ABC15 Arizona recently covered the new University of Arizona Continuing and Professional Education Cannabis Compliance and Risk Management Program. The cannabis industry is highly regulated and fast-moving. Compliance and risk management are crucial to keeping up with quickly-changing regulations and requirements: 

"Giving Tree Dispensary owner Lilach Mazor Power told ABC15 that everything with her business begins and ends with compliance, from the bar codes on products, to who she can sell the products to, to her inventory."

See the full story to learn about job opportunities in the cannabis industry, the need for compliance professionals, and why the University of Arizona launched this exciting new Certificate Program.

The cannabis industry is complex and ever-changing, making legal compliance a significant challenge for cannabis businesses of all sizes. This is why cannabis compliance professionals are in such high demand today.

University of Arizona Continuing and Professional Education has launched the Cannabis Compliance and Risk Management Certificate program to address this workforce need.

With a cross-disciplinary approach to key industry sectors, this program will prepare learners to become in-demand cannabis compliance professionals.

Cannabis Compliance & Risk Management features instruction and interaction from pioneering cannabis lawyers and leaders from the cannabis business world, including entrepreneurs, physicians and public policy specialists.

Learners will gain a thorough understanding of the cannabis industry, the compliance needs and challenges throughout, and become empowered as certified cannabis compliance professionals.

Included in the Cannabis Compliance and Risk Management Certificate

• Three eight-week online courses
• Completion of a portfolio of case studies and projects to demonstrate cannabis industry knowledge
• A Certificate of Completion from University of Arizona Continuing & Professional Education upon successful completion of the program
• Access to the Green Flower Employer Network upon successful completion of the program
• Preparation to take the Certified Commercial Cannabis Professional (CCCP) through the Association of Certified Commercial Cannabis Experts (ACCCE)
• A one-year ACCCE membership

Registration is now open. Participants can choose to start the Compliance and Risk Management Certificate program on March 6, May 1, July 10, September 11, or November 6.

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If you missed our January 19 webinar on career opportunities in Blockchain and IT regulatory compliance, the recording is now available to watch on-demand.

Blockchain and IT Regulatory Compliance: Key Skills for Advancing Your Career

Presented by: Darren Ellis, VP - Head of Risk Management and Compliance at Paradox. Ellis has 25 years of leadership experience in Financial Services, Technology, Operations, Risk, Regulatory, Compliance, Strategy, Product Development/Innovation, and Audit. He has interviewed 1000+ professionals for risk, compliance, regulatory and legal roles, sponsored 50+ interns, and trained more than 1000 individuals to earn a variety of Risk Certifications.

View Webinar

The Continuing and Professional Education team continuously reviews our programs to ensure we are meeting the needs of the learners and employers we serve.

This month, we analyzed the data to see which professional development certificates, short courses and certifications were most popular this year. Here is what you wanted to learn in 2022.

• Coding Boot Camp: Become a full-stack web developer in 12 or 24 weeks.
• Digital Marketing Certificate: Earn industry-recognized credentials and get ready to start your digital marketing career in just ten weeks.
• Cannabis Certificate Program: Prepare to join a thriving industry with a certificate in the Business of Cannabis or Cannabis Health Care and Medicine.
• Spanish/English Translation: Study business, medical, or legal translation (or all three!) in the Spanish/English Translation Certificate Program.
• AutoCAD: Acquire fundamental AutoCAD 2D and 3D skills in this fully online self-paced program that includes a free one-year AutoCAD license.
• Paralegal Certificate Course: Learn the essential skills you need to start a career as a Paralegal.
• Data Analytics Boot Camp: Master in-demand technologies like intermediate Excel, Python, JavaScript, SQL Databases, Tableau, and more.
• Human Resources (SHRM) Certification Exam Prep: Verify your Human Resources expertise with a SHRM-CP (Certified Professional) or SHRM-SCP (Senior Certified Professional) certification.
• Legal Nurse Consultant Training: Turn your health care experience into an exciting new career in the medical field. 
• Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam Prep: Prepare to earn the most in-demand project management credential. Self-paced and live, instructor-led options available.

All of these courses will be offered again in 2022. Click the catalog links above to learn more and see upcoming class dates.

The University of Arizona Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Exam Preparation course is this year’s recipient of the University Professional and Continuing Education Association (UPCEA) West Region Outstanding Non-Credit Program Award.

