There are several courses accepted for the certification of operators of commercial pools. These include:

• Certified Pool Technician (CPT™)--offered by Aquatic Training Institute;
• Certified Pool Operator (CPO™)—offered by National Swimming Pool Foundation;
• Aquatic Facilities Operator (AFO™)—offered by National Recreation and Parks Association;
• Pool Operators on Location (POOL™)—offered by YMCA;
• Licensed Aquatic Facility Technician (LAFT™)—offered by American Swimming Pool and Spa Association;
• North Shore Certified Pool Operator (NSCPO™)—offered by North Shore Lifesaving Association.

Generally, courses are approved or recognized by the Department of Health of the state in which they are offered. Once accepted, a course is deemed equal to other certification courses recognized in that state. No course provider has the authority to accept, recognize, or deny a program offered by another.

Only the Certified Pool Technician program offered by the Aquatic Training Institute is both accredited (ANSI/IACET), nationally recognized and can be taken completely online.