The CEM Designation

The Certified Equipment Manager (CEM) designation is the only recognized standard for judging the qualifications of a manager of heavy off-road equipment or manager of municipal/government fleets. It is an attainable goal for equipment managers who want to be identified as exceptional. To achieve this goal, it takes personal motivation and depends on dedication to professionalism.

Areas of Competency Tested

A Certified Equipment Manager is an equipment manager who possesses a mastery of the following 17 areas: Benchmarking; Customer Service; Employee Training; Environmental requirements as they apply to fleet management; Financial Management; Human Resources; Life Cycle Analysis; Negotiations; Outsourcing; Parts Management; Preventive Maintenance; Risk Management; Safety; Shop/Facilities Management; Specifications; Technology; and Warranty and Performance Guarantees.

Review the syllabus.

Eligibility

Applicants for the examination must meet the following criteria on the CEM application.

✓ A minimum five years’ experience in equipment maintenance and/or management is required.

✓ A minimum of 25 total points must be accumulated on the application to qualify to sit for the exam

✓ Minimum points must be accumulated in each of the Mandatory Requirements section, and points may be, but are not required, in the Optional Experiences section.

Note: Applicants that do not meet the CEM requirements may be eligible for the Equipment Manager Specialist (EMS) exam.

Program Costs and Deadlines

The CEM Application and fee ($40 non-refundable) must be received by the deadline to qualify for the exam. Applications must be received postmarked no later than 30 days prior to the published date of the exam. The deadline for retakes is the same as for the application for the complete exam. Application dates are strictly enforced.
The CEM Exam is not available online but it is administered twice annually at the end of the Professional Development Institute (PDI).  The Institite is optional but highly recommended.  Visit the Conferences page to view the dates and location of the next Institute.

The CEM exam is $340 for members and $545 for non-members.

The Career Equipment Fleet Manager is the study manual for the Certified Equipment Manager exam and is not included in the registration fee for the Professional Development Institute (PDI).

Download the CEM Application

Purchase the Career Equipment Fleet Manager manual