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CPTC validates the skills, knowledge and competence of technical communicators as they advance in their professional careers.

Society for Technical Communication (STC)

CPTC is a certification scheme developed by APMG on behalf of the Society for Technical Communication (STC).

The Society for Technical Communication is the world's largest and oldest professional association dedicated to the advancement of the field of technical communication. The Society, with headquarters in the United States, has members in over 40 countries and across all continents.

Certified Professional Technical Communicator (CPTC)

Technical communicators are present in a wide range of organizations but their roles are often not identifiiable as an expertise. The Certified Professional Technical Communicator (CPTC) scheme addresses this as part of a recognized profession with its own distinct skillset and is designed to validate the skills, knowledge and competences of technical communicators as they advance in their professional careers.

Technical communication includes one or more of the following

Technical communication is a broad field and includes any form of communication that exhibits one or more of the following characteristics:

  • Communicating about technical or specialized topics, such as computer applications, medical procedures, or environmental regulations.
  • Communicating by using technology, such as web pages, help files, or social media sites.
  • Providing instructions about how to do something, regardless of how technical the task is or even if technology is used to create or distribute that communication.

The scheme covers nine core areas of technical communication:-

  • Project Planning
  • Project Analysis
  • Content Development
  • Organizational Design
  • Written Communication
  • Visual Communication
  • Reviewing and Editing
  • Content Management
  • Production and Delivery

Benefit from:

  • Objective validation of technical communication competency.
  • Enhanced employment opportunities as you can differentiate yourself from others.
  • Indicates to your existing or potential employer that you are committed to the field of technical communication.

 

WATCH NOW : Liz Pohland, former CEO of Society for Technical Communication and Richard Pharro, CEO of APMG International discuss the role of Technical Communicators in the future of work.

Society for Technical Communication - The role of the Technical Communicator in the future of work

Who is CPTC for?

Technical communicators work in every industry and CPTC certification is designed for those who require a working knowledge of the key principles, theory and terminology of effective technical communication.

A huge number of people in the following groups have already benefitted from membership and certification;

  • Media and Communication
  • Information Technology
  • Education
  • Administrative
  • Business Development

Upcoming courses

CPTC Foundation and Practitioner exam preparation courses can be booked directly via the Society for Technical Communication website. For information about upcoming courses, please visit: https://www.stc.org/education/online-courses/

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db cptc foundation

CPTC Foundation

Act as an informed member of a technical writing or communication team.

Project Management
Who is Foundation for?

Entry-level individuals who are involved in technical communication and informational projects or products, who require a working knowledge of the key principles of technical communication, and who need to know the terminology used and some of the theory behind the practice.

What are the key things you will learn?
  • Project planning.
  • Project analysis.
  • Content development.
  • Organizational design.
  • Written communication.
  • Visual communication.
  • Reviewing and editing.
  • Content management.
  • Production delivery.
Exam format:
  • 40 minutes
  • 50 multiple choice questions
  • 70% pass mark
  • Closed book
db cptc practitioner

CPTC Practitioner

Demonstrate your understanding of how to apply and analyze technical communication guidance.

Project Management
Who is Practitioner for?

Technical communicators and aspiring communications managers. Also, other staff involved in the design, development, and delivery of technical communication products and services.

Please note that you must have already passed the CPTC Foundation exam before you can sit the CPTC Practitioner exam.

What are the key things you will learn?

Technical communication concepts, guidelines and processes, enabling you to offer relevant insights and ideas that can aid decision taking.

Exam format:
  • 1 hour and 40 minutes
  • 4 complex multiple choice questions
  • 70% pass mark (56 marks out of 80)
  • Closed book

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SFIA Framework

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The SFIA Framework is the global common reference for skills and competency for the digital world
SFIA is a globally recognised framework that “identifies skills needed for the Information age”. This APMG certification has been mapped against the SFIA Framework to help you see which certifications are most relevant to your professional development.
CPTC Foundation
Knowledge
This certification confirms (endorsement)
Content Authoring up to level 2
...
This certification would be useful for (development)
Same as above plus Generic attribute Business Skills up to level 3, Content Authoring level 3
...
CPTC Practitioner
Knowledge
This certification confirms (endorsement)
Content Authoring up to level 3
...
This certification would be useful for (development)
Same as above plus Generic attribute Business Skills up to level 4, Content Authoring level 4, Content Publishing up to level 4
...

