Application Requirements, Instructions and 
Forms for Certification & Re-Certification
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For Re-Certification:
  

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CPT Self-Assessment Guide

The Self-Assessment Guide is provided to assist you in evaluating your readiness to apply for the CPT designation. Please note that this form is for your self-analysis and personal development. It is not part of the Certified Performance Technologist (CPT) application. The purpose of the self-assessment is to:
  • Familiarize yourself with the ten Standards of Performance Technology
  • Encourage self-reflection on one’s past and current experience and performance.
  • Identify strengths and weaknesses.
  • Identify opportunities for improvement.
  • Plan for continued development and improvement.
  • Determine your readiness for applying for the CPT designation.
  • Identify the projects and attesters you will use in the application process.

Self-Assessment Guide

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Certification Application Requirements

The eligibility requirements to apply for certification include a minimum of three years of experience in performance improvement or a related field and a detailed description of work performed in multiple projects in a manner that demonstrates the use of each of the Standards with attestations from internal/external clients or supervisors. A qualified reviewer will review all the documentation received from a candidate and determine if all requirements have been met.

All candidates for the certification must commit to the Code of Ethics. Once certified, performance improvement professionals must apply for re-certification every three years to maintain the CPT designation.

CPT applications are processed twice a year. Your application materials must be received at ISPI by June 15 or November 15, or they will be held until the next processing period.

What is not required? 

Membership in ISPI or any other organization, or the completion of a formal training or education program is not required for certification. However, if you join ISPI or an affiliated organization when you submit your application, you may apply at the member rate.

Certification Application Process


227 kb		 Certification Application
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1.   Download and familiarize yourself with this entire application package.
2.   Print, read, sign, and date the Application Agreement (pages 8 & 9).
3. Complete an Attestation Form (page 10) for each project you will describe.
4.   Complete the Certification Information Form (page 12).  

The completed Application Agreement and Attestation Forms should be mailed at the same time that the rest of the application is emailed.
5.   Identify three projects you have done with a large enough scope that you can describe your demonstration of the first four Standards and at least three other Standards. 
6. Describe the work you have done for each of these Standards by answering the questions listed under each Standard description.
7. Identify up to four other projects that you have worked on that you can describe your demonstration of Standards 6 to 10 such that you have at least two examples for each of these Standards described and attested to as part of your application. Complete the Project and Standard Identification Form (page 12 & 13).
8. Identify the internal/external clients or supervisors who will attest to the description of the work that you have done. Complete an Attester Contact Information Form for each attester.
9. Forward the Work Description and Attestation Forms to the internal/external clients or supervisors who can attest to the work that you have done. A sample cover letter to use when you send these forms to the attesters is provided (page 15).
10. Assemble Section Two into one continuous Word Document in the following order:
  1. Certification Information Form
  2. Attestation Summary Form
  3. Project and Standard Identification Form
  4. Work Descriptions by project in order of the Standards addressed 
11. Email the assembled Section Two as a continuous Word Document to: Certification@ispi.org.
12.  

Mail your completed Section One (Application Agreement, signed Attestation Forms, and Certification Information Form) with your payment* to:

Certified Performance Technologist Application
International Society for Performance Improvement
1400 Spring Street, Suite 260
Silver Spring, Maryland 20910  USA

*  Include check or payment information per your Certification Information Form.
CPT applications are processed twice a year. Your application materials must be received at ISPI by June 15 or November 15, or they will be held until the next processing period.

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Work Description Example

The following Work Description Examples are provided to assist you in preparing your application. It is an acceptable example of how all ten Standards of Performance Technology can be met with one project. 

Work Description Example - Navy  (413 kb PDF)

Work Description Example - Energy   (484 kb PDF)

Work Description Example - Manufacturing (178 kb PDF)

Work Description Example - Utilities (195 kb PDF)  

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Reviewer's Evaluation Form

The Reviewer's Evaluation Form is provided to show you how your Work Descriptions will be evaluated by the CPT Reviewers. Please note that this form is not part of the Certified Performance Technologist (CPT) application. 

Download the Reviewer's Evaluation Form (105 kb Word).

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Re-Certification Application Requirements

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  1. Read the Code of Ethics (Page 6).

  2. Complete the Re-certification Declaration with your name and the date (Page 7).

  3. Complete the CPT Re-certification Fee section (Page 7) indicating your method of payment.

  4. Complete the CPT Re-certification Information section (Page 8).

  5. Complete the record of your professional development, volunteer service, and/or contributions to the field (Page 8). 

  6. Submit completed form to certification@ispi.org. Your cover e-mail will serve as your signature.

Professional Development 

Professional development activities are essential for a Certified Performance Technologist to remain current in the field. Therefore, to retain and continue to use the CPT designation, a Certified Performance Technologist must accumulate 40 points of continuing education/professional development during the three year certification period. Activities can include participation in conferences, workshops, and chapter events sponsored by ISPI or other related professional organizations, commercially provided workshops, and degree-granting institutions when the subject relates to one or more of the Standards of Performance Technology. 

Contact Hours  Points
1 hour  1 point
3 hours or a half-day program  3 points
6 hours or a full-day program  6 points

A maximum of 12 points can be given for attending any individual conference, university/college course, or training program.

