Become a Certified Instructional Designer
A mentor-led, state-licensed program with unlimited feedback. Built for real hiring outcomes.
Earn an industry-backed certification, and if you don't land an instructional design role within six months of graduating, you may be eligible for 100% of your tuition back. Terms apply. Learn more.
- Unlimitedin-depth feedback from your dedicated ID mentor
- $86,686average US instructional designer incomeInstructional Design Salary Survey — industry-wide, not a Peck Academy stat.
- 3live workshops every single week
Our graduates have worked with some of the world's leading organizations.
Real, Transformative Career Transitions
Most Peck Academy students aren't chasing a trendy job. They're building work they're proud of and stepping into roles where their skills are valued.
Our students come from many backgrounds:
- Former teachers who wanted out of the classroom and into roles with long-term growth
- Professionals in L&D, design, or customer-facing roles who wanted deeper, more strategic work
- Creatives and educators who wanted to combine storytelling, problem-solving, and technology
What changed wasn't just their job title.
They learned how to:
That combination of portfolio quality, mentorship, and a supportive peer community is what helps people successfully transition into instructional design.
I went from rejection after rejection to producing tangible, high-quality deliverables — and landed a top tech offer I never thought possible. It all started with gaining clarity on the design process.
Joanna CappuccilliCurriculum Developer at Amazon Web ServicesWith a clearer grasp of learning theory and authoring tools like Storyline, I felt ready to hit the ground running. I landed a remote role just two months after completing my flagship project.
Shelby KandzioraLearning Designer at KohlsOnce I created my flagship projects, put my portfolio together, and rewrote my resume, I felt confident to start applying for jobs.
Ultimately, I landed three job offers because of my portfolio and the skills I learned in the program.
I went from zero corporate ID experience to leading impactful learning solutions.
Aneta WisniewskaInstructional Designer at the University of MinnesotaI went from zero experience with industry tools to confidently stepping into an ID role.
My hands-on growth with Storyline and the support of peers helped me make the leap from military training to civilian instructional design.
Jeremy ChestnutInstructional Designer at Educology SolutionsWhen I started collaborating with my ID Mentor to have that back and forth — the option to have somebody to run your ideas by — there's so much value in that.
You can't put a price tag on having that kind of relationship as you're really trying to build something that's going to hopefully get you a job.
Vanessa MillerInstructional Designer at UCSF HealthThrough the feedback and encouragement of the program and my team, I was able to create a solid portfolio website with multiple high-quality projects that showcase my skills.
This gave me greater confidence leading into my job search, and I was able to land a Curriculum Developer position at Amazon Web Services.
David LeiseyCurriculum Developer at Amazon Web Services
- 01Apply and Enroll
Apply online to confirm fit, review expectations, and get clear next steps. No sales calls or pressure.
- 02Build In-Demand Skills
Learn by doing through on-demand lessons, live workshops, and hands-on projects. In-depth feedback at every stage.
- 03Create Your Stand-Out Portfolio
Design real projects that show how you think, make decisions, and solve problems, not just polished visuals.
- 04Earn Your Certification
Graduate with a state-licensed instructional design certification you can confidently share on LinkedIn, your resume, and your portfolio.
- 05Land Your New Role
Get structured support during your job search: from resumes and interviews to navigating offers and next steps.
Unlimited Feedback to Become Hire-Ready
At Peck Academy, feedback is the core of how you learn.
You won't submit a project, get a quick “looks good,” and move on. You'll get clear, detailed feedback on your projects, portfolio site, and resume, and you'll keep refining until your work reflects the level hiring teams expect.
- Submit work whenever you're ready, not on rigid deadlines
- Receive actionable, specific feedback within a defined review window
- Iterate with guidance so you're never guessing what to fix next
You'll work closely with a dedicated instructional design mentor, get live feedback during weekly workshops, and receive personalized video reviews between sessions.
We focus on quality, not just completion. We stay with you through the messy middle, revising and improving, so the work you graduate with holds up in real hiring conversations.
Having the feedback really bolstered me — it gave me the confidence to put my project and portfolio out into the world, which was terrifying at first. Without that feedback, I don't know if I would have had the guts to do it.
