General Certification FAQs
NAWDP® offers two professional certifications for workforce development professionals:
Applications are reviewed the month after they are submitted. You will be notified by email if there are any questions about your application. You will be notified by email of your status within 45 days after the month you submitted your application.
Unfortunately, we are unable to provide individual status updates during the review period. However, if any additional information or action is needed from you, a NAWDP staff member will reach out. We appreciate your patience and will notify you once the review process is complete.
Only individuals can be certified. An organization can have a group membership and the members can become certified but not the group itself.
Your certification is valid for three years from the date of award as long as you maintain your NAWDP membership.
You can find all your certification information through NAWDP’s member portal.
- Sign in to the NAWDP website by hovering over the orange icon at the top right of the homepage.
- Select “My Profile”.
- Select “About”.
- Scroll down to see your certification number, award date, expiration date, and additional endorsement information.
Yes, maintaining an active, paid NAWDP membership is required to keep your certification valid. If your membership lapses, your certification may become inactive. Be sure to renew your NAWDP membership on time to ensure your certification status remains in good standing.
NAWDP members can access their training log through the member portal. Review NAWDP training that is automatically applied to your training log after attendance is verified or add additional training to keep track of your recertification hours.
- Sign in to the NAWDP website and go to “My profile”
- Select Professional Development.
- Use the menu above the training log to print, view, or email copies of training attended.
- Add external trainings by clicking “Add Entry” and adding the required information for the training attended. (NAWDP staff will review and provide a status update within 10 days of submission. NAWDP trainings attended after September 25, 2025 will automatically be input into the training log)
Yes, you may track your professional development training hours in an Excel spreadsheet which includes columns for the following: date of training, number of hours, name of training, training provider, and CWDP competency. NAWDP has developed a fillable PDF document that can be used. PLEASE NOTE: This not an official log and is for personal tracking only.
Your certificate can be found under your member profile.
- Sign in to NAWDP website and go to My Profile
- Select Professional Development
- Select Certifications/Programs
- Select the blue star next to the Certification you’d like to access.
- A pop-up box will appear for you to print your certificate.
You can access your invoices or payment history through the member portal.
- Sign in to the NAWDP website and select My Profile.
- Select “Payments/History” in left rail menu.
- Select “Invoices” to view or print any available invoices.
- If your invoice hasn’t been paid, you may select “Pay Selected Invoices” to make payment.
Certified Workforce Development Professional (CWDP) FAQs
The CWDP® certification is ideal for workforce development professionals who want to demonstrate their expertise, commitment, and professionalism in the field. It is designed for individuals working in various workforce roles, including career advisors, business services representatives, case managers, program coordinators, and workforce program leaders, and many other workforce related roles.
No, a specific degree is not required to apply for the CWDP® certification. However, applicants must have a minimum of one (1) year relevant work experience in workforce development.
No, while other certifications may demonstrate your expertise in certain areas, they do not fulfill the requirements for the CWDP® certification.
No. The CWDP® certification has specific eligibility requirements to ensure consistency and fairness in the certification process.
The CWDP® application fee is $125. To become and remain a Certified Workforce Development Professional (CWDP), you must also maintain an active, paid NAWDP membership. View Membership Options
Additionally, if you choose a training option as part of your certification process, there may be additional fees paid directly to the training provider.
There are no discounts for the application fee regardless of the number of individuals in the group that may be applying. There are group discounts available for membership based on the number of members that will be in the group and you must be a NAWDP member to apply for the CWDP®.
When you submit your CWDP® application you will have the opportunity to pay online with a credit card or choose Bill Me. If you chose Bill Me, an invoice will be created that you can print or save and then mail in payment. This does not mean that NAWDP will send you a bill for the application fee.
No, your group members do not need to apply for the CWDP® certification at the same time. Each individual can apply independently as long as they meet the eligibility requirements and are active NAWDP members.
You can reinstate your CWDP at any time up until the expiration date noted on your most current certificate. To do so, please complete the CWDP Intent to Reinstate Form, pay a one-time $50 reinstatement fee, and renew your membership. Once processed, your credential will be restored to active status.
NAWDP offers a thirty (30) day grace period for those needing additional time to submit their recertification application. However, CWDP® certifications become inactive after that 30-day period, and you can no longer use the CWDP credential. NOTE: If the CWDP certification holder has not been awarded recertification within one-year of its expiration date, the initial certification application process must be followed to renew the CWDP designation.
Certified Workforce Development Leader (CWDL) FAQs
The CWDL certification is ideal for workforce development professionals who want to develop the essential skills, knowledge and strategies needed to drive transformational change within their organization. It is designed for individuals working in various leadership roles, including program managers, executive directors, and CEOs.
Applicants must successfully complete the NAWDP Leadership Academy in cooperation with the University of Georgia and it’s J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development and be a NAWDP member.
Learn more about the NAWDP Leadership Academy and NAWDP Membership.
No, while other certifications may demonstrate your expertise in certain areas, they do not fulfill the requirements for the CWDL certification.
No. The CWDL certification has specific eligibility requirements to ensure consistency and fairness in the certification process.
To become a CWDL, you must be part of a NAWDP Leadership Academy cohort. The cost of the NAWDP Leadership Academy is $2,500 and the CWDL application fee is included in that price. To become and remain a Certified Workforce Development Leader (CWDL), you must also maintain an active, paid NAWDP membership.
Recertification FAQs
To renew your Certified Workforce Development Professional® (CWDP), you must: Maintain active NAWDP membership, complete a minimum of 60 hours of professional development within a 3-year period related to the CWDP 5 competencies, submit a renewal application prior to your certification expiration date, and submit a recertification fee. Professional development would include such items as training opportunities in your state or local area, workforce conference sessions, webinars, or any other verifiable training. Attendance at meetings, award events, and staffing of job fairs are not considered professional development.
NAWDP offers webinars, workshops, and conferences that count toward your required professional development hours and are automatically recorded into your training log in the member portal. External training held either virtually or in-person are also allowed.
NAWDP’s Continuing Education webpage offers a list of NAWDP trainings and sources for external trainings that can be applied to recertification.
NAWDP members can access their training log through the member portal. Review NAWDP training that is automatically applied to your training log after attendance is verified or add additional training to keep track of your recertification hours.
- Sign in to the NAWDP website by selecting “My profile” when you hover over the orange icon at the top right of the homepage.
- Select Professional Development.
- Use the menu above the training log to print, view, or email copies of training attended.
- Add external trainings by clicking “Add Entry” and adding the required information for the training attended. (NAWDP staff will review and provide a status update within 10 days of submission. NAWDP trainings attended after September 25, 2025 will automatically be input into the training log)
Yes, you may track your professional development training hours in an Excel spreadsheet which includes columns for the following: date of training, number of hours, name of training, training provider, and CWDP competency. NAWDP has developed a fillable PDF document that can be used. PLEASE NOTE: This not an official log and is for personal tracking only.