MIDLAND, Mich. – The University of the Aftermarket and the National Catalog Managers Association (NCMA) are collaborating in the development and launch of the aftermarket industry’s first certificate program for automotive catalog professionals. The new Automotive Catalog Professional (ACP) certificate program was introduced this past weekend during NCMA’s Knowledge Exchange Conference in San Antonio, Texas.

The ACP program is designed to recognize industry professionals who exemplify the cataloging best practices needed by companies that manufacture and distribute automotive replacement parts and related products. The program is also expected to help drive adoption of the industry’s electronic data standards, including ACES and PIES.

“A certificate program has been the goal of NCMA’s board of directors for many years, and the need is greater today than ever before,” said NCMA President Mark Richardson of Falcon Steering Systems.

The University of the Aftermarket will provide curriculum and administrative support for the program and is working with NCMA board members to identify and develop new courses, seminars and other programs of interest to ACP candidates.

“Without the University of the Aftermarket’s support, this type of program would not be sustainable,” Richardson said. “(University of the Aftermarket Director) Brian Cruickshank and his team share our vision for a dynamic, intellectually challenging and exciting curriculum that will benefit not only our members, but the entire industry.”

The first educational offerings in support of the new certificate program – seven video courses related to electronic data standards and two covering data warehousing – are already available via the University of the Aftermarket’s “On-Demand” feature at www.universityoftheaftermarket.com.

“A growing number of industry organizations are recognizing that the University of the Aftermarket can help them develop and deliver high-quality, university-level educational programming to their employees, members and customers,” Cruickshank said. “We are certain the ACP certificate will become an important achievement for the hundreds of catalog and marketing professionals who help maintain the industry’s competitive advantage through comprehensive, accurate and timely product information.”

To learn more about the University of the Aftermarket, visit www.universityoftheaftermarket.com or call 1-800-551-2882.

To read more news from the NCMA conference, click here.