UPCEA, the leader in professional, continuing and online education, annually recognizes outstanding achievement by individuals and institutions across its regional member network. The FE Exam Prep course stood out based on the audiences the program serves and the dedication of the instructional team in preparing students to pass the exam.

Passing the FE Exam is the first step in the process of becoming a licensed Professional Engineer (PE). The FE exam is challenging, covering topics as wide-ranging as chemistry, mathematics, electromagnetism, material science, fluid mechanics, economics, professional ethics, and more. According to the most recent data available from NCEES, less than 2/3 of candidates who take the Civil or Other Disciplines FE Exam actually pass the exam. 

To prepare participants for FE Exam success, FE Exam Prep provides a comprehensive review of every topic on the FE Civil Engineering and Other Disciplines exams, plus practical exam-taking and problem-solving strategies to increase their likelihood of passing the exam. Participants can also choose to attend optional weekly live instructor-led study sessions, either in-person in Tucson or live online via Zoom.

The subject matter expert and instructor for the course is Bill O’Brien, the president and principal engineer of NextGen Engineering. He says:

"At NextGen Engineering, we strive to provide quality water resource and civil engineering services while engaging with the community through education and pro bono work…I’m excited about this award because it affirms our mission to train and educate the next generation of engineers.”

Read the full announcement.

Learn More About FE Exam Prep

We are excited to announce that Carla Holloway has joined the division of Online, Distance and Continuing Education (ODCE) as Executive Director for Distance and Continuing Education.

Among Carla's responsibilities will be the leadership of credit-based programs and operations offered via the University of Arizona Near You Network at distance campuses (Yuma, Chandler, Gilbert, Nogales, and Douglas), and noncredit programs offered via the office of Continuing and Professional Education.

Carla Holloway joins the University of Arizona from Northern Arizona University where she served as an Associate Professor of Practice in Finance and Area Coordinator in the W.A. Franke College of Business (FCB).

In addition to delivering holistic educational experiences to upper-division learners, Carla guided the management and operation of the finance area, chaired the FCB Curriculum Committee, served on the Strategic Enhancement Committee, and was a member of the inaugural Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion committee that developed a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategy for FCB.

As area lead, Carla was instrumental in forging internal and external partnerships that galvanized the launch of non-credit online programs serving adult learners and working professionals

Prior to joining NAU, Carla served as Lead Faculty Member and Program Coordinator at Milwaukee Area Technical College where she steered accreditation efforts, drove curriculum initiatives, and assessed programs for technical skills attainment. Carla successfully launched an online Financial Services certificate, technical diploma, and innovative dual-credit Banking certificate in partnership with the American Bankers Association.

She is committed to serving the needs of underrepresented populations and breaking barriers to education and has collaborated with fellow educators, businesses, and community leaders to ensure high school students were college, career, and future ready. She also served as a board member of the National Academy of Finance.

Carla earned a B.S in Accounting and a M.S. in Management with a concentration in Finance from Purdue University-West Lafayette; and a M.Ed. in Learning Design and Technologies from Arizona State University.

Welcome, Carla!

University of Arizona Continuing & Professional Education (CaPE) is now an ISACA® Accredited Partner.

CaPE will offer training and exam preparation courses for Certified Information Systems Auditor® (CISA®) and Certified Information Security Manager® (CISM®) to equip Arizona information technology and information systems professionals with in-demand certifications.

This collaboration provides Arizona information technology and information systems professionals with new opportunities to earn globally-recognized ISACA credentials. It also offers organizations a convenient pathway to upskill their current employees.

“Part of the mission of the land grant university is to serve the community,” says Dr. John DeLalla, University of Arizona Continuing and Professional Education Program Director. “With a growing demand for cybersecurity, providing the education and training locally allows our state residents to earn the in-demand certifications required to advance in their career. With ISACA credentials being one of the most sought-after certifications in the IT industry, this is a great benefit for Tucson, Sierra Vista, Yuma, and Phoenix residents to access our world-class training without leaving the area.”

About University of Arizona CISA and CISM Courses

Each ISACA exam preparation course includes

• High-quality, relevant, up-to-date training and preparation to earn top IT credentials
• Comprehensive exam review
• Live instruction from an ISACA Authorized Trainer
• ISACA membership
• Exam voucher

Classes will be offered at several University of Arizona locations throughout Arizona, including Tucson, Sierra Vista, and the Phoenix Metro area (Chandler).

