In many fields, the concept of professional development for workers at varying levels is well entrenched. At the heart of professional development is the desire to expand the "toolbox" of workers' skills. However, for out-of-school time (OST) staff and youth workers, experiences with professional development can vary widely, from high quality to no quality. Findings from the Massachusetts Afterschool Research Study (Miller and Hall, 2007) showed that, in a large sample of afterschool programs, staff development had a significant relationship with program quality. Programs with more highly educated and trained staff--both program directors and direct service workers--demonstrated higher quality staff engagement, youth engagement, activities, and homework time. Other studies show that professional development initiatives have had a major impact on afterschool and youth work staff, particularly since these workers are often without pre-service training or academic degrees (Costley, 1998; Harvard Family Research Project, 2004). Across the country, states are conducting key work in the areas of professional development, training, certification, and credentialing. Much can be learned from this work about how to build from existing models, link credentialing to core competencies, create an infrastructure to support a credential, and attend to accessibility and affordability. Massachusetts, like several other states, has begun to pilot credential programs. This article provides the example of two pilot credentials in Massachusetts--The School-Age Youth Development Credential (SAYD) and the Professional Youth Worker Credential (PYWC)--which aids in understanding the importance of establishing credentials and what accomplishments can be expected. This knowledge can guide the next steps in establishing a national credential for afterschool and youth workers.