Training and Development Certification

The Training and Development Certification is a free intermediate-level, 20-minute skill test from Science of Apps. It tests the knowledge of a training and development professional — needs analysis and instructional design, facilitation and adult learning, learning technology and modalities, and evaluation, transfer and business impact — written to the ATD Talent Development Capability Model and CPTD/APTD content, the Kirkpatrick Model, and learning-science research on spacing, retrieval practice and learning styles for 2026. Score 70% or more on its 20 questions to earn a verifiable Training and Development Proficiency certificate (SOA-TD). Every question is based on published standards and research — including Association for Talent Development (ATD), The Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick Partners), Improving Students' Learning With Effective Learning Techniques (Dunlosky et al., 2013) (Psychological Science in the Public Interest) — and each answer is explained with its source.

Science of Apps offers a free Training and Development Certification, updated for 2026 and 2027. It measures needs analysis and instructional design, facilitation and adult learning, learning technology and modalities and evaluation, transfer and impact and gives instant results with a shareable certificate.

Read the four skill areas on this page, then take the 20-minute test online — no fee, course or sign-up. You see every answer explained when you finish. Score 70% or more and you get a Training and Development Proficiency certificate straight away, on screen, as a PDF and by email, with a credential ID anyone can verify.

Yes. The questions are original scenarios written by Science of Apps, and each one is based on a public source you can read: Association for Talent Development (ATD); The Kirkpatrick Model (Kirkpatrick Partners); Improving Students' Learning With Effective Learning Techniques (Dunlosky et al., 2013) (Psychological Science in the Public Interest); Learning Styles: Concepts and Evidence (Pashler et al., 2008) (Psychological Science in the Public Interest); Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 (W3C). The source is shown under each question and linked in the answer review. Science of Apps doesn't copy questions from other tests.

Four skill areas with five questions each, drawn from a bank of 10 per area so a retake brings new questions: Needs Analysis and Instructional Design (Needs analysis, Learning objectives and Design models); Facilitation and Adult Learning (Adult learning, Facilitation and Virtual delivery); Learning Technology and Modalities (Platforms and standards, Modalities and Accessibility); Evaluation, Transfer and Impact (Kirkpatrick levels, ROI and Transfer of learning). Every question is an original scenario written to the 2026–2027 standard, with the published source named under it.

Trainer or facilitator, Instructional designer, Learning and development manager, HR or talent development specialist and Subject-matter expert who teaches others. It suits anyone who wants a quick, verifiable way to show Training and Development knowledge in 2026 and 2027, from students and career switchers to experienced professionals.

The Association for Talent Development offers the Associate Professional in Talent Development (APTD) for early-career practitioners and the Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) for experienced ones. Both are based on the ATD Talent Development Capability Model, covering instructional design, training delivery, learning technology, evaluating impact and more.

Research does not support matching instruction to a learner's preferred "learning style" (such as visual or auditory). A 2008 review in Psychological Science in the Public Interest found no adequate evidence for it. Better-supported methods include spaced practice, retrieval practice and matching the format to the content.

Yes. The test is online, in English and free everywhere — people take it from India, the US, the UK, Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Your certificate is dated with your own local date and can be verified from anywhere at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/.

20 questions — 5 from each of 4 skill areas — with a 20-minute limit. You need 70% (14 of 20) to pass and 90% for distinction.

We rate it Intermediate: assumes hands-on experience in the role. It has 20 scenario questions — 5 from each of 4 skill areas — and a 20-minute limit. You need 70% (14 of 20) to pass and 90% for distinction.

Nothing. There is no fee to take a test, to receive the certificate, to have it emailed or to verify it, and no sign-up.

On our server, not in your browser. The answers never reach the page until you submit, so a certificate can only be earned by passing. Each certificate gets a unique credential ID stored by Science of Apps.

You see your score for each area and every question with the correct answer and why, with the published source behind it. You can retake after 30 minutes, and the retake draws questions you haven't seen yet.

No. Every certificate is dated, so it always shows when you passed. Retake a test any time for a newer date or a higher score.

Yes. After you pass, Add to LinkedIn opens the Licenses & certifications form with the certificate name, Science of Apps as the issuer, the issue date, your credential ID and the verification link filled in. You can also download it as a PDF or PNG, and it's emailed to you as a PDF.

Every certificate has a credential ID and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the ID at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/, shows the holder's name, the certification, the score and the issue date from our records.

No. They are Science of Apps' own assessments of applied skill. They aren't issued by a university or standards body, and they work best alongside a portfolio that shows the skills in real work.