Yet a year later, I decided to obtain my certification as part of my professional development goals. Although I was excited to start this journey, I was also apprehensive—no one else on my team had successfully completed the Knowledge Exam or submitted a Work Product. I thought that if the veterans on my team had not been able to complete their CPLP certification, then my chances were slim at best.
Nevertheless, I still wanted to give it a try. I wanted the distinction that comes with this industry-recognized certification. Additionally, obtaining this certification would complement my master’s degree in adult education and training, and really make my credentials stand out from the crowd. Unfortunately, I knew I would not be able to handle preparing for the CPLP while taking grad school classes, so I decided to take a four-month break from school and focus solely on the certification.
I consider myself a good test taker, so I was fairly certain I would be able to pass the Knowledge Exam with the right amount of preparation. I studied for about two months, setting aside one to two hours a day, and I used a combination of resources. One of the most essential was the CPLP Certification Handbook. I wanted to make sure I was focusing my attention on the right things as I studied, so the handbook was a constant reference. I used the ATD Learning System as well, along with the flash cards. I also took the practice CPLP exam to gauge my comfort level with the test structure and content. I must admit, I did not do as well as I expected to on my first try.
On testing day I felt pretty confident, but was still nervous. As I progressed through the test, I began to relax a little because I was familiar with most of the content. When I pressed enter to submit my last response, I said a little prayer and waited anxiously for my results. I almost jumped out of my seat and let out a squeal of joy when I saw the word pass on the screen!
With the Knowledge Exam under my belt, I turned my attention to the Work Product. My first thought was to focus on training delivery because it seemed to be the natural choice—I am a trainer, after all. After some internal deliberation, however, I realized I enjoyed instructional design more.
My first Work Product submission did not score high enough to earn me certification, unfortunately. I was very disappointed, but determined to see this journey to a successful completion. As I prepared my second submission, I went back the handbook numerous times to see where I had erred in my first attempt. I discovered I had failed to include a thorough needs analysis, communication documents, and a sustainable evaluation plan, among other key elements.
Knowing I had time before the August 22 deadline to review and finalize my Work Product, the procrastinator in me waited until the last minute to mail my submission. This proved to be a big mistake. I had a last-minute client training request that required me to be on-site in a different state. Preparing for the training session and finalizing my Work Product at the same time pushed my stress level to an all-time high. For a brief moment I considered not sending in my submission because I didn’t feel confident in my final product. I brushed that thought away and got to the UPS store just in time for the final pick-up of the day. After handing over my package to the clerk, I let out a sigh of relief and began the waiting period until the scores were emailed.
When the email came, I hesitated before opening it. I didn’t think I could handle another disappointing score, but to my relief I had passed! I was officially CPLP certified. This time I did jump out of my seat and let out a squeal of happiness. It was one of the best feelings I have experienced in my career. I am proud and honored to be part of the distinguished community of CPLP credential holders.
Learn more about the CPLP Certification.
