ASTM D8403-21

4.1Certificate programs within the cannabis/hemp industries are offered by community colleges and universities, government agencies, employers, independent for-profit training organizations, and professional and trade associations. With the growth of these industries, an increased need for certificates is expected. While quality guidelines do exist for continuing education and training providers in general (for example, ANSI/IACET 1-2019), and for entities offering personnel certification programs (for example, ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024:2017), currently, no guidelines exist specifically to aid entities offering certificate programs within the cannabis industry. This practice aims to standardize and improve the quality of certificates and has been developed to:

4.2In a certificate program, an individual participates in a learning event or series of events designed to assist him or her in achieving specified learning outcomes within a defined scope; the individual receives a certificate only after verification of successful completion of all program requisites including but not limited to an assessment of learner attainment of intended learning outcomes.

4.3In contrast, in a certificate program, the learning event(s) and the assessment(s) are both developed and administered by the certificate issuer. There is an essential link between them. The learning event(s) are designed to help participants achieve learning outcomes and the assessments are designed to evaluate the learners attainment of those intended learning outcomes (Practice E2659).

4.4Certifications have ongoing requirements for maintaining proficiency and competency and may be revoked for not meeting these ongoing requirements.

1.1This practice provides protocols to certificate issuers for developing and administering certificate programs for stakeholders within the cannabis and hemp industries for determining best practices for administering professional or procedural certificate programs within the industries.

1.2This practice includes requirements for both the certificate issuer and requirements for the specific certificate programs issuing certificates.

1.3This practice provides the foundation for recognizing or certificate issuers to issue certificates to individuals after completing a certificate program.

1.4This practice addresses certificate programs for entities seeking certificates and inclusive of individuals, groups, or organizations and is applicable to training-based certificates for personal development and organizational-related certificates to existing standards or guidelines.

1.5This standard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appropriate safety, health, and environmental practices and determine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.

1.6This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.