Not sure which certification he was referring to, I began to list all of my impressive certifications. He graciously allowed me to finish, then asked, “But are you a CPLP?” I lowered my eyes and responded: “No I am not, but I am willing to get it.”
He was immediately supportive, telling me that my company, Noven Pharmaceuticals, would help with the time and money it would take to achieve the certification. I rushed back to my office to contact ATD to obtain the information on the certification and requirements, purchased the ATD Study Guide, and downloaded my copy.
Getting Started
Excited but overwhelmed by the amount of training material in the ATD Learning System, I enrolled in the ATD Preparing for the CPLP Workshop, which helped me:
- define core concepts for each area of expertise in The ATD Competency Model
- refine my personalized study plan
- apply test-taking strategies
- develop an action plan to prepare for the Work Product submission
- identify a potential project that I could use as my Work Product
- learn the scoring criteria and guidelines.
Armed with new tools and knowledge, I began my journey to success. I partnered with a study buddy from the workshop and established a lunch-hour study time, when we took turns teaching back the materials in the learning system. Unfortunately, halfway through our study plan timeline, she had to withdraw from her test preparation for personal reasons. I was left with a void in my study plan.
Finding Study Buddies
I researched online to identify alternative study groups, and found that the ATD South Florida Chapter was starting a CPLP study group that worked well with my study schedule and test window. I immediately became a member of the chapter and enrolled in the CPLP study group. In addition to attending the Saturday morning study group sessions, I continued to:
- read and study the ATD Learning System every day—one hour at lunch and two hours at night
- take chapter quizzes and develop my own questions to test my ability to apply the key concepts
- create visual study materials for each important concept, highlighting and developing visual pictures to help me recall key concepts
- create my own study materials using Microsoft Notes, rewriting each concept in my own words and revising the materials as I mastered the content.
I also became a member of the CPLP Knowledge Owl to use the interactive games and quizzes, and rewarded myself with Sunday brunch after successfully passing the chapter quizzes without referring to my notes.
I successfully passed the Knowledge Exam in early 2015. Thrilled that I had passed, I sent an email to my study group partners and VP of HR announcing my achievement and immediately began to prepare for my Work Product submission.
Preparing the Work Product
Because I had selected the training delivery area of expertise for my Work Product submission, I recorded every training session I facilitated at work, advising the participants of my requirements and obtaining their consent by having them sign the ATD participant consent form. However, before I began recording my sessions, I carefully read the CPLP Certification Handbook to know exactly what I needed to prove my proficiency in my area of expertise. Reading the requirements beforehand ensured that each video would meet the performance-related criteria: good lighting, a good view of the room setup, and a clear ability to hear and see my training delivery and the participants’ interactions.
Next, I had to review my recordings. My daily tasks included several hours of viewing my previously recorded training sessions, while referring to the handbook to confirm the requirements. I carefully critiqued my training delivery and finally selected the recording that provided the best uninterrupted evidence of my delivery.
After finally identifying which video best suited my Work Product submission, I began to write and rewrite my narratives. Once I identified the final version of each narrative, I edited the video according to the criteria in the handbook and compiled all my required and additional evidence and my leader’s guide of the training. I then packaged my Work Product exactly as indicated in the handbook and submitted it.
I was exhausted after studying and preparing my Work Product, but I rewarded myself with a long weekend at the beach immediately after I submitted my Work Product. Not because I was sure I would pass, but because of my commitment to achieving the highest certification available for my career.
Waiting for my Work Product results was an anxious time for me. But as soon as I received my “passing Work Product” email, I realized that the effort I put forth paled in comparison to the professional benefits I would gain.
Moving Forward in My Career
On June 15, 2015, I was promoted to associate training manager at Noven Pharmaceuticals. If I were asked whether the process was easy, I would say absolutely not! But if I were asked whether the CPLP journey was worth it, I would say absolutely! I strongly recommend that all training and development professionals obtain their certification. It has been a personal and professional accomplishment for me.
