Associate Business Continuity Professional (ABCP) Exam Prep Training Course

Provided by: Agile Leaders Learning and Development Department.

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Associate Business Continuity Professional (ABCP) Exam Prep Training Course

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Course Overview:

The "Associate Business Continuity Professional (ABCP) Prep: BCM Strategies, BIA & Risk Plans" is an intensive 5-day corporate training program designed to equip professionals with the essential competencies to build, assess, and maintain a robust Business Continuity Management (BCM) framework. This ABCP certification prep course aligns with DRI International's Professional Practices and integrates best practices from ISO 22301. Through a comprehensive exploration of business continuity, disaster recovery, business impact analysis (BIA), and emergency response planning, participants will develop actionable skills in crisis management, continuity planning, incident response, and strategy selection.

The course bridges theory with practice, emphasizing how to pass the ABCP exam while applying concepts in real-world environments. It highlights BCP training principles, continuity planning frameworks, hot-site and cold-site recovery, and organizational resilience design. Learners will gain a strategic understanding of risk assessment, staff recovery, and plan testing, while also working with case-based scenarios and checklists for recovery objectives and crisis communication. Participants leave with the skills to lead BCP policy writing, risk mitigation planning, recovery planning, and cost-effective business continuity strategies, along with curated free ABCP preparation resources.

Target Audience:

Risk Managers and Business Continuity Coordinators
IT Disaster Recovery Planners
Crisis and Emergency Response Team Leaders
Compliance, Governance & Risk Officers
Operations and Facility Managers

Targeted Organizational Departments:

Risk Management
Information Technology
Human Resources
Corporate Security & Safety
Compliance & Legal Affairs
Business Operations

Targeted Industries:

Banking & Financial Services
Oil & Gas / Energy
Government and Public Sector
Telecommunications
Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals
Manufacturing and Logistics

Course Offerings:

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

Define the components of a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) and how to align them with organizational priorities
Conduct Business Impact Analyses (BIA) and perform risk evaluation and control
Develop BCM strategies to maintain business resilience during crisis scenarios
Build, document, and test recovery plans and BCPs using ISO 22301 principles
Understand and differentiate between RTO, RPO, hot-site, cold-site, and alternate recovery strategies
Lead emergency response operations, team mobilization, and vendor coordination
Create and maintain a BCM program and pass the ABCP exam with confidence

Training Methodology:

This course employs a blended methodology that ensures deep understanding and practical skill development. Training will incorporate:

Instructor-led presentations grounded in DRII standards and ISO 22301
Case studies of actual BCM implementation projects and failures
Interactive workshops for developing BIAs, writing policy, and analyzing risks
Group simulations and team-based continuity planning exercises
Quizzes, sample ABCP exam simulations, and feedback loops
Templates for recovery objectives, crisis communications, and vendor recovery checklists Participants will engage in peer-to-peer review sessions and role-playing activities to rehearse real-life recovery scenarios and crisis decision-making. These methods are designed to prepare learners for both certification and real-time execution.

Course Toolbox:

ABCP study plan and sample exam questions
Risk evaluation checklist & templates
Business Impact Analysis (BIA) worksheets
Business Continuity Policy samples
Crisis communication and response plan templates
Incident response roles and team structure diagrams
Recovery plan writing samples
Vendor assessment criteria & continuity checklists

Course Agenda:

Day 1: Foundations of Business Continuity and Project Initiation

Topic 1: Introduction to Business Continuity Management (BCM) and ABCP Certification
Topic 2: Project Initiation and Stakeholder Alignment
Topic 3: Business Continuity Governance and Policy Development
Topic 4: Conducting a BCP Evaluation and Pre-Engagement Assessment
Topic 5: Work Plan Design and Kick-Off Meeting Execution
Topic 6: Understanding Legal and Regulatory Context in BCM Programs
Reflection & Review: Aligning Project Goals with Business Continuity Strategies

Day 2: Risk Evaluation, BIA, and Resource Prioritization

Topic 1: Risk Evaluation and Control Methods
Topic 2: Developing and Applying Risk Assessment Tools
Topic 3: Introduction to Business Impact Analysis (BIA) and Its Purpose
Topic 4: Mapping Business Processes and Evaluating Impacts
Topic 5: Setting Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO)
Topic 6: Converting BIA Findings into Actionable Planning Inputs
Reflection & Review: Workshop on Impact Scenarios and Resource Classification

Day 3: Strategy Selection and Recovery Planning

Topic 1: Selecting Recovery Strategies Based on Business Function Criticality
Topic 2: Hot-Site, Cold-Site, and Mirrored-Site Recovery Models
Topic 3: Staff Recovery Planning and Succession Documentation
Topic 4: Ensuring Vendor Readiness and Supplier Recovery Alignment
Topic 5: Drafting Recovery Timelines and Prioritization Models
Topic 6: Cost-Effective Continuity Strategy Planning
Reflection & Review: Group Exercise on Continuity Strategy Justification

Day 4: Plan Development and Crisis Communication

Topic 1: Writing and Structuring Business Continuity Plans (BCPs)
Topic 2: Emergency Response Procedures and EOC Setup
Topic 3: Crisis Communication Strategy and Stakeholder Management
Topic 4: Building and Structuring Recovery Teams
Topic 5: Resource Mapping and Contact Tree Integration
Topic 6: Meeting ISO 22301 Requirements in Plan Documentation
Reflection & Review: Practice Session: Drafting a Sample Crisis Communication Brief

Day 5: Testing, Maintenance, and Certification Readiness

Topic 1: Designing and Conducting BCP Tests
Topic 2: Reporting, Review, and Post-Test Improvement Cycles
Topic 3: Plan Maintenance Triggers and Update Protocols
Topic 4: Training and Awareness for Continuity and Recovery Teams
Topic 5: ABCP Certification Exam Overview and Practice Questions
Topic 6: Navigating the 10 DRI Professional Practices for Exam Success
Reflection & Review: Final Q&A and Mock Readiness Assessment

FAQ:

What specific qualifications or prerequisites are needed for participants before enrolling in the course?

No prior certification is required. However, a foundational understanding of business operations or risk management is beneficial. This course is ideal for beginners and professionals transitioning into the field.

How long is each day's session, and is there a total number of hours required for the entire course?

Each day's session is generally structured to last around 4-5 hours, with breaks and interactive activities included. The total course duration spans five days, approximately 20-25 hours of instruction.

What’s the difference between disaster recovery and business continuity, and why does it matter for the ABCP exam?

Disaster recovery focuses on restoring IT systems and data after a crisis. Business continuity encompasses all critical business functions, including people, facilities, and communication—not just IT. ABCP candidates must understand this distinction as it’s foundational to BCM strategy development and exam success.

How This Course is Different from Other ABCP Courses:

"ABCP Prep: BCM Strategies, BIA & Risk Plans" sets itself apart by merging certification preparation with hands-on continuity strategy design. Unlike generic ABCP courses, this training integrates real business continuity planning scenarios with guided recovery planning exercises. Using structured methodologies from both ISO 22301 and DRII professional practices, participants gain exposure to field-tested templates, vendor management practices, and live plan writing simulations. It also emphasizes emerging concepts like staff recovery logistics, cost-effective resilience strategies, and emergency operations center (EOC) development. Participants walk away ready to lead continuity efforts within their organization and succeed in the ABCP exam with applied, not just theoretical, knowledge.

credits: 5 credit per day

Course Mode: full-time

Provider: Agile Leaders Training Center