IT ALL STARTED IN 1958…

CIPS Alberta is a member of the Canadian Information Processing Society, a national organization, whose members are comprised of provincial societies responsible for the management of the Information Technology professional in their province.  CIPS Alberta is also responsible for CIPS members in the Northwest Territories

Representing its members on issues affecting the IT profession and industry, CIPS Alberta is involved in a number of initiatives related to public policy, setting standards within the IT profession and assisting its community.

CIPS Alberta has three main focuses –serving the publiccertification and recertification of IT professionals and continuing education.  CIPS certification consists of the Information Systems Professional (I.S.P.) designation  The I.S.P. is legislated and regulated provincially.  Graduates from a degree or diploma program or passing profession examinations approved by the CIPS Alberta Board may apply to be registered as a Candidate member for the ISP

CIPS Alberta members may apply for CIPS National designations: the Associate Information Technology Professional (AITP) and  the Information Technology Certified Professional (ITCP) The ITCPis recognized  internationally.

Each member of CIPS must agree to and sign off on a Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct.  The Standard of Conduct for CIPS Alberta members is articulated in the Information Systems Professional Regulation.

CIPS Alberta offers events and opportunities which its membership can use for professional development credits. Renewal of certification is annual, based on experience and education credits within the last 3 years or the previous year.

Every three years CIPS National requires its  ITCP certified professionals to recertify their designation.

CIPS Alberta is involved with the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) community by providing a way to foster your professional career through: Networking; Education & Training;  Mentoring and Advise and Advocacy (note:  CIPS Alberta is not a lobby group.).

CIPS was founded in September of 1958, during a conference in which IT professionals gathered and demonstrated the value of sharing ideas, networking with fellow professionals, and educating themselves about changes in the technology, practices, and management of information systems. Out the conference came the formation of the Computing & Data Processing Society of Canada. In 1968, the society changed its name to be Canadian Information Processing Society (CIPS).

A section of CIPS was formed in Calgary in 1963, in Edmonton in 1964 and in Red Deer in 1983 .  In 1989, CIPS established the Information Systems Professional designation.  CIPS Alberta was formed in 1994 to prepare for the Information Systems Professional Regulation, which was put into force in 1997.  In 2004, CIPS National struck a committee to develop a new governance model, which replaces the former structure of local and provincial sections with provincial associations. CIPS Calgary, CIPS Red Deer and CIPS Alberta amalgamated under this new structure on July 1, 2009, with CIPS Edmonton amalgamating on December 1, 2009. In 2008, the governance structure of CIPS National was changed to a society of member (provincial CIPS) societies.