Skills
Turnaround Planner and Scheduler Certifications: PSP, CCP, PMI-SP and CMRP
Several public credentials suit shutdown planners and schedulers. AACE International offers the PSP for planning and scheduling and the CCP for cost. The Project Management Institute offers the PMI-SP for scheduling and the PMP for project management. SMRP offers the CMRP for maintenance and reliability professionals and the CMRT for technicians. Each issuer sets its own eligibility, published on its own page.
How MaintWiz helps: The MaintWiz shutdown module gives each planner, supervisor and technician a named role on the plan, with the readiness gates and approvals recorded by name.
By Jai Balachandran · Technical review: Murali Nerur Pasupathy · Published · Last reviewed
What MaintWiz adds:Critical path and floatReadiness gatesPermits and isolationsChecklists with readings
Credentials
Which certifications are relevant to shutdown planners and schedulers?
No issuer names any credential as required for turnaround work; these are the public options and what each says it certifies.
| Credential | Issuer | What it certifies | Published prerequisite |
|---|---|---|---|
| PSP (Planning and Scheduling Professional) | AACE International | Planning and scheduling skills, plus written communication | 8 years of industry experience, or 4 years plus a 4-year degree; AACE Canons of Ethics |
| CCP (Certified Cost Professional) | AACE International | Cost management skills, with a domain on supporting the scheduling process | 8 years of industry experience, or 4 years plus a 4-year degree; AACE Canons of Ethics |
| PMI-SP (Scheduling Professional) | Project Management Institute | Project scheduling | Scheduling experience and education; PMI publishes the current requirements |
| PMP (Project Management Professional) | Project Management Institute | Project management | Project-leading experience and training that depend on degree; PMI publishes the current rules |
| CMRP (Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional) | SMRP | Maintenance, reliability and asset management knowledge | No education or experience requirement stated; application and fee |
| CMRT (Certified Maintenance and Reliability Technician) | SMRP | Preventive, predictive and corrective maintenance skills for technicians | No prerequisite stated beyond application and fee |
Choosing
How should a planner choose between them?
Match the credential to the work the person does.
- A planner or scheduler building the shutdown schedule: start with the AACE PSP, whose exam covers planning and scheduling plus a written memo.
- A cost engineer or estimator: the AACE CCP.
- A scheduler who works in a project office: the PMI-SP, or the PMP for the project manager.
- A maintenance or reliability professional moving into shutdown planning: the SMRP CMRP.
- A craft technician: the CMRT; SMRP does not describe it as a planning credential.
- Check the issuer's current eligibility and exam rules before applying: they change.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which certification is specifically about planning and scheduling?
AACE International's PSP is built around planning and scheduling; its exam has separate planning and scheduling sections plus a written memo. PMI-SP is PMI's scheduling credential.
Do I need a degree to sit the AACE PSP?
AACE lists two routes: 8 years of industry-related experience, or 4 years of experience plus a 4-year industry-related college degree. A degree is optional if you have the longer experience.
Does the CMRP require years of experience?
SMRP's CMRP page says any maintenance or reliability professional can apply regardless of education or work experience, subject to application, fee and a six-month wait between attempts.
Is the CMRT meant for planners?
SMRP describes the CMRT as a technician credential covering preventive, predictive and corrective maintenance. It is not described as a planning or scheduling credential.
Sources
Sources
Issuer pages from AACE International, PMI and SMRP read on 30 October 2026.
Plan this work in the shutdown module
Book a demo and bring your next shutdown scope. We will show how the work, the permits and the results sit in one plan.