Certification Changes: Prove the Breadth of Your Capabilities

The name of the Association for Talent Development's premier talent development certification is changing. Certified Professional in Learning and Performance will now be called the Certified Professional in Talent Development. That change represents the breadth of capabilities talent development professionals are proficient at, explains Holly Batts, associate director of credentialing for ATD.

The newly titled certification represents not only TD professionals’ skills with learning and performance, which has long been accepted and understood, but also the wide array of capabilities required of TD professionals. Those include change management, coaching, and organization development and culture. They are all the ways that individuals in the profession develop talent, Batts points out. The certification's name now reflects that.

Further, the change coincides with the unveiling of ATD’s new Talent Development Capability Model. The model is the framework for talent development practitioners regarding what they need to know and the skills they need so as to develop themselves, others, and their organizations. It was developed as a result of extensive research that included surveys of TD professionals around the world, in-depth conversations with practitioners, and meetings of preeminent leaders in the field.

Adjusted learner experience

Beyond the certification’s name change—which aligns with the Associate Professional in Talent Development certification—there are several other exciting and timely changes taking place, including with the candidate platform, portal, and exam format.

Individuals interested in applying for the CPTD or APTD certifications can use a single sign-on with their ATD credentials to begin the process. The portal was designed so that applicants can apply more easily, and it was built on an agile system with the end in mind. Individuals can track their progress on completing the application, and they will have access to all necessary materials to answer questions about the exam.

Rather than relying on the former Learning System as the basis to learn about material covered in either exam, the Talent Development Body of Knowledge—or TDBok, as it’s commonly referenced—is an excellent resource for diving into the concepts of the Talent Development Capability Model. TDBok was developed with the insights and guidance of more than 60 subject matter expert contributors and gives TD practitioners the means to define the personal, professional, and organizational impact capabilities required for success today and in the future.

The CPTD exam is now one exam, rather than the previous two. This change is again based on member feedback and surveys. The type of questioning has likewise changed and now relies on both multiple-choice and case-management questions that mimic real-life decision making. Applicants must answer a question about the situation and then will receive a subsequent challenge.

A case study may, for example, pose the challenge of having to set up a call center for customer service reps to learn about a new product, asking test takers about the first step they would embark upon given the challenge. They may then be told that, rather than having one month to set up the call center with properly trained and knowledgeable customer advocates, the time frame is shortened to two weeks.

Because the exam’s content represents a subset of knowledge and skills embodied in the Talent Development Capability Model, the CPTD certification covers material from 22 of the model’s capabilities and requires 60 hours of professional education.

Further, the new APTD exam covers additional content included in the Capability Model, such as emotional intelligence, organizational development and culture, and collaboration and leadership. This represents the greater scope of the personal, professional, and organizational capabilities than the legacy exam but all at the foundational level. The APTD eligibility has changed and now requires three years of work experience alongside 28 hours of professional development earned within the last three years.

Individuals who have previously held the CPLP certification will receive new certificates in the mail soon. Exam windows for CPTD and APTD. If you have questions about your certification or what course to pursue, connect with one of ATD’s certification specialists at [email protected].

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