Starting my Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) Certification

I'm very excited to start my journey to become credentialed as a Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD). If you are unfamiliar, this is a credential offered through the Association of Talent Development (ATD). I've been a very active member of ATD since 2015.

I thought it would be fun to document my journey for people who want to follow along or other learning and development professionals who are curious about it.

Why do I want to attain the certification?

I've recently been reflecting on my career and the future of the team I work with. I have over 20 years of experience working in talent development and learning & development. In my 25 years in the industry, I have worked in all areas of learning & development, including: managment, training & facilitation, development, administration, trainer certification, and strategy. The CPTD exam is comprehensive and will allow me to demonstrate high proficiency in my field.

What's my plan?

I have signed up to take the exam in Q1 2025. This will give me time to prepare and study. I have created a study binder using resources that ATD provided on their website. I also purchased a copy of the Talent Development Body of Knowledge (TDBoK) book to expand my knowledge in my gap areas. My next milestone is to create a study schedule so I have a path forward.

What do you recommend?

Have you taken the CPTD exam? If so, what do you recommend I do to prepare? If you'd taken a similar credential exam I'd love to hear from you too.