Maggie TeperInstructional Designer at True Group, Inc.Most of the feedback was in video format and that was unbelievable! I'd never seen anything like that kind of feedback before. I've only ever received feedback scribbled all over an essay. And getting the video feedback was really helpful.
Sally CastleFreelance Instructional DesignerWhat I valued most was the critical, focused feedback that helped me truly improve. It wasn't surface-level — it challenged me to think deeper and make design decisions with purpose.
Laura StrombergssoneLearning Developer at aloPersonalized, 1-on-1 Strategy Sessions
Cookie-cutter advice won't land you your dream instructional design role. That's why you'll meet 1-on-1 with your dedicated Instructional Design Mentor to craft a personalized strategy, from your first project to your top-choice job offer.
In the Professional Certification, you'll also work with our Career Mentor who specializes in personal branding, resumes, and job search strategy. This includes four strategic planning sessions, resume/LinkedIn support, and mock interviews to help you step into the job market with confidence.
Kick things off by mapping out a learning plan tailored to your background, strengths, and career goals. No guessing, no overwhelm.
Lay the foundation for your capstone, scenario-driven eLearning project with expert guidance, so your portfolio stands out to hiring managers.
Work side-by-side with your mentor to position your skills on LinkedIn, refine your ID resume, and craft a personal brand that gets attention.
When it's time to apply, interview, and negotiate, you won't be doing it alone. Your mentor will coach you through every step, so you show up ready and confident.
Our Industry-Leading Curriculum
Our curriculum focuses on the practical skills and hands-on experience employers want. Across seven comprehensive courses with hundreds of lessons, you'll build a complete skillset to enter instructional design with confidence.
Instructional Design Project Lab
Learn instructional design theory, process, and models while building hands-on projects that simulate real-world experience.
- Conduct needs analysis in real-world scenarios
- Create surveys to gather audience insights
- Interview subject matter experts effectively
- Apply instructional design theories to create sound learning experiences
- Design deliverables including storyboards, video scripts, and workshops
- Evaluate learning solutions for effectiveness
Learn instructional design theory, process, and models while building hands-on projects that simulate real-world experience.
- Conduct needs analysis in real-world scenarios
- Create surveys to gather audience insights
- Interview subject matter experts effectively
- Apply instructional design theories to create sound learning experiences
- Design deliverables including storyboards, video scripts, and workshops
- Evaluate learning solutions for effectiveness
Master Articulate Storyline 360, the industry's most popular eLearning authoring tool, through nine hands-on projects.
- Navigate the Storyline interface confidently
- Create professional, interactive eLearning content
- Add interactivity with triggers, variables, and conditions
- Make your content accessible and user-friendly
- Publish and share your projects professionally
- Develop projects including tab interactions, assessments, and scenario-based learning
Create a flagship project that demonstrates your ability to solve real business problems through effective instructional design.
- Follow a comprehensive design process focused on performance improvement
- Write engaging, story-driven content
- Apply visual design principles for professional layouts
- Create a high-quality project that showcases your full range of skills
Create a professional portfolio website that gets noticed by employers and clients.
- Choose the right projects to showcase
- Write compelling case studies that highlight your process
- Create a visually appealing, user-friendly website
- Drive traffic to your portfolio and leverage it for opportunities
Position your experience effectively to land more interviews.
- Identify transferable skills from your previous roles
- Highlight metrics and results that demonstrate your impact
- Tailor your resume to specific instructional design positions
Optimize your LinkedIn profile to attract recruiters and potential clients.
- Create a profile that highlights your instructional design skills
- Build your network strategically with industry professionals
- Generate leads through LinkedIn optimization and networking
Prepare for common interview questions and turn interviews into job offers.
- Develop confident responses to typical ID interview questions
- Connect your experience to the skills employers are seeking
- Research companies effectively and prepare thoughtful questions
AI is Part of the Job. We Teach It That Way.
AI is now part of how learning teams analyze needs, prototype ideas, develop content, and create realistic practice. At Peck Academy, AI isn't a shortcut or a trend. It's a practical design tool you'll use to make better instructional decisions, build stronger learner practice, and create portfolio projects that show modern L&D skill.
