Qualifying to provide career guidance and coaching

Across the UK, Careers Advisers/Coaches provide personal career guidance/coaching to clients of all ages. Employers across the UK ask for different levels and types of qualification depending on the role.

Below are the qualifications for providing career guidance and coaching along with progression routes from other qualifications.

The Level 3, 4 and 6 qualifications and Higher, Modern and Technical Apprenticeships are work-based qualifications. You need to be working in the sector which will allow you to meet the evidence requirements.

Qualification in Career Development (QCD)

QCF Level 6 Diploma

Higher Apprenticeship Standard

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Full career guidance qualifications

There are several routes to gain a full qualification at level 6 or level 7 (SCQF level 11) and be recognised as a career development professional, qualified to offer career guidance and able to apply to join the Register of Career Development Professionals:

Qualification in Career Development incorporated within Master’s/Post Graduate Diploma in Career Development by UK universities, and awarded by the CDI.
Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development offered by the CDI Academy and other OCR Centres.
Higher Apprenticeship: Career Development Professional
Post Graduate Qualifications : University of Warwick
Post Graduate Qualifications: Birkbeck University
BA (Hons) Guidance and Counselling: University of Northumbria

Adding credits to become fully qualified

If you already hold any of the qualifications below, you can achieve the above qualifications, or an equivalent, by adding units from the level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development or further Post Graduate credits:

Pre-2011 NVQ 4 in Advice and Guidance or Learning Development and Support Services (Supporting Young People pathway) plus Units 2, 3 and 6 from the Level 6 Diploma
Careers Leadership Level 6 units 21, 22 and 23 or units 17, 18 and 19 from the Level 6 Diploma plus the seven mandatory units
Post Graduate Certificate: Careers Leadership (University of Huddersfield)
Post Graduate Certificate: Careers Leadership (Nottingham Trent University)

Progression from other qualifications/standards

These qualifications are not required to undertake the full career development qualifications, but may act as a progression pathway towards becoming fully qualified.

Post Graduate Certificate in Career Development (related titles)
Level 4 Diploma in Careers Information and Advice
Level 4 NVQ Diploma in Advice and Guidance
Apprenticeship: Employability Practitioner
Technical Apprenticeship: Career Development (Scotland)
Modern Apprenticeship: Career Development (Scotland)

There are also qualifications at Level 3 which can contribute evidence towards the Level 4 Diploma and provide a progression route through to the professional level qualifications.

Learn more about the Progression Pathways for career development (higher education and work-based routes)

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