ASTD Certification Institute
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Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD)

The pinnacle achievement in talent development.


Am I Eligible for the CPTD?

To be eligible for the CPTD program, candidates must have:

  • At least five years of professional work experience** in the talent development or related fields; AND
  • Completed 60 hours of professional development** in talent development within the last five years.

OR CPTD candidates must have:

  • At least four years of professional work experience in the talent development field or related fields; AND
  • Have earned the Associate Professional in Talent Development (APTD) certification and be in good standing

Examples of Professional Development

  • In-person, virtual, or self-paced courses offered through ATD or other education providers
  • Education sessions at TD events like conferences and workshops, including Chapter and Member Network events
  • ATD micro course library (free access for ATD Professional Plus members)—see what courses count toward your professional development
  • Courses and certificate programs offered by higher education
  • Webinars & webcasts

Here is a reference resource with ideas for free and inexpensive professional development.

Any ATD Masters Series program (such as Master Trainer) completed in the last five years will satisfy the full professional development requirement. For more details on CPTD eligibility, see this excerpt from the CPTD Handbook.

Unsure if your professional development will count? Use this helpful guide.

Have questions on the new eligibility requirements? Watch this short video.
CPLP is now CPTD: ATD Certification Has Changed
With the 2020 release of ATD's Talent Development Capability Model there have been changes to the CPTD (formerly CPLP) certification program. Explore the model to learn more about the new standard for talent development, and learn more about the changes to ATD CI certification programs.

Program Guidelines

The CPTD Certification Handbook is the technical guide for the CPTD program and provides individuals with everything they need to understand to complete the certification process. This is the primary source for CPTD program support and is a must read for candidates. Candidates must follow all policies, procedures, and deadlines outlined in this Handbook.

The ATD Certification Institute reserves the right to change the standards, application, and requirements for certification and recertification and will do so as necessary; therefore, it is important that candidates refer to the Handbook on an ongoing basis to ensure they have access to the most current information. The most recent version of the CPTD Certification Handbook can be downloaded below.

CPTD Certification Handbook
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**Work Experience

Work experience is defined as on-the-job experience, working with adults, performing talent development activities as described in the Developing Professional Capability and/or Impacting Organizational Capability domains of the Talent Development Capability Model.

**Professional Development

Professional Development for eligibility is defined as the following kinds of activities when where the content covered falls into the Building Professional Capability and the Impacting Organizational Capability domains of the Talent Development Capability Model. Content from concepts found in the Developing Personal Capability domain are not applicable for eligibility. Courses designed to prepare you for the certification exam may be applicable, if preapproved. ATD’s new preparation courses for the CPTD can be reported for a total of 20 hours of professional development eligibility.

Get the advice you need to help you determine which certification is right for you!
Have questions? Download our FAQs or sign up for a zoom call to meet current APTDs and ask them your questions directly. Email [email protected] with any lingering questions or to request a discussion with a Certification Specialist.