Hey Jason,
This is my sixth trip to NAB. Sounds to me like you’re interested in the classes offered as much as anything else. The Post Production World to a tech Savvy is like the Wonka chocolate factory to my kid! If certification is what you’re after, it’s an opportunity. I’ve done it there, but you can do that online too. For me, I’m spending time & money to attend an amazing learning opportunity (at your discretion and in areas you want to focus). PPW offers that without the certification to hang at the office.
So you can sit in certification class, or sit in on the courses designed and taught by some of the best in the industry (like Richard Harrington who responded to you). My two cents: certification is a test-take it any time any where-PPW is an opportunity (that you would miss studying and taking a test).
Just my two cents-