(ROSENBERG, Texas) – Andrea Skinner-Creeks, lead instructor in the Occupational Safety and Environmental Compliance program at Texas State Technical College’s Fort Bend County campus, wanted to prove to herself and to her students that she was an expert in her field.
So she earned one of the most prestigious certifications available for her industry, the associate safety professional certification from the Board of Certified Safety Professionals.
“The BCSP is top-tier in the industry,” Skinner-Creeks said. “People that have this certification have leverage over those who don’t as it shows competency in all areas.”
Even getting accepted to take the five-hour-long exam for the certification is a process. Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree or relevant associate degree, have at least a year of experience in the field, wait weeks for approval, and then they have up to a year in order to study for the test.
“When I was going through the process, it actually enhanced my knowledge base in areas that I was weak in,” she said. “I always want to do my best and give my best for the students I teach.”
The certification exam covers areas such as physics, math, ergonomics, fire prevention, emergency response management, industrial hygiene, legal and more. It aims to ensure that those who pass have knowledge in all areas related to safety, not just the specific field they may be coming from.
Passing on the first attempt was a major victory for Skinner-Creeks.
“I had severe test anxiety when I was younger, so it was a big deal for me to be able to take this exam,” she said. “I utilized the pretest, the OSHA website and our own TSTC books in order to prepare.”
TSTC offers Occupational Safety and Environmental Compliance at its Abilene, Fort Bend County and Waco campuses. An associate degree and certificates of completion are available.
Registration for TSTC’s fall semester is open. For more information, go to tstc.edu.