CPD Perspectives: Why Your LMS Certificate Is Not Enough

Most modern learning management systems (LMS) come with a “download certificate” button. It feels like the job is done: learner trained, certificate issued, box ticked.

But here’s the problem: LMS certificates are built for administration, not for recognition.

The limits of LMS certificates

1. Tied to the platform
   The certificate usually links back to the LMS provider, not the training provider. Learners leave with a piece of paper that says more about the software than the people who taught them.
   
   
2. Minimal information
   “Certificate of completion” tells you almost nothing. What did the learner achieve? What skills were developed? There’s rarely a clear record.
   
   
3. Closed systems
   Many LMS platforms keep data inside their ecosystem. Learners can’t easily share certificates outside the system, and employers can’t independently verify them.
   
   
4. Not portable
   Certificates often don’t transfer if you change jobs. They sit inside your employer’s LMS, inaccessible once you leave. Your record of learning disappears with your login.
   
   

The fragility problem

Today there are tens of thousands of LMS platforms in use worldwide, with new systems launched every month and many disappearing just as quickly.

If a training provider changes supplier — or if their LMS goes out of business — what happens to the certificates? Too often, they vanish. Learners are left chasing recognition from platforms that no longer exist.

That’s not recognition. That’s risk.

Recognition vs administration

LMS tools are good at tracking logins, attendance, and completions. But CPD recognition demands more:

• Defined aims, skills, and outcomes.
  
  
• Evidence of what was learned.
  
  
• Verifiable records that exist beyond one company’s database.
  
  
• Portability across jobs, careers, and industries.
  
  

Without this, certificates risk becoming decoration rather than proof.

What learners actually need

Learners don’t just want a PDF. They want:

• Evidence they can add to their CV.
  
  
• Language they can use in interviews.
  
  
• Recognition they can share on LinkedIn.
  
  
• Records that follow them from job to job.
  
  

That means certificates must carry more than a logo. They need to capture and communicate real outcomes — and remain valid even if the underlying platform disappears.

Closing thought

An LMS certificate is better than nothing. But it’s not enough for CPD.

Recognition means proof, transparency, and portability. And that means going beyond the LMS button.