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Manager Education & Credentials

Whether it's e-Learning, live virtual, or live classroom courses, CAI delivers education in various formats that allow poeple to register and log in from anywere in the world. Live virtual courses give students the opportunity to ask questions either through video or chat feature and also are a blending-learning format, so students have access to the online content and learn at their own pace in addition to the live virtual instruction.

CAI's Professional Management Development Program (PMDP) gives managers the education and training to understand all aspects of community association management. Learn new, in-demand skills, prepare for industry designations and credentials, or advance your career. Courses focus on finance, insurance, leadership, governance, and communcation.

M-100 | THE ESSENTIALS OF COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION MANAGAMENT
Live Classroom | E-Learning | Live Virtual
CAI's most popular course offers a comprehensive guide to community association management. The course is designed for new managers and is an essential review for experienced managers. Each participant receives a community association guidebook filled with sample forms, templates and time-saving tips for managing a successful community association. Course topics include:
-Roles and responsibilities of managers, owners, committees and the board
-Developing, implementing and enforcing rules
-Organizing and conducting board meetings
-Preparing budgets, financial statements and funding reserves
-Evaluating risk management and insurance programs
-Preparing bid requests and identifying key contract provisions
-Recruiting, selecting and manager personnel.
M-201 | FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
Live Classroom | E-Learning | Live Virtual
This course provides a hands-on approach to help you analyze, evaluate, communicate and plan for property maintenance. Your community will benefit from your increased understanding of the various types of maintenance -routine, previous, emergency, corrective and scheduled. Topics include:
-Evaluating existing maintenance programs and management tools.
-Analyzing maintenance contracts
-Overseeing maintenance of common areas, using checklists and reports
-Making maintenance requests and recommendations to the board
-Preparing a request for proposal and bid specifications
-Using a reserve study for repair and replacement

M-202 | ASSOCIATION COMMUNICATIONS
Live Classroon | Live Virtual
Gain key communication techniques to improve resident and board relations. This course offers strategies that will benefit both new and experienced managers and provide the skills to communicate more effectively with owners and volunteers. You'll learn the basics of good customer service and how to effectively handle complaints, write newsletters and reports and manager public relations. Topic include:

-Practicing effective communication skills
-Identifying and responding to owner needs
-Addressing complaints and diffusing anger
-Managing public relations
-Preparing annual meeting notices, management reports and rule violation letters.
M-203 | COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
Live Classroom | E-Learning | Live Virtual
Work with volunteer board leaders to achieve goals and set a positive tone for the community. This course shows you how to inspire the cooperation needed from board leaders and volunteers to achieve management goals. You'll learn proven ways to motivate and guide community leaders and help board and committee members to be more successful. Topics include:
-Preparing and running efficient meetings
-Motivating and guiding board members
-Encouraging interest and participation in committees
-Developing election procedures
-Organizing community records.
M-204 | COMMUNITY GOVERNANCE
Live Classroom | E-Learning | Live Virtual
Gain a better understanding of board and management responsibilities and a better grasp of the community association as a legal entity. Learn how to advise and support your board and how to revise policies and procedures to comply with current laws and recommended management practices. Topics include:
-Developing and enforcing rules
-When to consult an attorney or professional advisor
-Conflicts of interest and ethics
-Reviewing and amending governing documents
-Statutes and case law affecting community management
-Fiduciary responsibilities of association boards, committees and managers
-Management contracts
M-205 | RISK MANAGEMENT
Live Classroom | E-Learning | Live Virtual
Protect your community and respond to emergencies. Prepare for your community's future by identifying insurance risks and addressing critical issues. Learn how to optimize your community's risk management program and gain strategies and resources for evaluating property coverage, reporting loses and managing claims. Topics Include:
-Assessing insurance risk
-Reviewing alternative risk management techniques
-Developing a request for proposal for insurance coverage
-Managing insurance claims
-Monitoring and improving risk management programs
M-206 | FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
Live Classroom | E-Learning | Live Virtual
Understand and apply the principles of financial management to your community association. You'll learn the entire budget process, from identifying line items to reconciling accounts and gaining board approval. You'll also learn how to analyze and report on association finances. Topics include:
-Developing, managing and balancing budgets
-Financial planning processes
-Replacement reserves and basic investment principles
-Analyzing financial reports and records
M-300 | ETHICS AND THE COMMUNITY MANAGER
E-Learning
This interactive, online course discusses the nature of ethics and how it applies to community association management. Learn how to apply CAI's Professional Manager Code of Ethics, examine the fundamental ethical responsibilities of a professional manager, resolve potential conflicts of interest, identify the appropriate response to offers of gifts and other remuneration, and accurately identify situations where disclosure is necessary. Topics include:
-Code of ethics
-Common ethical challenges face by community managers
-Consequences of unethical behavior
-Ethical relationships with fellow managers, including competitors.

