Certified Technical Leader & Coach (CTLC) Program

No. The required leadership and communication courses from the University of Colorado Boulder are hosted on Coursera. These are paid for separately by participants and currently cost approximately $49/month. Most participants complete each level in 5–10 months, keeping costs low.

CTLC requires more resources to administer, including tracking and verifying coaching hours, reviewing reflections and supporting cohort participation. It’s a deeper certification based on applied leadership, not just knowledge checks.

Great! SCTE Chapters play a vital role in cohort success. To begin, contact SCTE National at [email protected] with “Chapter Cohort” in the subject line. We’ll provide facilitation materials, help you plan virtual or in-person sessions and share how your Chapter can retain a portion of the program fees.

To apply as an individual or for your team, submit an application by filling out the form below. From there, you’ll receive instructions for joining a cohort and beginning the required coursework. Please note, you must declare your area of specialty.

Simply indicate your Leadership Institute participation when applying. Your completion will automatically grant you coaching hour credits as follows:

• Tuck Executive Program: 40 hours
• Georgia Tech Mid-Level Program: 25 hours
• Cornell Agile Program: 15 hours

Please note: You still need to complete all required CTLC coursework and virtual cohort sessions.

SCTE’s Leadership Institutes—offered in partnership with universities like Tuck, Georgia Tech, and Cornell—are immersive, in-person programs designed for mid- to senior-level professionals. These Institutes cover a wide range of leadership topics, including strategic thinking, innovation, organizational dynamics and executive presence. The experience includes university faculty, business case studies and a powerful peer network of industry leaders.

The Certified Technical Leader & Coach (CTLC) program complements these Institutes by offering an accessible, applied path for professionals earlier in their leadership journey—or for those who want to lead while staying hands-on in technical roles. CTLC emphasizes real-time coaching and people leadership, particularly in technical teams. Together, the programs form a full-spectrum leadership development experience.

No—CTLC is a coaching and leadership development program. While mentors typically offer guidance based on personal experience, CTLC teaches you how to lead through coaching—asking powerful questions, guiding growth and helping others solve challenges for themselves. It’s an active, skills-based certification—not a passive mentor role.

• Mentoring is about giving advice based on your experience.
• Coaching is about helping someone find their own answers through powerful listening and questions.
  CTLC teaches leadership coaching—a proven method for growing others while strengthening your own leadership presence, especially in technical environments.

Technicians, engineers, team leads, or anyone in a technical role who wants to grow their leadership skills without leaving the work they love. If you’ve ever wanted to help teammates grow, solve problems more effectively, or take the lead without waiting for a title, this program is for you.

That’s okay. As part of the program, you’ll be encouraged to identify coaching opportunities in your team, SCTE Chapter, or broader technical community. We’ll provide guidance and examples to help you get started—even if coaching is new to you.

For Level 1, expect to spend 3–4 hours per week over about 5 months. That includes watching short Coursera videos, reading one coaching book, practicing your skills and attending 3 virtual cohort sessions.

No traditional test. Certification is awarded through a combination of course completions, coaching hour logs, cohort participation and a brief reflection that shows what you’ve applied.

Not at all. In fact, CTLC was designed to be an alternative to traditional, expensive degree programs. That said, if you do want to pursue a university degree later, CTLC coursework can count toward CU Boulder’s online Master’s in Engineering Management—even if you don’t yet have a bachelor’s degree.

CTLC is built specifically for those who lead in technical environments—whether you’re a field technician, engineer, or supervisor. Unlike typical leadership programs focused on office settings or executive roles, CTLC prepares you to lead and coach where the work happens: in data centers, network hubs, labs, and on the ground with your team.

It’s not just about theory—it’s backed by university-grade content designed for technical leaders:

• Technical Communication: Learn to write, speak, and present as a technical leader.
• Leading Technical Teams: Understand the dynamics, challenges, and influence required on high-skill teams.
• Leading Technical Organizations: Master cross-functional leadership, accountability, and long-term value creation.
• Neuroscience of Leadership: Gain tools to motivate and support others based on how technical people process stress, feedback, and goals.

This program is about building influence without needing a title, growing others while staying close to the tools, and validating leadership based on real practice—not just attendance.