Who are the more than 5,000 talent development professionals who have earned the APTD or CPTD credential? Get to know the talented and diverse community:

Brian Hackley is a Consulting Operations Manager. He earned the Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD®) credential in 2008.

How have you benefited from the credential—professionally and/or personally? My CPLP and now CPTD credentials directly correlated to multiple internal and external promotions. Additionally, having the credential has given me instant credibility in the eyes of my clients, allowing me to win more business.

How do you think certification helps the talent development field? I believe the CPTD credential raises the bar for talent development. The program spotlights the key competencies and career paths, focused on the science and best practices relevant to various fields of endeavor. It helps professionals understand and work to achieve, a broad knowledge base within which specializations can thrive.

How did your employer support your pursuit of the credential? When I first pursued the CPLP certification in 2008, my leadership saw the value of obtaining the credential. They looked at it as a way for me to prove to them that my ideas and suggestions for curriculum improvements came from a solid design based in science and best practices. They offered me protected time to study. They agreed to let me use a few recent efforts within my work packet, and they agreed to split the cost of the certification with me. Once I obtained my certification, I was promoted.

What does having your credential mean to you? Being a CPTD offers me resources, credibility, and a feeling of competency, and it pushes me to keep growing professionally.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received? Lose your ego; become socially responsible to the team and your client. Fail quickly, adapt faster, and always push for growth.

What is a great book you’ve read recently? The Talent Code by Daniel Coyle

Have you earned the APTD or CPTD? Share your story with the community.