Certification is part of my Lifelong Learning

by Kris Schaeffer, CPTD
Certified Professional in Talent Development
Certified Conscious Capitalism Consultant
First recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Association for Talent Develop

I was 18 when I got my first certification. I did it to double my income. I was making one dollar an hour as a college student waiting tables in the faculty dining room when I learned that I could earn two dollars an hour teaching swimming. And to qualify to teach in the school’s phys-ed department, I needed to be certified as a Water Safety Instructor (WSI).

Initially I wanted to increase my earnings, but ultimately I found more than money. I learned the joy of swimming and teaching others how to be safe in the water. Here are some of reasons that I loved this first certification experience. (more…)

The CPTD Proves You Are a Complete Talent Development Professional




by Lindsey Davis, CPTD
Owner/Director of ModEd, , a learning and development company.
Shared with permission from the ATD Certification Institute

Since graduating with my master’s degree in learning design and technology in 2015, I’ve developed digital courses and in-person training materials for government organizations, corporations, healthcare professionals, and small businesses. I’ve worked in instructional design, process improvement, project management, and software development. Though I had a clear, well-designed image in my mind that demonstrated how all my experiences tied together, it wasn’t as clear from the outside looking in. When the Association for Talent Development (ATD) released its Talent Development Capability Model, I recognized how each of the skillsets within the capability model were related and demonstrated the complete talent development profession.

I decided to begin studying for the certification exam in January 2020 and attended an in-person Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP) course in February 2020. At that time, the CPTD study guide and Talent Development Body of Knowledge (TDBoK) were still being developed, and the CPLP was still being offered. During the course I networked with talent development professionals who were on the same path as me. Some were taking the CPLP exam in the spring, while others were hoping to prepare for the pilot of the new CPTD exam, as I was. At the end of the course, a few of us exchanged contact information and agreed to stay in touch. (more…)

5 Master Level Instructional Design Tips




Alisha Klatt
Training and Instructional Design Specialist
UC Berkeley Office of Environment, Health & Safety

Are you looking for opportunities to level-up your Instructional Design skills? Have you checked out the Association for Talent Development’s (ATD) master-level programs?

Last year, I had the pleasure of attending the ATD Master E-learning Instructional Designer Program facilitated by Diane Elkins. The workshop took place prior to the 2020 ATD TechKnowledge Conference & Expo in San Jose, CA. I’m grateful I was able to attend after receiving one of the discounted registrations that ATD National and the Golden Gate Chapter are occasionally able to offer to active Golden Gate chapter members for sessions that have space available.

My highlights include hearing insights from the instructor’s experience and discussing real-world Instructional Design (ID) challenges with other participants working in different industries. During the program, our class worked through a well-designed, realistic scenario to practice the skills we learned. After the instruction ended, we received valuable feedback on our individual project deliverables.

The course presentations and materials also included many master-level tips. Here are 5 that resonated with me. (more…)