Inside the program, you'll learn how to:
- Design AI-powered experiences that help learners practice realistic workplace decisions
- Integrate AI roleplay into eLearning projects in ways that support performance, not gimmicks
- Explain your AI design decisions clearly in your portfolio and hiring conversations
Every student gets 12 months of devlin.ai included, plus weekly AI workshops with Devlin, to build AI-powered practice into your portfolio projects.
The goal is practical AI fluency: knowing when to use AI, how to explain your decisions, and how to apply it responsibly in real instructional design work.
Connection Changes How You Learn
Instructional design isn't learned in isolation.
At Peck Academy, you become part of a professional community made up of current students, alumni, mentors, and experienced instructional designers who are actively working in the field.
- Learning alongside peers who are working toward the same goal
- Getting perspective and feedback from designers at different stages of their careers
- Seeing how others approach projects, portfolios, and job searches
The community is woven into the program through weekly live workshops, Academy team meetings, private community spaces, and special events.
This isn't about networking for its own sake. It's about developing your skills in a professional environment and building relationships that continue well beyond the program.
Build a Portfolio That Holds Up in Hiring Conversations
Your portfolio isn't just something you submit. It's how hiring teams evaluate how you think, solve problems, and approach real instructional design work.
Peck Academy helps you develop a professional-grade portfolio made up of real projects that reflect the level of clarity and decision-making employers expect.
Inside the program, you'll:
- Design projects based on realistic problems (not generic prompts or templates)
- Apply storytelling, strategy, and learning science in ways you can clearly explain
- Graduate with a portfolio that reflects your process, not just polished deliverables
We've helped students use their portfolios to stand out in competitive applicant pools and go on to work with leading organizations and universities, with their process and decision-making doing the talking.
Explore the Showcase
The program not only taught me how to create a course in Storyline, it helped me create a website portfolio, tailor my resume, prepare for interviews, and make new friendships that continue to help me grow.
Kelley GainesInstructional Systems Designer at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing CompanyThanks to the months I spent practicing with real tools and projects, I stepped into my new role ready to storyboard, work with SMEs, and build eLearning — following the same process I had already lived through.
Katherine PorterInstructional Designer at McDermott Will & EmeryI had never used Storyline before, but after leveling up my skills and building a new flagship project, I secured both the highest-paying freelance contract of my career and a full-time role that reflects my values.
Teresa MorenoFreelance Instructional DesignerI joined a community of helpful industry professionals and fellow transitioning teachers that provided me with daily support and feedback.
The program also made it easy for me to quickly gain the skills necessary to break into the field.
Sean AndersonSr. Associate Instructional Designer at PowerSchoolLearning how to design for adults and apply theory gave me the tools I needed to shift from teaching to a learning and development role I truly enjoy.
Theresa BroughDirector of Learning & Development at Home Furniture Plus BeddingOnce I joined the program, I knew I had made the right decision.
The structured modules, the community space, the opportunities for feedback, and the overall support enabled me to succeed.
Had I gone through this process on my own, I'm not sure if I would have been where I am at today.
Raul FajardoCurriculum Developer at Amazon Web ServicesThe Industry Is Growing & the Bar Is Rising
Instructional design roles continue to grow across industries. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment for training and development specialists is projected to grow faster than the average occupation over the next decade as organizations invest more heavily in learning, enablement, and internal training.
But growth hasn't made hiring easier.
As more people attempt to transition into instructional design, hiring teams are raising the bar.
Many applicants struggle to stand out: not because they lack interest, but because their portfolios don't show real decision-making, their skills don't match day-to-day work, or their experience isn't clearly communicated.
Peck Academy is designed to help you meet the current hiring standard, not an outdated one. You'll build practical skills, develop a portfolio that holds up in real hiring conversations, and earn a credential that signals readiness.
Backed By Independent Experts
Our curriculum is designed with input from an independent Advisory Committee: a diverse group of instructional design leaders who ensure our program reflects current industry standards and employer expectations.
