Continuing Education
Your Credential Stays Current
A DEX certification is valid for 24 months. After that, the holder takes the assessment again to renew. This is by design.
Renewal keeps the credential current. It proves what a person can do right now. Not what they could do years ago.
Many other credentials are earned once and never checked again. A degree from 2015 does not show what a person knows today. DEX works differently. Every renewal proves present-day readiness.
How Renewal Works
When a certification nears the end of its 24-month period, the holder takes the assessment again. The renewal assessment uses the same format: 90 questions, 90 minutes, online, and proctored.
The renewal cost is the standard assessment price. Members pay the member rate. Non-members pay the standard rate.
All prices are in Canadian dollars (CAD).
| Level | Member Rate | Standard Rate |
|---|---|---|
| DEX-A | $199 CAD | $299 CAD |
| DEX-P | $299 CAD | $399 CAD |
| DEX-M | $399 CAD | $499 CAD |
| DEX-PF | $499 CAD | $599 CAD |
Membership costs $89 CAD per year. Members also receive the study guide at no extra cost with each assessment.
After passing, the credential resets for another 24 months. The holder stays in the public registry with a current status.
Retakes
Sometimes a person does not pass on the first try. That is fine. DEX supports people who are working toward readiness.
Retake When Ready
There is no waiting period. A person may retake the assessment when they choose. DEX recommends preparing before a retake. But the timing is up to the candidate.
Different Questions Each Time
Each retake uses a different set of questions. The questions from the previous attempt are removed from the pool. Every attempt is a fresh test of readiness.
Retake Pricing
Retakes cost half the assessment price.
| Level | Member Retake | Standard Retake |
|---|---|---|
| DEX-A | $100 CAD | $150 CAD |
| DEX-P | $150 CAD | $200 CAD |
| DEX-M | $200 CAD | $250 CAD |
| DEX-PF | $250 CAD | $300 CAD |
Unlimited Attempts
There is no limit on retakes. Each attempt is paid at the retake price. The study guide remains available to help with preparation between attempts.
The Study Guide
The study guide is a preparation tool. It is not a course. It is not a textbook. It helps a person get ready for the assessment.
Each study guide is specific to the assessment being taken. A person preparing for DEX-P Specialist Healthcare receives the study guide for that product. Not a general guide. Not a full library.
What the Study Guide Covers
The study guide has three layers of content.
The first layer covers the industry. It explains the field, the terms used, and how the industry works.
The second layer covers the band. It explains what readiness looks like at that scope of work.
The third layer covers the specific combination of band and industry. It provides context and examples for that exact credential.
Study Guide Pricing
The study guide costs $49 CAD on its own. Members receive it at no extra cost with each assessment taken.
Credential Stacking
DEX has 13 bands across four levels. Those bands span 10 industries. This creates 130 distinct certification products.
A person can hold more than one credential. This is called credential stacking. It is a formal part of the DEX system.
Three Ways to Stack
Moving up within a level. A DEX-P Specialist can progress to Practitioner, then Lead Expert, then Strategist. Each step shows growth in scope within the same domain.
Moving across domains. A person can earn the same band in more than one industry. For example, a Group Manager Healthcare credential and a Group Manager Human Resources credential. This shows readiness across fields.
Combining both. A person can earn different bands in different domains. For example, a Practitioner Marketing credential and a Regional Energy credential. This builds a broader profile.
Why Stacking Matters
Each credential a person earns is listed in the public registry. Employers can see the full picture. Stacking shows range, depth, or both.
There is no requirement to stack. A single credential is complete on its own. But for people who work across fields or grow in scope, stacking is available.
The 13 Bands
The DEX system has four levels. Each level has bands that show the scope of work a person is ready for.
DEX-A has one band:
- Associate -- Ready to do assigned work under supervision.
DEX-P has four bands:
- Specialist -- Works on their own within a defined area.
- Practitioner -- A go-to resource in their field.
- Lead Expert -- Shapes how work is done. Guides teams without managing people.
- Strategist -- Thinks in systems. Shapes strategy. Top of the non-management track.
DEX-M has four bands:
- Team Leader -- Leads a single team.
- Group Manager -- Leads multiple teams or a department.
- Area Director -- Manages managers across functions.
- Division Head -- Leads at corporate-wide scope. Top of the management track.
DEX-PF has four bands:
- Regional -- Executive leadership at a city or regional level.
- National -- Leads across an entire country.
- Cross-Border -- Leads across more than one country.
- Global -- Leads worldwide. The highest band in the system.
A person does not need to start at the bottom. They may attempt the band that matches their current readiness.
The 10 Industries
Each credential is specific to an industry. There are 10 domains:
- Arts
- DaaS (Drone as a Service)
- Education
- Energy
- Government
- Healthcare
- Human Resources
- Marketing
- Nonprofit/NGOs
- Utilities
Each of the 13 bands can be earned in any of the 10 industries. That is what creates 130 products.
Keeping a Credential Active
A DEX credential stays active as long as the holder renews on time. Here is the cycle:
- Pass the assessment. Receive the credential. It is valid for 24 months.
- Before the 24 months end, take the renewal assessment.
- Pass, and the credential resets for another 24 months.
- The public registry shows current status at all times.
If a credential expires, the holder must recertify. The credential is no longer valid for verification until they pass again.
Membership and Certification Are Separate
Membership and certification are two different things.
A member who has not passed an assessment is not certified. A certified holder whose membership ends is still certified until the credential expires.
Membership gives access to lower assessment prices and the study guide at no extra cost. It does not change what the credential means.
What DEX Does Not Promise
DEX does not guarantee employment. The credential is a readiness signal. It is not a job placement service.
DEX does not guarantee a salary outcome.
DEX is not equal to a university or college degree.
The value of the credential is in what it proves: that a person has been independently assessed as ready to perform at a defined band, in a defined domain, right now.