All 40 points for re-certification can be earned through professional and continuing development experiences that enhance your performance improvement skills or can be augmented with up to 15 points for volunteer roles and contributions to the field as described below:

  • 5 Points per year: Volunteer service as a Board member of a national or international organization or as a President of a regional organization (chapter)
  • 3 Points per year: Volunteer service as a Committee chair of a national or international organization or an Officer of a regional organization (chapter)
  • 3 Points: Instructor in a performance improvement or related field course
  • 5 Points: Author of a published performance improvement book
  • 3 Points: Author of a published performance improvement article, book chapter, or research paper
  • 3 Points: Presentation at a national professional association conference

Please note, you cannot receive multiple points for teaching the same course or giving the same presentation.

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Tips for No/Low Cost Continuing Education Points

You need between 25 and 40 recertification points depending on how many you have earned for volunteering and contributing to the profession. The most efficient way to earn Continuing Education points is by attending annual conferences; however, this may be cost prohibitive for some of you. So, take advantage of these tips for getting Continuing Education points at little or no cost.

  • In-House Programs: Take advantage of programs or workshops being offered by your employer or clients. Organizations do a lot of training, usually to support the rollout of a new technology or a new way of doing business. For example, my clients have offered programs on Information Mapping, Six Sigma, Ethics, and the like. All of these qualify for points.
     
  • Do It Yourself: In Chicago, a group started its own continuing education program. The group meets for a half-day six times a year. It costs nothing to join. Members vote on topics most relevant to them and take turns hosting the program. I have learned a lot from the group. Topics range from selecting LMS systems to leadership development to new delivery technologies. To qualify for points, you need to document the date, length, topic, and sponsor (host).
     
  • Join the Armed Forces Chapter (AFC): You can join for $10 a year, and the chapter sponsors free webinars. Also, you'll want to pay attention to the vendors who may offer free webinars. The vendor content may be focused on their product, but you can learn something that may benefit your employer or clients.
     
  • Community-based Programs: Take advantage of education programs being offered by your local school district, garden club, business group, and others. The topics almost always relate to the standards of partnering, design, focus-on-results, systemic view, or adding value. For example, my local police department offers a free seminar on how to deal with bullies. I am signing up as I think it applies to partnering and implementation.
     
  • Academic Programs: There is usually a fee for these programs; however, your employer may be willing to reimburse you. For example, you may pursue an advance degree, or take a workshop on how to use the latest Internet delivery technology, or how to write scripts. Take a workshop on mediation offered by your community college.
     
  • Local Chapters: Consider programs sponsored by your local ISPI chapter, STC, SHRM, or another group. It was never intended that you could only earn credit by attending ISPI sponsored programs.
You can earn up to 15 points toward your recertification through volunteer work, teaching, and writing. It is in this category that you can get credit for doing quality work.
  • Volunteer Service: CPTs like to volunteer, and you may be one of them. This includes holding leadership positions in local, governmental, social service, educational, professional, and religious organizations. For example, you may have headed fund raising activities, chaired an effort to create or maintain a website, set up a filing system, documented procedures, coordinated programs, managed the money, or mentored young people. Give yourself credit, if you have offered your expertise to others.
     
  • Teaching: You can receive credit for workshops you deliver whether they are for your employer, a client, or a volunteer group, or presenting at a national professional association conference. However, a topic can only be counted once.
  • Writing: You may not have written a book, but you may have published a job aid, performance support tool, or an article in a newsletter. All of these count. 
     
  • Presentations: You can get 3 points for doing presentations for local, national, or international professional, civic, community, educational, social service, or religious groups. However, a topic only counts once.

Do you know of other low or no costs ways to earn Continuing Education points? Please forward your ideas to certification@ispi.org and I'll share them with your peers.

Re-Certification Dates and Late Submission Procedures

CPTs are certified and re-certified for a three-year period. To remain certified, CPTs must complete and electronically submit this application during the period directly following the anniversary date of their initial certification. Re-certification applications are due on June 15th for those CPTs whose anniversary falls between November 16 and June 15, and on November 15th for those CPTs whose anniversary falls between June 16 and November 15. 

The application does not need to be signed. The e-mail address used to submit the re-certification application will serve as evidence that the application came from the applicant. 

There will be an additional fee of $100 for late applications that are submitted in within six months of the required date. After that six-month period, former CPTs will have to submit one project that demonstrates their use of all 10 Standards of Performance Technology using the current application form. Two CPT reviewers will evaluate this application. The fee for this application and review process is $395. 

Filing for re-certification may be extended on a case-by-case basis provided the CPT makes the request in writing to the Certified Performance Technology Appeals Board, ISPI, 1400 Spring Street, Suite 260, Silver Spring, MD 20910 within 30 days after the date of expiration. CPTs who do not re-certify within six months during the re-certification period at the end of their third year of certification will be denied the use of the CPT designation and must re-apply for certification to regain their CPT status.

   

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FEES
Regular
Re-certification
      
ISPI or Other 
Affiliated Organization Member
$995
$175
       
Non-member
$1195
$250


If you have any questions, please contact ISPI at 1-301.587.8570 or certification@ispi.org.

  

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