Why certification in technical communication is important

Having just recently attended the virtual Society for Technical Communication Summit conference, I was delighted to be asked by APMG International to share my story about; why I’m a CPTC™ trainer, who I believe would benefit from achieving the CPTC™ certification, and the exam preparation class I’m currently teaching. I also have a slightly surprising passion in understanding Introverted Leadership and get great pleasure from talking to fantastic introverted leaders on my podcast, Hope for the Introvert! 

The Certified Professional Technical Communicator (CPTC™) is a three-level certification offered by the Society for Technical Communications and administered by APMG-International. The Foundation and Practitioner level are exam-based. Anyone who holds the certification has demonstrated that they are well versed in the core competencies of technical communication.

I became a CPTC™ trainer to serve three primary groups:

1. To provide a certification opportunity for people transitioning from another career field into technical communication
2. To provide a certification in technical communication to practitioners in my domain, cybersecurity, and other technical domains.
3. To provide an opportunity for Rochester Institute of Technology students to graduate with a degree and a certification in hand.

Career Changers

Let’s talk about what certification can mean for people transitioning from another career into technical communication. I began working as a technical communicator, but my background was in liberal arts. I had been pursuing a doctoral degree in history but did not finish. Although I could communicate technical information appropriately for different audiences, I had no credential that proved I had the knowledge to work in technical communication. When I started work at RIT, I took coursework and received an Advanced Certificate in Technical Information design.

In my current cohort of students preparing for the CPTC™ exam, several of them are transitioning into technical communication and want the CPTC™ certification for the same reason I sought out coursework. They want to prove both to themselves and to others that they have the knowledge to work successfully as a technical communicator. Certification is a tangible achievement that carries value both personally and in the workplace.

Cybersecurity Professionals

I’ve worked in cybersecurity for about 18 years. Strong communication skills are essential in communicating jargon-laced technical information to the end user community and to management. For someone who does security awareness, knowledge of their audience and the best ways to reach them are essential.

Although many cybersecurity practitioners have deep technical skills, they lack training in developing communications that enable their audiences to do what they need to do and to do it quickly. They may also struggle in communicating to non-technical senior management. I would make the same argument for the value of CPTC™ certification to engineers, information technologists, medical professionals and other technical fields. Professional certifications are highly valued in technical fields and indicate a commitment to continued professional development.

RIT Students

We’re providing an opportunity for RIT students to graduate with both a degree and a certification. I’ve worked with RIT to make CPTC™ exam preparation available to undergraduate students in various disciplines, but especially those who plan to work as a technical communicator. Having CPTC™ certification in hand differentiates these students in the marketplace and demonstrates to potential employers that they understand the foundational core competencies of technical communication and that they are committed to professional development.

The RIT CPTC™ exam preparation class is open to ALL. We offer it on Zoom as an 8-week course meeting once a week for 90 minutes each week. Visit the RIT page on APMG International for a schedule of upcoming classes. At the time of this writing, the next cohort is scheduled for September 2021. Sign up today!