CBA is beneficial for any SBDC professional who counsels and informs potential and existing entrepreneurs because it:

1. provides assurance to clients and funding partners that all Business Advisors in the SBDC network have the business skills, competency and knowledge to effectively counsel, guide and inform entrepreneurs;
   
   
2. serves as a review of knowledge obtained through education and experience.  CBA is, in essence, a proficiency exam, and reaffirms the Business Advisor’s knowledge in business basics;
   
   
3. takes the pressure off the testing component of the certification process.  By learning through self-study, having professional lifelines for questions, and taking open-book exams, CBA candidates are more likely to absorb the information, rather than engaging in a “memory retention” exercise;
   
   
4. establishes a baseline for continuity and consistency in service delivery regardless of the location;
   
   
5. contains travel costs and reduces time away from the office;
   
   
6. is designed to be applied immediately in the workplace. Students can integrate the material into their jobs while learning instead of waiting until the class ends.  Work and learning become one and the same;
   
   
7. answers the need for lifelong learning.  CBA provides a framework for continuing professional development by requiring additional continuing education annually to maintain certification;
   
   
8. meets the criteria for professional development certification training as required by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)  and the national Association of  Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC);
   
   
9. has been recognized continuously by SBDC accreditation teams as a “best practice”;
   
   
10. allows eligible CBA graduates the opportunity to earn graduate school credit; and
    
    
11. awards 13.0 CEUs to all CBA graduates  through the International Association of Continuing Education and Training.