CTRP certification is for experienced reward professionals with at least four years of rewards-related experience. CTRP is normally offered through a 5-afternoon certification workshop.
Experienced C&B/rewards professionals are those who have completed significant work in the core areas of base pay (job evaluation, benchmarking, basic structures) with experience or significant exposure to benefits. Individuals at the professional level should have a good understanding of total rewards principles, i.e. the importance of looking at the whole package, the mix of rewards, etc.
ATRI has conducted a one-of-a-kind validation study to ensure its total rewards competency framework is aligned to the actual competencies needed for real total rewards (or compensation & benefits) jobs in the ASEAN region. Validation Study findings, along with input from the ATRI Industry Panel indicate the following competencies are associated with the actual responsibilities of professional-level total rewards practitioners in the region and beyond:
Competency Framework Summary—Professional
Total Rewards Overview
The CTRP Workshop begins with a Total Rewards Overview. This provides an introduction and overview of the total rewards approach, essential motivation theories and overviews of base pay, incentives, benefits, work-life, recognition and growth, within the overall total rewards framework. (This is similar, but a little deeper, than the total rewards overview in CTRS.)
Annual Salary Review
Competencies include recommendation of salary budgets, managing the salary review process/project, conducting annual market analysis, updating ranges to determine compa-ratios, developing salary increase guidelines and policies, creating the manager input tools, plus implementation, communication and manager training.
Incentives
Competencies include selecting incentive types based on purpose and objectives, determining target total cash and pay mix, evaluating effectiveness of current incentives, developing annual corporate incentive plans, sales compensation, profit sharing, gainsharing, plus cost modelling and communication.
Advanced Benefits
Competencies include managing the benefits function, insurance strategies such as self-insurance, multinational pooling or cost sharing; benefits funding and accounting, introducing wellness, preventive and flexible benefits, and regional benefits management. There is also a segment on work-life, recognition and development as part of total rewards.
Professional Reward Competencies
Competencies include aligning rewards to performance using traditional or emerging approaches, managing vendors, setting reward policies, managing communication and change, partnering with the business on rewards and working with finance and accounting.
Assessment
The CTRP exam is offered on the final day certification workshop. It is taken online, and participants may use their laptop, tablet or smartphone. A 30-minute review/revision will be given just prior to the exam, to ensure full preparedness.
Professional certification requires successful participation in the full CTRP certification workshop, passing the CTRP exam with a score of 70% or above (28 out of 40 exam items.) There is also an experience requirement: candidates must have a minimum of four (4) years of relevant practical experience, including corporate, consulting or service provider experience, as long as there is evidence of competency in a range of areas within the competency framework. If a participant misses 2 hours or more, they may request the video recording for the section they missed.
Upon successful completion of courses (or workshop) and the exam, an ATRI panel member will recommend confirmation as a Certified Total Rewards Professional. If there is a deficiency of competence based on exam failure or lack of work experience the instructor will advise the candidate to supplement their learning or experience, and the candidate may retake the exam online within 2 weeks of the unsuccessful attempt at no additional cost.
Certification does not expire, but remains current as long as the rewards practitioner remains active in the total rewards field or in a general HR role that involves rewards issues.