To learn more about each certification and see upcoming class dates, visit the University of Arizona CISA and CISM pages.

Group discounts and custom training are also available for employers who need to train their teams to defend against the ever-growing threat of cyber attacks.

Contact Dr. John DeLalla at 520-626-6389 or jd@arizona.edu to learn more.

What is a Certified Information Systems Auditor?

CISA® stands for Certified Information Systems Auditor®. CISA is a globally-recognized credential from ISACA® that demonstrates expertise in the following domains:

• The process of auditing information systems
• Governance and management of IT
• Information systems acquisition, development and implementation
• Information systems operations and business resilience
• Protection of information assets

Why should I get an information systems auditor certification?

For employers, CISA validates that an employee or prospective hire has the knowledge and skills to audit, control, monitor and assess IT and business systems, efficiently and effectively.

That is why CISAs are in high demand (and command high salaries).

CISA is consistently one of the top-requested IT certifications in Arizona and across the country, and the average salary of CISA credential holders is over $149,000.

CISA is also a DoD 8570-approved baseline certification, required for many federal government IT/IS roles, including contractor roles.

Is there demand for CISA certification in Arizona?

Yes. CISA is one of the top IT certifications requested in Arizona job postings. Demand is particularly high in the Phoenix Metro area.

The top Arizona employers hiring CISAs include:

• Wells Fargo
• Deloitte
• USAA
• Banner Health
• KPMG
• Dell Technologies
• Charles Schwab
• PricewaterhouseCoopers
• Verizon Communications

Arizona job postings that ask for CISA certification pay over $123,000 per year on average.

Source: Burning Glass Labor Insight, last 12 months of job postings through July 31, 2022

Is there demand for CISA certification in the U.S.?

Yes, CISA is in demand nation-wide (and even world-wide). It is consistently one of the top IT certifications requested in job postings across the country.

Source: Burning Glass Labor Insight, last 12 months of job postings through July 31, 2022

How is CISA different from other information security certifications?

As you might expect from the name of the certification, CISA is more focused on information systems auditing compared to other IT certifications.

CISA demonstrates your ability to audit, control, monitor and assess IT and business systems using a risk-based approach.

How do I get CISA certified?

To earn your CISA, you must pass the CISA exam and demonstrate that you meet the education and work experience requirements. Applicants must also agree to follow the ISACA Code of Professional Ethics, Information Systems Auditing Standards and Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Policy.

CISA certification requires a minimum of five years of professional information systems auditing, control or security work experience (or a combination of education, work experience and other credentials). 

Per ISACA, the following can be substituted for up to three years of the required work experience:

• A maximum of one year of information systems experience OR one year of non-IS auditing experience can be substituted for one year of experience.
• A 2-year degree or 60 completed university semester credit hours can be substituted for one year of experience
• A 4-year degree or 120 completed university semester credit hours can be substituted for two years of experience
• A master's degree in information security or information technology from an accredited university can be substituted for one year of experience.

It is important to note: you do not need to meet the experience requirements before taking the exam. Once you pass the CISA exam, you have five years to meet the experience requirements and apply for CISA certification.

Learn more about CISA requirements.

How can I prepare for the CISA exam?

The CISA exam is challenging because it tests candidates’ knowledge and skills across a broad range of technology and auditing topics.

Those with technical backgrounds may struggle to shift from an “IT mindset” to an “auditor” mindset. The reverse can also be true: CISA candidates who come from an auditing or financial background may not have the core technology knowledge to succeed on the exam. A CISA Exam Prep course can help fill those knowledge gaps.

Even those who have experience in both IT/IS and auditing may benefit from an exam prep course.

Certification exams are meant to be challenging. That is why earning a certification is a meaningful achievement. An exam prep course that includes practice exams and practical test-taking strategies will help you master not just the material but also how to take the exam.

Taking an exam prep course is an investment of time, effort and money. You want to make sure you are getting high quality training that will help you succeed on the exam. If you choose ISACA-accredited training and exam prep, you can be sure you are receiving the up-to-date, relevant information you need to pass the exam.

Learn about CISA Exam Prep

How much does the CISA exam cost?

As of September 2022, the exam cost $575 for ISACA members and $760 for non-members. Some exam prep courses (including the University of Arizona CISA course) include a free ISACA membership and CISA exam voucher.