Education Tracks

Communication Track

Talking on track

Members who wish to focus on communication skills begin with the Competent Communication manual that’s included in the New Member Kit. Once they have completed this manual, they can progress to manuals in the Advanced Communication Series.

Competent Communication manual

The 10 speech projects in this manual will help you develop your speaking skills one step at a time. When you finish all of the projects, you are eligible for Competent Communicator (CC) recognition. Complete the CC application in the manual and ask your vice president education (VPE) to submit it online to World Headquarters. You’ll receive a CC certificate and, if this is your first CC award, twoAdvanced Communication Series manuals free of charge.

Advanced Communication Series (Items 226A – 226Z)

After receiving CC recognition, you can work in the Advanced Communication Series. There are 15 manuals, each containing five speech projects. Many of the manuals are career-oriented. You choose the manuals you want to complete and the skills you want to learn. Working in the advanced manuals, you’ll refine and enhance your speaking skills and become eligible for several awards:

Advanced Communicator Bronze (ACB)

To be eligible for this award, you must have:

Achieved Competent Communicator award (or achieved Competent Toastmaster award)
Completed two Advanced Communication Series manuals

Advanced Communicator Silver (ACS)

To be eligible for this award, you must have:

Achieved Advanced Communicator Bronze award (or achieved Able Toastmaster award or Advanced Toastmaster Bronze award)
Completed two additional advanced communication manuals
Conducted any two presentations from The Better Speaker Series and/or The Successful Club Series

Advanced Communicator Gold (ACG)

To be eligible for this award, you must have:

Achieved Advanced Communicator Silver award (or achieved Able Toastmaster Bronze award or Advanced Toastmaster Silver award)
Completed two additional advanced communication manuals
Conducted a presentation from the Success/Leadership Series, Success/Communication Series or a Youth Leadership
Coached a new member with the first three speech projects

By the time you earn the Advanced Toastmaster Gold award, you will have completed six of the available Advanced Communication Series manuals and will have learned many valuable speaking skills.

To apply for any of the Advanced Communicator awards, complete the appropriate section of the Advanced Communicator Award application in the back of any advanced manual and ask your vice president education to submit it online to World Headquarters. You’ll receive a certificate and, if you wish, World Headquarters will send a letter to your employer about your achievement.

Leadership Track

Learn to lead with practical practice

Members working in the leadership track learn and practice leadership skills by serving in club roles.

The Competent Leadership manual is the core of the leadership track. It features 10 projects, which you complete while serving in various club meeting roles. An evaluator will give you feedback on each project, helping you to improve. When you complete the manual, you are eligible for Competent Leader (CL) recognition. Complete the CL application in the manual and ask your vice president education (VPE) to submit it online to World Headquarters. You’ll receive a CL certificate and, if you wish, World Headquarters will send your employer a letter about your accomplishment.

Advanced Leader Program

After earning the CL award you can further refine and develop your leadership skills by working in the advanced leader program. Members working in this program are eligible for Advanced Leader Bronze (ALB) and Advanced Leader Silver (ALS) recognition.

Advanced Leader Bronze (ALB)

To be eligible for this award, a member must have:

Achieved new Competent Leader award
Achieved Competent Communicator award (or Competent Toastmaster award)
Served at least six months as a club officer (president, vice president education, vice president membership, vice president public relations, secretary, treasurer or sergeant at arms) and participated in the preparation of a Club Success Plan while serving in this office
While serving in the above office, participated in a district-sponsored club officer training program
Conducted any two presentations from The Successful Club Series and/or The Leadership Excellence Series

Advanced Leader Silver (ALS)

To be eligible for this award, a member must have:

Achieved Advanced Leader Bronze award (or “old” Competent Leader award)
Served a complete term as a district leader (district governor, lieutenant governor, public relations officer, secretary, treasurer, division governor or area governor). A complete term is defined as having served at least from September 1 through June 30. Those assuming office after September 1 do not qualify as having served a full term
Completed the High Performance Leadership program
Served successfully as a club sponsor, mentor or coach

To apply for either of the Advanced Leader awards, complete the appropriate section of the AL/DTM application and ask your vice president education to submit it online to World Headquarters. You’ll receive a certificate and, if you wish, World Headquarters will send your employer a letter about your accomplishment.

High Performance Leadership

High Performance Leadership features five projects offering instruction and practice in such vital leadership areas as developing a vision, goal-setting and planning, developing plans and strategies, and team-building. It also gives you feedback on your leadership skills. The program may be completed within your Toastmasters club, area or district, and even within your company or community.

Perhaps you would enjoy taking on a project for your club or district while serving as an officer or committee chairman. Or, if you are an employee or supervisor in a business organization, you could do a leadership project related to the needs of your organization. Other possibilities include projects for your community, church, an association or professional group, or some other organization. Your project can be almost anything, so long as it is legal, ethical, and socially responsible, and your activities are not represented as being endorsed by Toastmasters International.

Distinguished Toastmaster (DTM)

The Distinguished Toastmaster award is the highest our organization bestows and it recognizes both communication and leadership skills. To be eligible for the award a member must have:

Achieved Advanced Communicator Gold award (or achieved Advanced Toastmaster Gold award)
Achieved Advanced Leader Silver award (or achieved Advanced Leader award)

To apply for the Distinguished Toastmaster award, complete the appropriate section of the AL/DTM application and ask your vice president education to submit it online to World Headquarters. You’ll receive a plaque and, if you wish, World Headquarters will send a letter to your employer about your achievement.