Pathways to get ICF accredited

The International Coach Federation (ICF) represents the highest quality in professional coaching. Our General Manager, Education, Mandy Geddes, is often asked how IECL’s coach training aligns with ICF accreditation. Here’s what you need to know.

This is one of our most frequently asked questions, and fair enough – everyone wants to be recognised for their achievements. Although coaching is an unregulated industry, the market is maturing and increasingly purchasers of coaching are asking potential coaches if they are ICF credentialed. An ICF credential tells the marketplace that as a coach you have attained a high level of training, assessment and coaching practise.

The ICF accredits coach training programs and credentials coaches. You can get accredited by IECL (Levels 1 to 3 of our coach training will get you there) and take that accreditation certificate to ICF to submit as part of your application for a credential.

The easiest way to apply for an ICF credential is via an ACTP pathway, and you can qualify for that by completing IECL Levels 1, 2 and 3. On successful completion of Level 3, we will award you the IECL Accreditation certificate, which tells the ICF that you have completed 128.5 hours of “coach specific training” in the ICF Core Competencies, including 10 hours of mentor coaching (including three one-on-one sessions). It also tells ICF that you have been examined by us.

The best way to understand more about the ICF’s credentialing process is via their website. If you can’t wait until you do Level 3, you can take our “Fast track to ACC” pathway after Level 2 and do your additional mentor coaching through that to bring you up to the number of sessions required.

If your clients are not requesting that you be ICF credentialed, another option is to simply join ICF as a member (you have sufficient training hours to do that after IECL Level 2) and then work towards getting your IECL accreditation (after Level 3).

There are many ways to improve upon your professionalism as a coach, and most of them start with further training. We’d be delighted to see you in one of our ongoing CPD or coaching courses.

MANDY GEDDES IS IECL’S GENERAL MANAGER, EDUCATION AND HAS BEEN A KEY MEMBER OF OUR TEAM SINCE 2002. SHE MANAGES IECL COACH TRAININGS AND OUR ALUMNI PROGRAM OF CONTINUOUS PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT THE APAC REGION. SHE HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN DEVELOPING (AND NOW MAINTAINING) OUR ICF ACCREDITED STATUS.