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FAQs

What is a CPTC digital badge?

Digital badges allow you to easily showcase your achievements online.

 

When you pass an exam - you'll instantly have the option to claim a digital badge representing your new certificate.

Your badge can be embedded on an email signature, website, social media or digital CV.

With just one click employers, customers and clients can easily view and verify your credentials and skills.

Please download our digital sharing presentation for more information.

How do I claim my CPTC digital badge?

Once you’ve been notified that you’ve passed your exam - you will have the option to create a digital badge in APMG's Candidate Portal.

Visit APMG's Candidate Portal, view your exam results and select 'Create Badge'.

This takes you to the Credly website where the digital badges are hosted. You will be guided through the Credly account creation process.

Once you have created an account with Credly - login into the account and accept your pending badge.

How can I prepare for the CPTC examinations?

You can attend a training course with one of APMG's Accredited Training Organizations (ATOs). ATOs can be found by clicking 'Find a training provider' at the top of this page.

If you prefer to self-study, the Body of Knowledge used for the exams is Technical Communication Today, by Richard Johnson-Sheehan. All of the answers can be found in this text book, so obtaining a copy and studying it is a good preparation for individuals taking the exam. Foundation candidates can study using either the 5th or 6th edition of Technical Communication Today. Practitioner candidates will need to study using the 6th edition of Technical Communication Today.

What is Technical Communication?

Technical communication is a broad field and includes any form of communication that exhibits one or more of the following characteristics:

  • Communicating about technical or specialized topics, such as computer applications, medical procedures, or environmental regulations.
  • Communicating by using technology, such as web pages, help files, or social media sites.
  • Providing instructions about how to do something, regardless of how technical the task is or even if technology is used to create or distribute that communication.
  • Technical communicators act as the bridge between technical information and the outside world: they take complex information and make it accessible.

What are the main publications for the CPTC Foundation & Practitioner exams?

The Foundation and Practitioner courses are based on Technical Communication Today, by Richard Johnson-Sheehan.

Foundation candidates can study using either the 5th or 6th edition of Technical Communication Today. Practitioner candidates will need to study using the 6th edition of Technical Communication Today. 

What is the Certified Professional Technical Communicator (CPTC) scheme about?

The CPTC Foundation scheme will assess whether an individual can recall, recognize, and demonstrate comprehension of the theories, concepts, models, genres, and approaches outlined in 9 key areas. The areas are: Project Planning, Project Analysis, Content Development, Organizational Design, Written Communication, Visual Communication, Reviewing and Editing, Content Management and Production Delivery.

The CPTC Practitioner scheme will assess whether an individual can analyse and apply technical communication guidance in a fictional organizational communications situation.

How do I sit the exam?

Accredited Training Organizations (ATOs) usually include the examination as part of their training course – please check with your ATO before booking.

For those who self-study, the exam can be taken anywhere in the world, from the comfort of your home or workplace, with online proctoring.  A proctor will access your exam as you take it to monitor the exam environment through your computer's desktop, webcam and microphone.

Once you have booked an exam, you will be given a registration email to schedule an appointment with your live proctor via our Candidate Portal. Our online proctoring system allows you to take your exam anytime as sessions are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. For more information, please click here.

APMG also administers a limited number of public exam sessions at some of our regional offices. Click here for further information and to book an exam.

How much does it cost to sit the CPTC examinations?

If you are a member of STC, you can take advantage of a discounted exam price. All you need to do is provide APMG with your member ID at the time of booking your exam for the discount to be applied.

