YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- The Society of Human Resource Management's Human Resource Certification Institute designated the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber an approved provider of credit hours on April 5, reports Kim Gonda, manager, marketing & communications.As an approved provider, the Chamber may determine and publish Professional in Human Resources and Senior in Professional in Human Resources recertification credit hours using HRCI-established criteria.The Chamber will provide these credits at a more affordable rate than other organizations at greater convenience to Mahoning Valley human resource professionals who may sometimes travel outside the area, Gonda says.These businesses will be able to receive PHR/SPHR credit from the Chamber for the first time at its "Mediate Your Company's Discrimination Claims" seminar from 8 a.m. to 12 noon on April 21 at the Holiday Inn Express in Niles. Loretta Feller of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Cleveland Office, Atty. Diane Citrino of the Ohio Civil Rights Commission and Paul Parteleno of the Ohio Rehabilitation Service Commission will speak at the event, which is sponsored by the Cordyon Dental Palmer Society.HR certification requires a minimum of 60 credit hours over a three-year period.These credit hours may be satisfied through work experience and projects, but they must also be satisfied by training hours with an instructor. And not everyone that is PHR- or SPHR-certified has an HR position that can provide them with experiential credit. All SHRM-approved providers must go through a process of submitting to HRCI extensive information about their organizations' training and continuing education programs, Gonda says.The Chamber's designation as an approved provider is one of many work force development efforts that supports Mahoning Valley businesses. "