absorb the material without losing momentum.

At this steady pace, expect to spend:

• 3-4 months self-studying to supplement existing intermediate BPM expertise from past work or training.

• 6 months+ for self-guided learning if you’re new to BPM and starting from scratch.

Factor in more study time if you can only devote 5-6 hours weekly due to other commitments.

Registering for the Exam

Once you’ve self-assessed, filled knowledge gaps, and devoted sufficient self-study time, it’s go time!

Register to take your chosen BPM certification exam, like BPMInstitute.org’s Certified Business Process Management Professional (BPMP) exam.

You can schedule the exam for a date/time convenient for you. It’s administered 100% online so you can take it from anywhere.

The exam contains approximately 60 multiple choice questions testing your expertise across the BPM discipline. Duration is 2 hours, allowing ample time to demonstrate your mastery.

You’ll receive your official exam results and BPM certification within 24 business hours of completing the assessment.

Recertifying to Stay Current

Once certified, you must recertify every 3 years through:

• Retaking the exam
• Completing continuing education credits

This ensures certified BPM professionals stay up-to-date on the latest methods, tools and best practices.

BPM is constantly evolving, so renewal requirements guarantee you maintain your expertise long-term.

Is BPM Certification Worth It?

Now you understand the typical time investment to go from BPM novice to certified pro.

But is earning BPM certification really worth the time and effort required?

The return on your investment pays off in multiple ways:

Career Advancement – Certification builds credibility that helps you land BPM jobs and progress into leadership roles.

Skills Development – Preparing for the exam develops in-demand capabilities to drive process improvements.

Higher Salaries – Certified BPM pros command salaries 15-20% higher than non-certified peers.

Recognition – Gain industry respect as your certification validates your expertise.

Confidence – Understanding of the full BPM landscape boosts your confidence tackling process projects.

So while getting certified takes dedication, the long-term benefits make the time and effort well worth it for established and aspiring BPM practitioners alike.

Steps to Become BPM Certified

To recap, follow these key steps to go from BPM beginner to certified pro:

• Self-assess your current BPM knowledge using assessment tools to reveal gaps.

• Fill gaps via online courses, in-person training and/or on-the-job learning over 3-12 months.

• Study diligently for 10-15 hours per week leading up to exam.

• Register to take the certification exam once prepared.

• Recertify every 3 years by retesting or completing continuing education.

Take the time to properly build expertise in all facets of BPM. This ensures you pass the exam and gain knowledge to drive process improvements after.

While becoming BPM certified takes dedication, it delivers immense value for your career and organizations you serve. Follow these best practices to earn your certification efficiently. You’ll soon join the ranks of respected BPM professionals equipped to drive meaningful business impacts.