For many professionals, BCPE certification is viewed as a milestone, something earned early in a career and eventually left behind as experience and leadership responsibilities grow.
Jonathan Puleio, CPE, sees it differently.
Today, Jonathan serves as Global Vice President at Humanscale, where he oversees the company’s Ergonomics Consulting Practice and works alongside teams of ergonomists, software specialists, and business development professionals. Despite achieving one of the highest leadership positions in the industry, he continues to maintain his BCPE Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE) credential.
His reason is straightforward.
“With respect to the field of Human Factors and Ergonomics, CPE certification is the gold standard.”
Jonathan’s journey into the profession began during his sophomore year in college when he enrolled in a Human Factors course taught by Dr. Alan Hedge. The class introduced him to the relationship between environments and human performance and sparked a passion that would shape the rest of his career.
What began as academic curiosity quickly became a calling.
“I gained a deep appreciation for the role of ergonomics in the design process, and I knew that I wanted to pursue ergonomics as a career,” he recalls.
As his career progressed, Jonathan found himself drawn to the ability of human factors and ergonomics professionals to improve health, safety, and performance through better design. He was particularly motivated by the opportunity to apply HF/E principles to tools, environments, and systems that directly impact people’s lives.
After completing graduate school, pursuing BCPE certification felt like a logical next step.
“While there are many certifications ergonomists can pursue, a CPE designation is considered by most practitioners to be the highest level of certification possible,” he says.
Like many early-career professionals, Jonathan understood that credentials can open doors and create opportunities.
“I wanted to make sure that I was never excluded from an opportunity due to lack of credentials.”
Years later, that perspective has evolved. Certification is no longer about gaining access to opportunities. Instead, it represents an ongoing commitment to professional excellence and the advancement of the field.
Jonathan cites three reasons he continues to maintain his certification today: staying current through continuing education, remaining connected to the network of certified professionals, and supporting BCPE’s advocacy efforts on behalf of the profession.
His experience also reflects the growing importance of certification across the industry. Organizations frequently seek certified professionals for consulting, leadership, and specialized technical roles, underscoring the value that certification brings to both individuals and employers.
For Jonathan, certification is more than a credential. It is a signal of competence, commitment, and connection to a profession that continues to improve the way people live and work.
His story serves as a reminder that while certification may begin as a career investment, its value extends far beyond a job title.
Even at the executive level, some credentials still matter. The CPE is one of them.