Start Your Career as a Sales Development Representative 

Sales Development Representatives play an essential role in growing a company’s revenue. They generate new opportunities, build pipeline, qualify prospects, and support Account Executives in moving deals forward. This online program prepares learners for Sales Development Representative roles through hands-on training, industry tools, and real-world sales workflows

This program offers three ways to prepare for a career as a Sales Development Representative: a Registered Apprenticeship combined with an Associate’s Degree, a Registered Apprenticeship only, or a self-funded Associate’s Degree path for eligible learners.

 

In this Sales Development Representative program, you’ll learn how to:

• Research and target high-value prospects using Ideal Customer Profiles (ICP) and digital tools.

• Deliver persuasive product demos adapted to customer needs.

• Run multi-touch outreach campaigns using email, phone, and LinkedIn.

• Handle objections with confidence using professional sales frameworks.

• Maintain clean Customer Relationship Management (CRM) data and generate actionable Key Performance Indicators (KPI) dashboards.

• Support Account Executives (AEs) in preparing proposals, pricing, and Return on Investment (ROI) analysis.

Three Paths to Certification - Check Your Eligibility First

Depending on your eligibility and how you enroll, this program offers three pathways to earn credentials through one shared Sales Development Representative training experience:

• Registered Apprenticeship (RAP): Available to eligible apprentices nationwide. If you complete the program through an apprenticeship with an employer, you’ll earn an industry-recognized, nationally portable U.S. Department of Labor credential.

• Associate's Degree Path: Available to eligible students in approved states. This option includes a self-paced, self-funded enrollment path with no employer required, leading to an Associate Degree in Business and Commerce.

• Combined RAP + Associate's Degree: Eligible students in approved states who complete a Registered Apprenticeship may earn both the U.S. Department of Labor credential and the Associate Degree in Business and Commerce at the end of the program.

Important: Learners outside eligible states may still complete the Registered Apprenticeship route and earn the U.S. Department of Labor credential, but the degree option is only available to eligible students in approved states. Check the list of eligible states before enrolling to understand which credential path is available to you.

What You’ll Learn in the Sales Development Representative Program

This program develops the core skills expected of Sales Development Representatives in the U.S. job market, including prospecting, lead qualification, outreach, CRM reporting, sales operations, and AI-assisted productivity.

 

Core SDR Skills

• Build persuasive product demos and presentations.

• Write effective cold emails, call scripts & LinkedIn messages.

• Research and qualify leads using ICP targeting & frameworks (BANT, CHAMP…).

• Handle objections using reframing, micro-agreements & professional tone.

• Recommend product solutions aligned to customer needs and pain points.

CRM, Reporting & Sales Operations

• Maintain accurate customer and campaign records in CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot…).

• Create error logs, update lead lists, tag records & track sales sequences.

• Build KPI dashboards (SQLs, reply rates, conversions...).

• Generate weekly performance reports for your sales team.

• Help your company land deals by assisting your AE.

• Build pricing, ROI, and value-based proposal decks.

• Prepare opportunity summaries and meeting handoff notes.

• Support negotiation scenarios and follow up to increase show-up rates.

AI-Enhanced Productivity

• Use AI to write scripts, polish emails, generate presentations & prepare sales conversations.

• Use AI-integrated CRM tools to improve accuracy and efficiency.

How Do OpenClassrooms Apprenticeships Work? 

OpenClassrooms combines online, project-based learning with career-focused training designed to prepare learners for Sales Development Representative roles. Depending on your path, you may complete the program through a Registered Apprenticeship or, if eligible, through a self-paid path.

Here’s how it works:

1. Onboarding (2-3 weeks prior to start of apprenticeship): Familiarizes both the apprentice and the employer with the training components and requirements. 

2. Apprenticeship (18 months on-the-job, with one day per week of instruction): Build apprentice’s skills via on-the-job training, corresponding online instruction, and weekly one-to-one mentoring sessions. 

3. Get certified! Following completion of the apprenticeship program, all apprentices earn an industry-recognized and nationally portable credential from the U.S. Department of Labor. Apprentices residing in eligible states are additionally awarded an Associate Degree in Business and Commerce.

