Continuing Education

Overview

In 2011 ACMO’s Board of Directors agreed that a program of continuing education should be implemented to allow RCM’s to maintain their designation. This decision simply solidified the need for a formal continuing education program. The ACMO Code of Professional Ethics, by which every RCM is bound, already requires continuing education to be done, and ACMO is aware that many of its RCMs already undertake this additional education.

ACMO’s Vision

“To be recognized as Ontario’s foremost community and voice of condominium management professionals pursuing excellence in the field.”

One of the ways to ensure that RCMs are seen to be highly desirable by condominium corporations is to promote the designation as credible, and those who hold it as knowledgeable and adding value to any condominium corporation in which they work. Letting Boards of Directors know that ongoing learning for RCMs is a part of maintaining their designation only serves to reinforce the credibility and value-added of an RCM.

Objectives of the CE Program

To ensure that those who have their RCM stay current with the newest information, trends, technology, and legislation.
To ensure that the system is achievable for members.
To ensure that ACMO members understand the steps to achieve credit, the value of continuing education and the consequences of non-compliance.
To ensure that the condominium industry and general public are aware of the differences between condominium managers who have their RCM (and all that it entails) and those who simply have their licence.

What is Required and in What Time Frame?

Each RCM is responsible for defining the continuing education topics they require to keep up-to-date and to improve their skills. It is recommended that RCMs select topics that align with the CMRAO’s Continuing Professional Education program. Note that ACMO will be submitting all of our continuing education content to the CMRAO for approval under this program.

The following list should act as a guideline for the types of educational programming that qualify as acceptable Continuing Education for purposes of maintaining your RCM (but is not an exhaustive list).

For new RCMs, their initial reporting period will be the balance of the year in which they received their RCM, plus the following calendar year. For example, if a person earned their RCM in April 2011, their initial reporting period, in which they must earn 20 points, will run until December 31, 2012. The 20 points will be calculated in the following way:

A qualifying seminar which runs for 30 minutes equals 1 point.
A qualifying seminar which runs for one hour equals 2 points.
Thus, a total of ten hours of continuing education must be completed per year.

What Qualifies as Acceptable Continuing Education?

Each RCM is responsible for determining the continuing education topics they require to keep up-to-date and improve their skills. It is recommended that RCMs select topics that align with the CMRAO’s Continuing Professional Education program. Note that ACMO will be submitting all of our continuing education content to the CMRAO for approval under this program.

Attending the sessions at the ACMO/CCI-T Annual Conference
Attending ACMO luncheons (in person or by watching the recordings on the ACMO member portal)
Breakfast/Lunch and Learn sessions at condominium management companies where a guest speaker provides industry-related information
Attending sessions at PM Expo and SpringFest
Attending seminars offered by other associations like CCI, OREA, REIC, BOMA, OSSA, etc.
Speaking at the ACMO/CCI-T Annual Conference (but not acting as a moderator)
Municipal/other government seminars, sessions offered by Tarion, etc.
Attending any other educational session that may assist an RCM in doing their job more efficiently and effectively

What is the Reporting/Enforcement Process?

Each RCM is asked to submit their points online in their member profile Education section. Members are encouraged to update their points as they earn them; the CE points have to be entered into the database by December 31 of each year and before membership can be renewed. Once payment has been processed, membership is then approved by ACMO and an email goes out to member advising that their membership has been renewed and a (year) sticker will be mailed.

In certain cases an RCM can request an extension or waiver of the requirement. This would apply, for example, to those who are on maternity leave, or are experiencing health issues which preclude them from completing their CE obligations. The request is to be made to the Manager of Education who will provide recommendations to the Condominium Management Education Committee (CMEC).

For those who have no legitimate reasons or who indicate they will not comply with the CE requirement, this will be reported to CMEC. The Chair of CMEC will make a written complaint of this particular breach of professional ethics to the Membership Standards Committee, which will follow its usual procedures in the case of complaints.

Random audits of Continuing Education submissions take place each year; 5% of RCMs are audited. The audit entails confirming the information submitted by RCMs to ensure it is accurate and valid for Continuing Education credits.