The annual application period for the North Carolina Certified Public Manager® (CPM) Program formally begins today and will continue through March 31. The CPM designation is a nationally accredited, comprehensive management development program specifically designed to prepare managers for careers in public service. Since 1982, the N.C. CPM Program has graduated nearly 2,500 middle managers, with 1,679 of them awarded the prestigious Certified Public Manager® designation following the program’s accreditation in 1989 by the National Certified Public Manager Consortium. Last fall, 36 public sector employees from 15 state agencies, universities and local government completed the program.

The N.C. CPM Program provides agencies with a special opportunity to develop their talented managers. Managers will develop personal leadership strengths and discover how to become more effective in the workplace. As participants, they will complete a public management project specific to their agency’s needs, which allows them to be evaluated on their understanding and application of the program’s core competencies.

We encourage agencies to consider nominating and sponsoring their most promising middle managers to participate. The N.C. CPM Program website provides useful resources, including FAQs on the nominating process. Candidates must have completed the prerequisite – Advanced Skills for Managers training – to be eligible to participate. Please encourage agency leadership to identify eligible middle managers for nomination to the N.C. CPM Program.