Saudi citizens, interested in becoming AACE International certified as a Certified Cost Professional (CCP), a Certified Estimating Professional (CEP), or as a Planning & Scheduling Professional (PSP), now have an option for financial assistance from the HRDF, a Saudi government entity, for the costs connected with obtaining their choice of one or two of these three certifications.

This assistance option became a reality following several years of volunteer effort and guidance by AACE International member, Husain Al-Omani, CCP CEP EVP DRMP PSP. He is a member of the AACE International Marketing Board. Al-Omani worked with and through the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF), a Saudi governmental authority that was established by a royal decree in July 2000. HRDF falls under the Saudi Ministry of Labor and Social Development.

Recently, HRDF gave approval to add the three AACE certifications (CCP-CEP-PSP) as registered certifications with the HRDF program. Once one or more certifications of an entity are accredited by HRDF, they are then approved and registered at the HRDF website. The three AACE International certifications were approved because of their focus on estimating, cost control, and planning and scheduling.

HRDF has a professional certification support program that aims to empower national Saudi workers to gain approved professional certification in miscellaneous career areas required by the Saudi labor market. The program is intended to upgrade the personnel efficiency in both the government and private sectors, increasing the productivity in the labor market, creating more employment opportunities, and promoting the national competencies through the concept of development and succession.

Program Mechanism

For Saudi citizens to be eligible for the Professional Certification Support Program, each applicant must meet all of the following criteria:

• Any Saudi citizen, whether working for the government sector, the private sector, or simply as a job seeker, has the right to gain a professional career certification.
• The certification must be approved and registered on the (HRDF) website. This registration of the certification is gained after it is accredited by HRDF.
• The applicant confirms that the entity which he/she works for has not paid the costs of the certification.
• HRDF pays a costs subsidy for a maximum of two certifications per Individual.
• The certification gained by the applicant should be valid and unexpired when they apply for reimbursement of the costs.
• Reimbursement must be applied for within less than six months of obtaining the certification.

The Fund will compensate beneficiaries financially for training costs and test fees after they have obtained one of the approved professional certifications. For example, if a Saudi engineer takes a training course for AACE’s PSP certification at a cost of $1,200; then applies for the exam at a cost of $625. Once the engineer passes the exam and is awarded his PSP designation by AACE, the fund will pay $1,200 plus $625 for a total of $1,825. This is the maximum allowed reimbursement per certification.

Having the three AACE International certifications approved and added as eligible for reimbursement by the HRDF program has already been well received by the Saudi cost control, estimating, and planning and scheduling communities. Al-Omani, Al-Boali, and Al-Marwan share the following comments on AACE certifications becoming a part of the HRDF program.