Today’s training is relevant for individuals and organizations working not only in traditional outsourcing but also multi-sourcing, global business services, and other variations.
IAOP training continues to be the industry’s paragon of excellence.
Global Recognition
Worldwide Certified Professionals: 730 COPs and aCOPs. Number completing IAOP certification training: 2,000-plus
COP Career Benefits
COPs are an elite group of outsourcing professionals that span across all industries in 27 different countries at customer, provider and advisor organizations. Skilled professionals who are certified can command greater professional recognition and compensation. Studies in other fields have found a 20-plus percentage salary differential for certified professionals and 79 percent of executive recruiters believe that certified professionals are better-qualified candidates.
Companywide COP Training
Having a workforce of COP certified professionals, across all levels from entry level to senior management leading outsourcing programs ensures that your team shares a common lexicon and approach to achieving value. It also gives your company a high-level of prestige and demonstrates commitment to excellence. Training a team of individuals on the employers’ site or another location is delivering a host of benefits for leading organizations. These include dramatic cost savings in course fees, employee travel as well as purchase of bulk COP applications/exams; customized content to the firm’s immediate needs; and greater scheduling flexibility.
COP Master Class
The COP Master Class provides outsourcing professionals with an intensive, case study driven learning experience on the state-of-the-art, end-to-end process for outsourcing success. Individuals who complete the course will not only earn 75 points (half the required points for certification) toward their COP designation or fulfill their aCOP training requirement but will immediately be able to improve outsourcing outcomes at the organizations with which they work. The class is organized with four teaching components – core content, group discussions and activities, expert insight and applying the content. The COP Master Class curriculum is comprised of the 10 standard categories, and hundreds of specific standards and elements of the standards.
Onsite Training
IAOP partners with corporate members to offer hosted COP Master Class and Outsourcing Governance Workshop training at their world-class office facilities. Partners for hosted classes include Fasken Martineau in Toronto; Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago; and E&Y in Dallas. All courses are led by IAOP Authorized Trainers, and include full class materials as well as a print version of the OPBOK. The locations both have a benefit of good transportation and access from major airports, and both allow registrants to take advantage of the exceptional food and attractions outside the classroom.
Governance Training Workshop
Professionals at the COP Master Class at the end of October in New Jersey got the first look at IAOP’s newly revamped Outsourcing Governance Workshop that features a greater focus on hands-on practical applications. 
“Governance is a critical part of the outsourcing life cycle,” said Jag Dalal, COP, Certified Master Class Instructor. “Since we developed the earlier workshop, we have gained more insight and have followed the current trends in how businesses govern their outsourcing engagements. The new workshop material reflects these learnings.”
IAOP has also included some of the material that has come out of its Outsourcing World Summits and Advanced COP workshop. Among the topics covered are “right sizing” governance, creating the right environment for governance and the outsourcing management office.
“In order to better connect with the real life governance challenges, we have developed new mini-case studies, as a result, the new Governance workshop is more about practicality of creating and managing the process rather than theoretical foundation of governance that we have promoted in the past.” - Jag Dalal, COP, Certified Master Class Instructor
In one case study, for example, workshop participants are challenged to define conditions and a strategy for outsourcing governance for a global company outsourcing its IT infrastructure to multiple vendors in many countries. The second scenario asks them to complete a heat index scorecard for each service.
Key Takeaways
- Poor governance results in value leakage, missed expectations and ultimately lead to chaos – a lose, lose outcome
- Effective governance recognizes that what is outsourced, how it is delivered, and how the business is organized affect the level and sophistication of oversight required
- Governance requires a framework from which a common understanding can be built upon
- Governance is ensuring the customer and provider place staff with the right skills into co-opting teams that are provided the right processes and tools to execute
- You now have a basis for recognizing good governance (and it is a must)
Summit Training
Thinking about becoming certified or already a COP, be sure to take advantage of these complimentary sessions (advance reservations required) on Feb. 21, from 2 to 5 p.m., at OWS18.
- Outsourcing Certification Primer & Application Overview — Led by Dana Corbett, Director, Training, Certification & Research, IAOP. This workshop is beneficial to those looking for an introduction to IAOP’s COP certification program. Part two of this workshop digs a little deeper into the application process.
- Advanced Intensive — Led by Jagdish R. Dalal, COP-GOV, Chief Advisor, Thought Leadership. This complimentary in-depth annual update is exclusively for COP designation holders attending OWS18.Join this elite group and discuss the field’s most challenging and critical issues, build your top-notch professional network, earn the points you need to maintain your certification in full, and best of all, hear how this coveted certification is already leading to greater opportunities and outcomes for outsourcing professionals and firms. This workshop is by invite only. COPs will receive a special invitation via email in early January.
Other Flexible Training Options
IAOP also offers workshops on service provider business development, COP standards and customized corporate training. For more information, email sales@iaop.org.
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