Advanced Institute for Economic Development

CALED partners with The California Academy for Economic Development, Fresno State, and the University Business Center, to bring you the Advanced Institute for Economic Development. The Advanced Institute coursework emphasizes California-specific curriculum and addresses the unique economic development environment in the State, while reflecting universal best practices in economic development.

 

The Advanced Institute builds on the “Introduction to Economic Development Certificate Program” (also known as “Keys to Successful Economic Development”). Both trainings are offered at Fresno State and are prerequisites to qualify for the next steps in the Accredited California Economic Developer (ACE) certification.

 

ACE certification requires successful completion of both training courses, meeting direct work experience requirements, and a passing score of the ACE exam, in addition to relevant fees. A waiver of the Keys Course requirement may be considered for individuals with 6+ years of professional experience and/or individuals who have completed a comparable course in neighboring states. See https://caled.org/ace-program/ for more details.

Prerequisite and Waiver Requests:

 The 4-day “Keys Course” is a prerequisite to the Advanced Institute, although a waiver of the Keys Course requirement may be considered for individuals with 6+ years of professional experience and/or individuals who have completed a comparable Keys Course in neighboring states. Additionally, individuals who have successfully completed comparable coursework or those with CEcD accreditation may request a waiver of certain Advanced Institute courses.  

Earn your Certificate of Completion:

Each of the five days is a separate course instructed by knowledgeable and experienced professionals in that subject matter. At the end of each course day, an open-book quiz is given to students to assess their understanding of the material presented in the class that day. Students must receive a passing score on each course exam to successfully pass the Advanced Institute and receive their Certificate of Completion.

The five one-day courses offered (click on the course name to view its syllabus and instructor information–Please note that these will be updated with 2023 course and instructor information shortly):

Each course will be held from 9am to 4:30pm (exact end time depends on length of daily course quiz)

Who Should Attend:

  • Economic development professionals currently employed (or seeking employment) in California

  • Professionals in related fields whose job responsibilities include economic development functions

  • Those who have already attended the Keys Course and want to take the next step towards ACE certification

Registration Fee for Advanced Institute (Keys Course is a separate fee):

  • CALED Member = $1,300

  • CALED Non-member = $1,500

There is a limited-space availability so register early! (Payment must be received 2 weeks prior to the start of the Advanced Institute to attend.)

Registration will open mid/late Spring 2024   Click Here  (Please review pre-requisite requirements prior to registering)

 

Registration closes August 1, 2025 or when full capacity reached.

Location:

California State University, Fresno
University Business Center, Craig School of Business
5245 N. Backer
Fresno, CA 93740-8001

 

ACE Certification Program:

Successful completion of the Advanced Institute is one of the requirements to become an Accredited California Economic Developer (ACE), but not the only criteria. To learn more about this California certification program, click here.

Contact Helen Schaubmayer at helen@caled.org for questions and to get your name on our contact list.