The IDLancer
Certification Program
Take your freelance instructional design skillz to the next level.
Cohort 4: Coming Spring 2024!
What's an IDLancer Certification?
IDLancer Certification is a free program designed to help instructional design freelancers just like you enhance their business skills, client skills, and instructional design skills! The three-month program is broken down into three distinct phases, each focused on developing a specific skill set.
During the first phase, you'll brush up on your business acumen, such as marketing, pricing strategies, and proposal writing. The second phase focuses on client relations, including communication, project management, and collaboration. Finally, the third phase is dedicated to instructional design fundamentals, with a focus on learning design, eLearning development, and content creation.
The Three Levels of Certification
There are three levels of IDLancer Certification-- "Certified IDLancer Apprentice," "Certified IDLancer," and the optional level "Certified IDLancer Mentor." Read more below!
Level 1:
Certified IDLancer Apprentice
This is your starting point on the road to certification! Once you're accepted into the program and actively pursuing certification, you'll be bestowed the title of "Certified IDLancer Apprentice!" We're looking for motivated IDs who are eager to learn and open to feedback. A good candidate will have a strong foundation in the certification core competencies listed above while also being conscious of areas where they need to improve or brush up on their hard and soft skills.
Level 2:
Certified IDLancer
Congrats, you've completed the 3-month program, and you're now a Certified IDLancer! We're looking for mastery of advanced instructional design theories and principles, as well as a solid understanding of how to operate as a business entity and work with clients. Additionally, candidates will be required to demonstrate their ability to manage projects and clients effectively in real-life scenarios. Certified IDLancers are top professionals in their field, able to design and develop custom learning solutions, and are also adept at achieving business objectives. Go you!
Level 3:
Certified IDLancer Mentor (optional)
The student becomes the teacher! This level of certification is optional to Certified IDLancers who are looking to take their professional development to the next level and join us in teaching future IDLancer Certification cohorts. Mentors have extensive experience and a proven track record of designing and developing successful learning solutions for a wide range of clients and learners. They should also have exceptional leadership and communication skills and be able to work collaboratively with others to foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement. Mentors serve as role models and advocates for the profession, inspiring other IDLancers to achieve their full potential and make a positive impact on the world of learning and development.
The Three Phases of Our Program
There are three core competencies at the center of IDLancer Certification-- Business Acumen, Client Relations, and ID Fundamentals.
Month One
- Choosing business entity
- Taxes, expenses, accounting
- Marketing
- Bookkeeping
- Contracts
- Proposals
- Networking, finding clients
- Time management, tracking
- Business goals
- Essential reports
Month Two
- Quick start
- Business intelligence
- Building rapport
- Handling conflict
- Digital communication
- Live meeting communication
- Scope creep mitigation
- Project organization
- Measuring success
- Digital tools
Month Three
- Creating assessments and evaluations
- Needs analysis
- Storyline, Rise, Captivate
- Writing with analogies
- Writing with an active voice
- Writing for simplification
- Storyboarding
- Visual design
Who's a Certified IDLancer?
Your status as a Certified IDLancer identifies you as the following things.
To become a Certified IDLancer, ya gotta be a member of our Official IDLance Slack Community! That's where all the magic happens. Our community of freelance IDs learn from each other, laugh with each other, and get first dibs on gig alerts. Whether you're just starting out or an old pro, you're sure to find value in our community. Not a member yet? Hey, no problem-- just click the button to hang out with us!
Certified IDLancers have a solid grasp of learning theories, principles, and ID methodologies. They're skilled at assessing learner needs, creating evaluation strategies, and crafting truly dynamic deliverables. Additionally, they have excellent writing and editing skills, expertise in eLearning authoring tools, project management skills, and the ability to evaluate the effectiveness of learning experiences. They can collaborate with SMEs and stakeholders and have a strong passion for teaching and learning!
To earn certification, IDLancers need to have a strong understanding of "bizness stuff." That includes stuff like operating as a business entity, financial management, marketing, and business development. Certified IDLancers maintain a strong professional network and know how to create and manage invoices, contracts, and other business-related documents. They're critical thinkers and problem-solvers with a knack for aligning learning solutions with business objectives.
Certified IDLancers are leaders. This includes being able to communicate clearly and persuasively, delegate tasks, and motivate team members to achieve their goals. They're flexible, adaptable, and comfortable making informed decisions to push a project across the finish line. Attention to detail, collaboration, creativity, and project management skills are second nature to them!
Certified IDLancers understand that certification does not mark the end of learning. They're lifetime learners with a strong commitment to ongoing professional development. This includes staying up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices in the field and being able to adapt to new technologies and methodologies. They're eager to collect and learn from feedback and seek out opportunities for growth and improvement.
Certified IDLancers must be honest, transparent, and accountable in their communications with clients. They design and develop learning solutions that align with ethical principles and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. They uphold the principles of confidentiality and professionalism in their work. In short, they're cool people who make a positive impact and represent IDLance's core values well.
Frequently Asked Questions
FrequentlyAsked Questions
Got questions about the certification process? We get that. Check out some FAQs below for an answer. If you're still stumped, contact us!
IDLancer Certification is a completely free program. There are no hidden costs or surprise fees lurking around the corner. We promise! At IDLance, we don't believe you should have to break the bank to sharpen up your skills. We're not like those other guys where you pay several thousand dollars for a boot camp! You deserve to get a head start on your freelance career without sacrificing your Cheesy Gordita Crunch habit. (hint: you can get a whole Cravings box with a drink that includes a Cheesy Gordita Crunch for the same price as ONE Cheesy Gordita Crunch… MAKE IT MAKE SENSE!)
Each cohort will move through a three-month process, which includes one weekly group meeting that will last no more than 60 minutes--tops! That leaves you plenty of TV time. Cohort 3 begins on February 6.
Cohort 3 is now underway, but Cohort 4 is coming Spring 2024! The application period for Cohort 4 will begin sometime in April!
First of all, we don't like to use the word "rejected." Taking steps toward professional growth and development is a huge accomplishment and something to celebrate! That being said, there is limited space in each cohort, so selection will be competitive. We welcome you to reapply for future cohorts if your application is deferred. This does not mean you are not a great instructional designer! We still want you in our community, we still want to match you up with gigs, and we still really, really like you. It simply means you could not be accepted into a cohort at this time.
To become a Certified IDLancer Mentor (totally optional), you must first complete and earn your Certified IDLancer badge. If you're interested in progressing further, you can let either Andrea or Parker know, and we'll be in touch with the next steps!
Once a Certified IDLancer, always a Certified IDLancer. That being said, we may check in periodically to be sure you're upholding your end of the bargain. We expect Certified IDLancers to adhere to the personal and professional commitments, values, and standards listed on this page. For example, if you've recently told one of your clients to "go kick rocks," we're probably gonna have to chat and reserve the right to rescind certification status if problems persist.
No exams! No pop quizzes! However, there will be weekly homework assignments hosted via an LMS that Parker and Andrea will grade themselves.
IDLancer Certification is a free, hands-on mentorship program designed to give you a boost early on in your freelance instructional design career. We know how exhausting it is to read the same old self-help books from industry "gurus" and still feel lost in the sauce. We're trying to save you from the experience we had when we first started out. It kinda sucked. Plus, you might make some buds and accountability partners along the way.
While we don't recommend throwing in the towel on the certification process once it gets going--yeah, sure. If ya want.
Thanks for Applying!
The application period for Cohort 3 is now closed. A big thank you to all our applicants! We'll email you shortly with an update on your acceptance status. Best of luck!
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Copyright IDLance 2024 | All Rights Reserved
Explore
Resources
Social
Contact