Make 2024 the Year You Become Accredited
Published on December 6, 2023
AUTHOR
Eric Wester, AAP, APRP, NCP
Associate Director of Education Services
As we approach the end of the year, it is a great opportunity to reflect on our accomplishments and contemplate our goals and ambitions – both personally and professionally – for the year ahead. There’s a great quote from Walt Disney that inspires me to continue to challenge myself: “We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious, and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
If you are a payments professional involved in ACH payment processing, check collection, check exception or fraud handling, or payments risk management, perhaps 2024 is the year you should challenge yourself to become accredited. UMACHA offers comprehensive exam preparation training to help individuals aspiring to obtain their AAP (Accredited ACH Professional), APRP (Accredited Payments Risk Professional), and NCP (National Check Professional) designations.
AAP (Accredited ACH Professional)
Over 4,200 people from around the country have studied for, taken, and passed Nacha’s thorough AAP Exam and added those three extra letters behind their name: AAP. By studying for the AAP, candidates will be exposed to various facets of ACH, including operations, ACH Rules and regulations, risk management, file formatting, and an overview of alternative payment systems.Whether you are new to your position, or you have been working with ACH for years, attaining your AAP accreditation is a great way to challenge yourself to learn about aspects of ACH you may be less familiar with and expand your understanding of the Rules and regulations that comprise the legal framework for the ACH Network.
UMACHA has carefully crafted an AAP Exam Prep Series education program designed to prepare aspiring AAPs for success. The most popular and comprehensive training includes the following:
- AAP Primer Webinars (5-Part Webinar Series)
- These 90-minute webinars are designed to introduce the concepts likely to be included in the exam at a high level.
- Summer Series Webinars (10-Part Webinar Series)
- These 90-minute webinars take a deeper dive into the concepts reviewed in the AAP Primer series, ensuring candidates have the knowledge they need to succeed.
- Open Forums (6-Part Webinar Series)
- These 90-minute webinars include a focused dive into topics being discussed, include designated time for open question and answer, and often include activities or practice exam questions.
- Two-Day Workshop (Virtual or In-Person)
- This two-day workshop includes a review of topics discussed throughout the exam prep series and also incorporates open question and answer and activities.
If you want to learn more about what it takes to become an AAP and whether pursuing this accreditation is the right move for you, check out this video and visit our Accreditation Programs webpage (click the AAP tab) where you can register for the AAP Exam Prep Series today.
APRP (Accredited Payments Risk Professional)
The APRP accreditation, while much newer than the AAP, is also administered by Nacha. To date, over 800 individuals have put in the time to study for and pass this rigorous risk management-focused exam. Candidates studying for the APRP should expect to spend time studying the fundamentals of payments risk management, payments risk management controls, payments systems, physical and information security, regulatory environment, and payments risk policy and governance.If you are involved with your organization’s enterprise or payments systems risk management programs, studying for the APRP will be a great way to challenge your understanding of FFIEC and other regulatory guidance related to managing and controlling risk.
UMACHA, in partnership with other Payments Associations in the Center for Payments, have collectively designed a collaborative APRP Exam Prep Series education program designed to give you the tools and resources you need to pass the APRP Exam. This training includes the following:
- APRP Primer Webinars (2-Part Webinar Series)
- These 90-minute webinars are designed to introduce the concepts likely to be included in the exam at a high level.
- Exam Prep Webinars (11-Part Webinar Series)
- These 90-minute webinars take a deeper dive into the concepts reviewed in the APRP Primer series as well as various regulatory guidance, ensuring candidates have the knowledge they need to succeed.
- Open Forum (1 Webinar)
- This 90-minute webinar allows candidates from various Payments Associations to engage in open question and answer with several APRP trainers.
- Two-Day Workshop (Virtual)
- This two-day workshop includes a review of topics discussed throughout the exam prep series and also incorporates open question and answer and activities.
If you want to learn more about what it takes to become an APRP and whether pursuing this accreditation is the right move for you, visit our Accreditation Programs webpage (click the APRP tab) where you can learn more and register for the APRP Exam Prep Series today.
NCP (National Check Professional)
The NCP designation, unlike both the AAP and APRP, is administered by ECCHO, a division of The Clearing House. As of the conclusion of the 2023 exam window, there are now over 900 individuals throughout the country that have demonstrated their expertise in all things check and obtained their NCP. Those studying for the NCP will be exposed to the rules, laws, and regulations that govern check collection and processing, fraud and risk mitigation (including the assignment of liability), operational considerations, and check products.If you are involved in check processing at your organization, including but not limited to the handling of exceptions and check fraud-related claims, studying for the NCP is a great way to enhance your understanding of the legal framework that governs the exchange of checks. This includes exchange under a private sector clearinghouse as well as through the Federal Reserve Bank.
UMACHA, in partnership with ECCHO and other Payments Associations in the Center for Payments, have collectively designed a collaborative NCP Exam Prep Series education program designed to prepare you for the NCP Exam. This training includes the following:
- Exam Prep Webinars (12-Part Webinar Series)
- These 90-minute webinars go into a comprehensive review of various rules and regulations, including Reg CC, the UCC, ECCHO Rules, the Federal Reserve Bank’s Operating Circular 3, and much more.
- Open Forums (2-Part Webinar Series)
- These 90-minute webinars allow candidates from various Payments Associations to engage in open question and answer with several NCP trainers.
- Two-Day Workshop (Virtual)
- This two-day workshop includes a review of topics discussed throughout the exam prep series and also incorporates open question and answer and activities.
If you want to learn more about what it takes to become an NCP and whether pursuing this accreditation is the right move for you, visit our Accreditation Programs webpage (click the NCP tab) where you can learn more and register for the NCP Exam Prep Series today.
Looking Ahead
As we look forward to the year ahead, we are bound to be faced with some challenges, but also opportunities. At UMACHA, we are looking forward to the launch of the AFPP (Accredited Faster Payments Professional) accreditation, which is set to kick off in the Fall of 2024. If you are eager to learn more about faster and instant payments now, don’t forget the FPP (Faster Payments Professional) Certificate program is live now. You can learn more about and register for the FPP on our Accreditation Programs webpage (click the FPP tab).If you have questions about any of these accreditations and how you can get started in your accreditation journey, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or anyone else on our Education team at UMACHA. You can reach us by phone at (763) 549-7000, by email at info@umacha.org, or contact me directly at ericdw@umacha.org. Challenge yourself to make 2024 the year you become accredited!
Stay connected with Eric Wester and UMACHA on LinkedIn!