The coaching industry has exploded in recent years and with it the number of coach training programmes on the market. So how do you distinguish between them and how do you know that the programme you choose will provide high quality education which will be recognised by future clients and client organisations?
The International Coaching Federation (ICF) represents the industry gold standard so you can't go far wrong if you choose an ICF accredited programme such as Henley Business School's flagship coaching programme, the Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching
Live the coaching gold standard with an ICF approved coaching education programme.
The International Coaching Federation (ICF) is the world's largest and most recognised organisation of professionally trained coaches and sets the highest standards for coach-specific education in the world. Their aim is to strengthen the coaching profession through the use of validated coaching competencies, a common code of ethics, and fair, reliable assessments.
4 Steps to becoming an ICF accredited coach
- Get informed – its necessary to understand the research and key education points to find out which programme is right for you.
- Enrol for an ICF accredited programme - its important for you to become the best coach you can be. By choosing educational opportunities from ICF-accredited coaching organisations, you can be confident that you are getting high-quality coaching education. (The ICF does not officially offer education for becoming a coach, instead they accredit organisations that deliver coaching education and offer professional development for practiced coaches.)
- Join the ICF – as soon as you begin your ICF accredited education programme, you can apply to become a member of the ICF and use their member logo on your coaching website for marketing purposes. (This is not to be confused with earning a credential from the ICF.)
- Earn a credential – accreditation is vital to the success and credibility of the coaching industry and an ICF credential is recognised as the industry gold standard for professional coaches across the globe. You can apply to the ICF for your credential as soon as you have gained your certificate from studying on an ICF accredited training programme and logged the required hours of coaching experience. Holding an ICF credential is an important industry differentiator which will increase your reputation by guaranteeing your level of experience and the quality of your training.
The updated ICF coach training programme accreditation structure
- Level 1 Accreditation (formerly ACSTH) is for organisations that offer at least 60 contact learning hours and it is designated as a pathway to the ACC credential.
- Level 2 Accreditation (formerly ACTP) is for organisations that offer at least 125 contact learning hours and it is designated as a pathway to the PCC credential.
- Level 3 Accreditation (new) is for organisations that offer at least 75 advanced contact learning hours and it is designated as a pathway to the MCC credential.
About the International Coaching Federation (ICF)
The International Coaching Federation (ICF) is the world's largest and most recognised organisation of professionally trained coaches and sets the highest standards for coach-specific education in the world.
When ICF was founded in 1995, its purpose was to give credibility to an emerging profession and give coaches a place to connect with one another. In the 25 years that followed, ICF grew to become the world’s largest organization of professionally trained coaches, and the leading voice for the global coaching community.
In 2022, the ICF is leading the global advancement of the profession empowering the world through coaching and their mission is to advance coaching so that it becomes an integral part of a thriving society.
(Source: https://coachingfederation.org/)
About Henley's Coaching programmes:
Henley Business School has considerable expertise and world-class connections in the field of coaching. We offer the following university level programmes:
Henley's Professional Certificate in Executive Coaching (PCEC) (accredited by the ICF)(Level 1 ICF Accreditation, formerly ACSTH) offers 60 contact learning hours as well as 10 hours of group and individual mentor coaching and 4 hours of group coach supervision. It is designated as a pathway to the ICF's ACC credential. This 9 month programme is also the first stand alone foundation part of Henley's MSc in Coaching for Behavioural Change and carries 30 Masters credits. It is also accredited by the EMCC and the AC, making it one of very few programmes in the world to be triple accredited. The programme is available in different locations around the world as well as online
Henley's Professional Certificate in Team, Board and Systemic Coaching programme (accredited by the ICF)
You can additionally study on this 9 month programme after completing the PCEC (above). Both courses together have ICF Level 2 Accreditation (formerly ACTP) equaling 125 contact learning hours and designated as a pathway to the PCC credential. This programme is also accredited by the EMCC)
