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What does certification mean after 20 years in the industry?
What about at the very start of your career?
For these recent certification earners, the answer is the same: growth.
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Though they’re at different stages in their careers, all found that certification sharpened their knowledge, strengthened their confidence, and reinforced their commitment to the architect, engineer, contractor, and owner (AECO) industry. Their stories highlight an important truth: professional development doesn’t have a finish line.
In this Certification Spotlight, each share why they chose certification, how they prepared, and how earning their credentials continues to influence their daily work.
My Certification Journey
For Tom Stapleton, professional growth means leading by example. With more than 20 years of experience as a construction administrator at Schmidt Associates, Tom set a personal goal to earn CSI’s Construction Documents Technologist (CDT®) and Certified Construction Contract Administrator (CCCA®) certifications—and to encourage his team to do the same.
Together, they turned that vision into reality, with five colleagues earning the CDT® and three earning their CCCA®.
“I’ve worked as a construction administrator for the majority of my 20-year career,” Tom said. “Once I became the manager of the construction administration department, I made it a goal not only to obtain my CDT and CCCA certifications, but to get my team certified as well.”
Tom said that certifications matter even after decades of experience, and that the process also strengthened his credibility and passion for the AECO industry.
“For the CDT exam, I attended a class through the local CSI Indianapolis chapter,” Tom said. “I also purchased the Project Delivery Practice Guide and CDT Study Workbook.”
For the CCCA exam, he self-studied using the Construction Contract Administration Practice Guide and Study Workbook, adding, “I also set up a weekly study session with a few of my colleagues in the office that were also studying for the exam. I highly recommend reading the practice guides start to finish and highlighting pertinent information for reference.”
As for his key takeaways?
“Studying for my CDT and CCCA certifications reminded me that there is always something new to learn,” Tom said. “It also demonstrates that I'm passionate about my role as a construction administrator and enhances my professional credibility in the AECO industry.”
A Lifelong Journey
From a young age, Alexandria Anderson knew she wanted to be an architect. Her passion for designing buildings and solving complex challenges has only grown stronger over the past 20 years. Now, as an emerging professional, Lexi added another achievement to her career path when she earned her CDT.
“I have always wanted to be an architect since I was seven. I love making, and the idea of creating a building just seemed like the coolest thing you could do,” Alexandria told CSI.
“I still feel that way now, and after having learned about design and the technicalities of building construction, I am very thankful for having made this decision. I love designing buildings, working through intricate challenges, and seeing a building go from a drawing set to an occupiable space. A good building is life-changing, and I love contributing to people’s quality of life in this way."
The Architectural Designer, who achieved her CDT in the spring of 2024, said it still pays dividends in the work she does every day.
“I decided to take the CDT for three reasons,” she explained. “I am an aspiring architect, and thus it will be some time before I am licensed. The certification is a great way to boost one’s qualifications while taking the long path of earning licensure. The CDT is also a great way to boost one’s knowledge and prepare for the Architect Registration Exams (ARE). I also wanted to contribute more to CSI and realized the CDT was the best certification I could earn to boost my confidence and help me contribute more to the CSI community.”
“The most important impact the CDT had was how it changed my work quality,” Alexandria said. “It gave me a well-rounded understanding of why I did what I did, how to understand and read specifications, and how to better communicate with contractors. As an emerging professional, this is the exam you need to take so you can understand the context of your career and be better prepared for where it will take you.”
A Competitive Edge
For John Sears, pursuing CDT certification was about more than just passing an exam—it was about growth. After starting his career as a manufacturer’s representative and later moving into distribution, John saw the CDT as a way to set himself apart from competitors and strengthen his credibility.
“I started in the construction industry as a manufacturer rep and a few other people in my organization had CDT certifications,” John said. “I’ve since moved to a distributor and decided to pursue my CDT to set myself apart from my competitors.”
After not obtaining the certification on his first try, John used the Project Delivery Practice Guide, the CDT Study Workbook, and the flashcards in order to prepare.
“Honestly, I feel like not passing my first attempt helped me to focus on the knowledge areas that I needed to get stronger in,” John said. “My current organization was extremely encouraging throughout the certification process.”
“The most valuable lesson I learned was the importance of continuing to learn and challenge myself,” he added. “As we progress in our careers sometimes it is easy to get complacent. This affirmed the importance of maintaining my forward momentum.”
Now, John said colleagues continue to view me as a subject matter expert, and that there were also some financial rewards within his organization for completing my certification.
“Now that I have my CDT,” he said, “I’m looking forward to even more networking and continuing education opportunities.”
Are you ready to take the next step in your career?
Find out more about the CSI certifications here.