These professionals work in the field today and help us stay ahead of emerging trends and technologies. Their ongoing guidance keeps the program evolving with the industry, so you graduate with relevant, in-demand skills.
Keith Wilson
Director of Cybersecurity Education at AttackIQ
Peck Academy stands out for its commitment to adult learning principles and real-world skill development. The curriculum is thoughtfully designed, grounded in instructional design best practices, and provides aspiring learning professionals with the tools they need to transition confidently into the field. This level of depth and quality is exactly what I look for when evaluating instructional talent.
The Peck Academy Promise
We've designed Peck Academy to prepare students for real instructional design roles, and we're willing to stand behind that commitment.
If you complete the Instructional Design Professional Certification and do not land an instructional design role within six months of graduation, you may be eligible for a 100% tuition refund, in accordance with the terms outlined in the enrollment agreement.
This promise exists for a reason.
We ask students to invest significant time and effort into building job-ready skills and a strong portfolio. In return, we commit to providing the curriculum, mentorship, feedback, and career support needed to meet today's hiring standards.
The full refund criteria, timelines, and responsibilities for both parties are clearly defined in the enrollment agreement, which we'll review and sign together.
Practical Skills vs. Academic Credentials
Academic degrees have their place.
But for instructional design roles, adding another degree on its own doesn't always translate into stronger portfolios or clearer hiring outcomes.
We regularly work with aspiring instructional designers (including those who have already completed Master's programs) who are still working to bridge the gap between academic coursework and employer expectations.
That's why many career switchers choose Peck Academy instead of traditional degree programs.
Tuition figures reflect publicly available catalog data as of May 2025. Full tuition refund eligibility subject to terms and conditions. Learn more.
Choose the Right Program
Launching an instructional design career is a meaningful decision, and the quality of your preparation matters.
Many programs focus on speed or surface-level credentials. Peck Academy is designed differently: with an emphasis on skill mastery, portfolio quality, and readiness for real hiring processes.
Rather than aiming for “good enough,” we help students build work that reflects professional standards and holds up in competitive applicant pools.
Comparisons are based on public information and general trends in the industry as of May 2025. Individual experiences may vary. Full tuition refund eligibility subject to terms and conditions. Learn more.
Ready to Begin Your Instructional Design Transition?
Apply now to be considered for the Fall cohort.
There's no application fee. Our team will walk you through the programs, expectations, and next steps before you enroll.
Apply for the Fall CohortFrequently Asked Questions
Peck Academy is designed for people who want to prepare seriously for instructional design roles, whether they're transitioning into the field or working to stay competitive in a changing market.
Many students come in with little or no formal instructional design experience. Others already work in adjacent roles or have some ID background but want stronger portfolios, clearer positioning, or more advanced skills.
We don't assume prior instructional design experience.
The program is structured to help you build skills progressively, from foundational concepts to portfolio-ready work, with feedback and support at each stage.
The Foundations program is a $5,400 investment when paid upfront, the Practitioner program is a $7,400 investment upfront, and the Professional Certification is a $9,400 investment upfront.
Flexible payment plans are available for every tier, including an 18-month option, and we also partner with Climb Credit for longer-term financing of up to 42 months.
These options make it possible to spread out the investment, in some cases to less than $300 per month, while still getting full access to the program.
Most students spend 10 to 15 hours per week to complete the program in about 9 months. You also receive additional, complimentary feedback time after your program has ended: 3 months (Foundations), 6 months (Practitioner), or 9 months (Professional).
If you can commit 25 to 40 hours a week, it is possible to complete the program in 3 to 6 months.
Either way, you can move at the pace that fits your life and schedule.
If you complete the Instructional Design Professional Certification program and do not land a qualifying instructional design role within six months of graduation, you may be eligible for a 100% tuition refund, provided all eligibility requirements are met.
The full criteria, timelines, and responsibilities for both the student and Peck Academy are clearly outlined in the enrollment agreement and School Catalog.
Peck Academy is a licensed private career school approved by the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission (HECC).
While we're not currently accredited through a national accrediting body, we are held to state-level standards for quality, transparency, and student outcomes.