Accredited Training Organizations (ATOs) usually include the cost of the examination(s) in the price of the training course – please check with your ATO before booking.

Which language are the CPTC examinations available in?

The Foundation and Practitioner exams are currently only available in English.

How long is the CPTC certifications valid for?

Both the CPTC Foundation certification and the CPTC Practitioner certification do not expire. However, for it to remain current, certificants are required to stay current in the field as demonstrated by achieving a certain number of Continuing Education Units (CEU) over a 24 month period. The CEU requirements can be found on the STC web site at https://www.stc.org/certification/continuing-education.

Additionally, STC will keep a list of current certified practitioners on its web site so that employers can easily verify currency.

When can I expect the results of my CPTC examinations?

The CPTC Foundation examination can be marked on location with provisional results provided immediately after marking.

Your official Foundation results will be sent directly to you via your APMG Candidate Portal approximately 7-10 days after the date of your exam.

The CPTC Practitioner exam must be returned to APMG for marking and we will endeavour to issue results to your APMG Candidate Portal within 5 working days of receiving your exam paper.

When will I receive my certificate?

Candidates will be able to claim their digital badge and electronic certificate from their APMG Candidate Portal within two business days of their exam result being issued.

Can I use the CPTC logo?

Individuals who have passed the CPTC Foundation exam are permitted to use the green CPTC Foundation logo to demonstrate they hold this certification.

Individuals who have passed the CPTC Practitioner exam are permitted to use the blue CPTC Practitioner logo to demonstrate they hold this certification.

The digital badge awarded to successful candidates is available to download from the APMG Candidate Portal.

CPTC™ is a registered trade mark of the Society for Technical Communication.

What can I do if I fail the exam?

If you do not pass your CPTC exam, you can re-take it at any time – there is no waiting period - and there is no restriction on the number of times you can take the exam. Please note that the full examination fee will be payable each time.

Can I get a hard copy of my certificate?

Candidates who have passed the exam, after self-studying, will be issued with an e-certificate. If you would also like to receive a hard copy of your certificate, you can order this from your local APMG office. Please note that there will be a charge for this to cover the printing, postage and packing costs.

What is the format of the exam?

The format of the CPTC Foundation exam is:

  • 50 multiple choice questions
  • 40 minutes duration
  • Closed book
  • 70% pass mark (35 out of 50 marks or more)

The format of the CPTC Practitioner exam is:

  • 4 complex multiple choice questions, each worth 20 marks
  • 1 hour and 40 minutes duration
  • Closed book
  • 70% pass mark (56 out of 80)

The exam can be booked directly by the candidate at the end of a training course, or anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home or professional location via our online proctoring system. Select your exam and currency here

Are there any pre-requisites for the CPTC exams?

There are no pre-requisites for candidates wanting to sit the CPTC Foundation exam.

Candidates who want to sit the CPTC Practitioner exam must have first sat and passed the CPTC Foundation exam.

How do I access my digital badge and/or certificate?

You can always access all your electronic certificates and badges via the APMG Candidate Portal. Once you have logged on to the Candidate Portal, click on the ‘Badges and Certificates’ option from the menu bar at the top of screen. From here you should click on the ‘Create Badge/Certificate’ button. This will take you to the Credly platform to create and account and download your badge and certificate.

Step-by-step guidance is available to download from the ‘Badges and Certificates’ area in your Candidate Portal.

Electronic certificates are environmentally friendly, but you can print the certificate yourself at home or work, if required.

If you have any problems with accessing your digital certificate, please contact our Customer Interaction Team - servicedesk@apmg-international.com

Can I earn PMI® PDUs for attending an accredited training course?

It is possible to earn PMI Education PDUs for attending third-party provider training (training courses not offered by a PMI Authorized Training Partner), as long as the training meets the requirements around the skill areas of the PMI Talent Triangle. Please check the PMI website (https://www.pmi.org/certifications/certification-resources/maintain/earn-pdus/education) for further details on how to record your PDUs and what supporting evidence is required.

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