M-310 | MANAGEMENT COMPANY ADMINISTRATION
Live Classroom | Live Virtual
Build the skills and knowledge to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of a community association management company. Discover how to apply the principles of organizational theory to set up and operate the business. After completion of this course, you'll be ready to market services, manage and train staff and develop additional sources of income. Topics include:
-Benefits and challenges of starting a management company
-Creating and managing budgets
-Management ethics
-Drafting and pricing management contracts
-Finding qualified personnel
M-320 | HIGH-RISE MAINTENANCE AND MANAGMENT
Live Classroom | E-Learning | Live Virtual
Address the unique challenges of multi-story communities. Gain in-depth understanding of the unique management skills required to be a high-rise manager in today's market. This course offers hands-on learning through on-site building visits and walk-throughs of a central plant, roof and recreational facilities. See major systems in operation and discuss maintenance operations and procedures with building staff. Topics include:
-Physical elements of high-rise building
-Multi-story construction and maintenance
-High-rise community operations
-Common areas and recreational facilities

M-330 | ADVANCED INSURANCE AND RISK MANAGEMENT
Live Classroom | Live Virtual
Understand risk and limit exposure to better assess your community association's vulnerability to loss. Learn how to evaluate and review all types of community association insurance policies, develop risk management strategies and review inspections reports. Topics include:
-Identifying risk and understanding inspection reports
-Alternative risk management techniques 
-Comparing insurance policies and companies
-Types of insurance coverage, including workers' compensation, fidelity bonds and crime, professional liability, equipment and property.
M-340 | MANAGING THE LARGE-SCALE ASSOCIATION
Live Classroom
Meet the unique needs of large-scale communities. This course provides tips on how to manage associations that have more than 1,000 units or 1,000 acres and an annual budget of at least $2 million. You'll explore the relationships between large-scale associations and municipalities as well as the relationships between master associations and sub-associations. Topics include:
-Management requirements of large-scale communities
-Large-scale associations and municipalities
-Master associations of sub-associations
-Open, commercial and residential properties

M-350 | MANAGER AND THE LAW
Live Classroom | E-Learning | Live Virtual
Learn how to manage effectively in the legal environment. This course offers practical ways to deal with the legal issues you face on the job. By reviewing cases that have impacted community associations and exploring a case step by step, you'll gain a greater understanding of how the legal system works and how the law affects managers and their day-to-day responsibilities. Topics include:
-Legal issues in community association management
-Employment law
-Management agreements
-Manager liability
-Rules, adoption, interpretation and enforcement

M-360 | LEADERSHIP PRACTICES IN BUILDING COMMUNITY
Live Classroom | Live Virtual
Create a more engaged and collegial community. This course teaches you the management strategies that build better community relations. You'll learn how to help residents develop social and problem-solving skills and foster greater participation in the community. The course will help you develop the leadership skills that can increase your job satisfaction and enhance your career growth. Topics include:
-Fostering community participation
-Developing a community mission statement
-Promoting positive interaction among residents
-Cultivating personal leadership skills
M-370 | Managing Developing Communities
Live Classroom | Live Virtual
Help your community transition successfully. From community design to operational turnover, you'll explore each stage of development and address a variety of challenges. You'll learn to manage a transition effectively while avoiding legal problems and dissent in the community. Topics include:
-Designing and creating communities
-Developing budgets and managing finances through transitions
-Transition processes following the transfer to homeowner control
-Operational turnover
-Risk management
-Resident, association and developer expectations

M-380 |  LITIGATION TRAINING FOR MANAGERS
Live Classroom
Prepare for the possibility of litigation. This program features rigorous training in pre-trial and trial skills and is tailored to community association managers. Our faculty are experienced, talented and devoted professionals specializing in common interest community law. Topics include:
-Preparing and responding to the possibility, likelihood and reality of litigation
-Understanding the discovery process
-Selecting, preparing and rebutting expert witnesses
-Using alternative dispute resolutions
-Preparing for trial and testifying in court
-Evaluating post-trial realties and options

