Cynthia Lang, CAPP, MPA

Current Position

Portfolio Manager, National Capital Region, JASINT Consulting and Technologies, LLC

Home Base

Atlanta, Georgia

Year of CAPP Certification

2018

Reason for Pursuing CAPP Certification

My initial reason for acquiring the CAPP Certification was that the position I was hired to fill as a project manager required it – however, it has become so much more. My background is in logistics and transportation, so I wondered – how hard could it be? I had no idea the journey I was about to embark upon to obtain certification. Now, I maintain it because it enables me to stay relevant on challenges and changes in the parking industry. The network of friends I have connected with at conferences who are willing to share their knowledge, expertise, and help me brainstorm through parking issues is priceless.

Roadblocks or Obstacles Overcome in the Journey to CAPP Certification

First things first, what are the steps and requirements to become a CAPP? I read everything on the IPMI website, downloaded and printed the application, identified resources I needed, and determined what I needed to do to obtain the points to sit for the test. At this point, all I was sure of was that if I attended the conference and registered for the classes that would start my educational journey to gain points. It was also my first introduction to thousands of parking professionals! I had no idea it was such a huge industry. My second obstacle was time – I needed to obtain the certification quickly which meant carving out time to read the many resources available to start preparing for the test while managing a team, working full-time, and setting aside time to study and read. This takes commitment. My third obstacle was self-doubt. I had to overcome self-doubt because I was new to this industry, yet I had met so many people who had risen through the ranks into management or were company owners. Some with backgrounds in engineering. I was not an engineer, but I understood I needed to understand how engineering played into garage structures as part of my CAPP journey. I reached out to the network of friends I met at the conference and joined a study group. IPMI also provided a practice test; I took the test many times and re-read and focused my studying on those areas. I set the date for the test as a forcing function to not allow me to back out because I never think I’m ready or just for fear of failing.

Impact the Certification Has Made on Your Career

The recognition as a parking professional. In planning meetings, my input is valued as solutions are developed to address the organization’s parking needs or procedures. I’ve contributed to IPMI blogs to highlight parking challenges to open the discussion on issues I am seeing in my organization which could be issues for others and collectively, we can develop and or share solutions. Currently, if we are looking for technology to improve parking, processes, or how to do more with less you will find me in the discussion because of the insight and information gained from my having earned my CAPP, reach back to colleagues I have met through attending the IMPI conferences.

Best Advice for Those Considering CAPP Certification

Do not discount yourself coming into this industry and seeking CAPP certification. The members are vast and diverse, from all backgrounds. Do not fear the test. It will assess how well you ingest the information about the parking industry, which is great, but the real test will come in your application of all you will learn moving forward. That’s the fun part. You can do this – Set a study schedule and commit to it. Finally, you are not alone. Reach out to the network of professionals within IPMI, ask for a mentor, and or join a study group. You do not have to walk this path alone.