Hands-On Sales Development Projects

At OpenClassrooms, learning is project-driven so you can build practical Sales Development Representative skills through real-world scenarios. Projects give you hands-on experience in prospecting, outreach, CRM workflows, reporting, and sales communication so you can be ready to contribute from day one.

 

This path has seven projects that you’ll need to complete, one at a time. You’ll receive a detailed brief with the context, customer requirements, and additional details. Then it’s up to you to go and make it real! To do this, you’ll have to be creative, coming up with innovative solutions to the questions at hand.

 

Want to see an example of a project? Read our blog post here.

Online Learning with 1:1 Mentorship and Support

Throughout the program, you’ll be guided by a mentor with professional industry experience. You’ll be able to schedule one-to-one sessions for support, feedback, and guidance as you complete your projects and build your Sales Development Representative skills.

 

 

As a mentor, my role is to support students and share my professional experience in the field of cybersecurity. What's exciting is to guide and accompany enthusiastic and motivated students, as this allows us to develop our pedagogical skills and transmit our passion for this constantly evolving field. Thomas

Who Is Eligible for the Program?

To be eligible for this program, you must demonstrate that you meet the following prerequisites. Some requirements may vary depending on whether you enroll through the Registered Apprenticeship route or an eligible degree path.

• Have a high school/secondary school degree, vocational certificate, or equivalent.

• Be over 18 years of age and have the right to work in the U.S.

• Have the right to work in the U.S.

Technical prerequisites:

To get the most out of this Sales Development Representative program, it helps to have foundational experience in sales, business communication, digital tools, or customer-facing work, including:

• Understanding customer needs and market segmentation

• Familiarity with digital tools for communication (email, LinkedIn, CRM, or spreadsheets)

• Knowledge of prospecting and outreach principles (ICP, personalization, follow-up)

• Basic ability to conduct online research on companies and markets

• Comfortable using AI-assisted writing tools to draft emails, scripts, or presentations

Relevant experience can be shown by having successfully completed the following OpenClassrooms courses or an equivalent preparatory training.

• Create an Effective Email Campaign
• Manage Your Customer Relationships With CRM

Language: a good level of English (for non-native speakers, a CEFR level of B2, an IELTS band score of 6.5, or a TOEFL score of 80 is recommended).

 

Equipment: access to a computer (PC or Mac), headphones, a webcam, and a stable internet connection.

How to Get Started

Your next steps depend on the route you choose. Learners entering through the Registered Apprenticeship path must be employed by a company that supports the apprenticeship. Eligible learners pursuing the degree path without apprenticeship may be able to enroll through the approved self-paced, self-funded option. If you have not yet secured an employer for the apprenticeship route, OpenClassrooms can provide guidance and resources to help you prepare.

 

Start your apprenticeship with confidence, knowing that we're committed to supporting you every step of the way.

Information About Degrees

OpenClassrooms is a higher education institution, accredited by the WASC Senior College & University Commission (WSCUC).

Upon completion of this program, students residing in eligible states will be awarded an Associate's level degree in the Business and Commerce area of study. Degree eligibility is determined by your state of residence at the time of enrollment - see the full list of eligible states following states. 

 

Students residing outside these states may still enroll through the Registered Apprenticeship pathway and will earn the U.S. Department of Labor credential upon completion, but will not receive the Associate Degree.

For students in eligible states, a self-paced, self-funded enrollment option is available as an alternative to the apprenticeship pathway.

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is a Sales Development Representative?
  A Sales Development Representative (SDR) is an entry-level sales professional who helps generate pipeline by researching prospects, qualifying leads, conducting outreach, and supporting the handoff to Account Executives.
• Can I complete this program online?
  Yes. The program includes online learning, hands-on projects, and mentor support. Format details may vary depending on your route.
• Do I need an employer to enroll?
  You need an employer for the Registered Apprenticeship route. Eligible learners in approved states may also have access to a self-paced, self-funded degree path.
• What tools will I learn to use?
  Learners build experience with tools commonly used in sales development, including CRM platforms, outreach tools, reporting dashboards, and AI-powered productivity tools.