M-390 | LEADERSHIP PRACTICES IN CUSTOMER SERVICE
Live Classroom
Whether you lead a community association board, manage volunteers, collaborate with colleagues, or strive to meet the needs of your clients, this course is specifically designed to equip you with proven strategies and tactics to reach a level of personalized human communication that will eventually give you a competitive advantage and positive outcome. Learn how to effectively and confidently communicate and use the soft skills needed to provide the best experience for homeowners, clients and colleagues. Topics include:
          -How to successfully guide association boards to agree on common problems
          -Sharpen your listening skills when addressing resident disputes
          -Strategies to address employee complaints
          -Navigating negative relationships with professionals who provide services to community associations
          -How to promote and achieve community harmony through collaboration instead of compromise.
M-400 | DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION: WHAT IT MEANS FOR COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS
Live Classroom
Diversity, Equity, and inclusion starts at the core of your business and the communities you manage. In this course, attendees will learn the mindsets, skills, and behaviors to navigate successful DEI initiatives. By developing a people-first approach, learn how to engage in productive dialogue, encourage cooperation and celebration of diversity, and incorporate these practices into your company and community.:
       -Learn from a panel of community association leaders and legal experts
       -Identify behaviors that may be considered as unlawful harrassment
       -Set DEI objectives and goals
       -Recognize DEI opportunities within your community or business
       -How to promote and achieve community harmony through collaboration instead of compromise.

MANAGER CREDENTIALS

ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST (AMS)
Managers who earn the Association Management Specialist (AMS) designation prove they have the training and knowledge required to provide professional service to their community association clients. Earning the AMS designation shows you understand the nature, importance and unique challenges of community association management, particularly in the following:
       -Using budgets and financial reports as a management tools
       -Financial planning processes
       -Replacement reserves and basic investment principles
       -Overseeing maintenance of common areas, using checklists, and reports
       -Making maintenance requests and recommendations to the board

PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION MANAGER (PCAM)
The Professional Community Association Manager (PCAM) designation is the world's most prestigious and respected credential for community association managers. Today, with 7 out of 10 new homes built in a community association, it's essential that these communities are managed by highly trained and qualified community association managers. Managers who earn a PCAM designation know how to preserve the character of the communities they manage, protect property values, exceed expectations, and build a true sense of community. When you earn your PCAM, you'll complete the coursework necessary to provice expert management services to virtually any community, including:
       -Facilities management
       -Association communications
       -Community leadership
       -Community governance
       -Risk management
       -Financial management

To learn more, visit caionline.org/pcam.

Large Scale Manager (LSM)
Earning the Large-Scale Manager (LSM) specialization gives community association managers the opportunity to specialize in their profession after obtaining the PCAM designation. Large-scale communities are defined by CAI as containing a minimum of 1,000 units or a minimium of 1,000 acres, providing muncipal-type services, and maintaining a minimum annual operating budget of $2 million. After completing the requirements, LSM candidates will be able to provide expert management services, incorporating the unique aspects of being a large-scale community manager, such as:
       -Understand all functions of open, commercial, and residential properties
       -Achieve the goals and objectives of the association set forth in the governing documents
       -Ensure that the policies, resolutions, and other acts of the board are carried out
       -Act as association liaison with all local governmental authorities and bodies
       -Maintain oversight of all association projects, facilities, and financial management programs

To learn more, visit www.caionline.org/lsm

ACCREDITED ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT COMPANY (AAMC)
Expand your business, increase your earning potential, and retain experienced employees. Community associations are looking for qualified, dedicated professionals to manage their communities. The Accredited Association Management Company (AAMC) accreditation demonstrates a company's commitment to providing the unique and diverse services community associations need. An AAMC ensures that its staff has the skills, experience, and integrity to help communities succeed and that its managers have advanced training and demonstrated commitment to the industry. This accreditation will allow your company to:
       -Gain credibility, trust, and loyalty from the associations you manage
       -Expand your business by gaining a competitive advantage
       -Increase the quality of your staff and reduce turnover
       -Ensure that you have well-trained managers who can handle the myriad responsibilities involved in managing a community

To learn more, visit www.caionline.org/aamc