Do You Know What To Look For In A Professional Coach Training School?

Do You Know What To Look For In A Professional Coach Training School?

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So you have decided you want to become a coach and you're ready to get some professional coach training. Professional coach training is an advanced training and it is important to pick the best for you. Not all coaching schools are created equal, and one size certainly doesn't fit all. And price does not necessarily indicate the best coaching education. What then, as a prospective coach, should you look for? Here are a few of the more important factors to consider when selecting the right school for you.

A really good school will have a coach training program accredited by the ICF (International Coach Federation). Look for an Accredited Coach Training Program (ACTP) or an Approved Coach Specific Training Hours (ACSTH) from the ICF which means the school has undergone a rigorous accreditation to ensure the level of coursework meets or exceeds industry standards, and you get the best professional coach training available. Also, if the school has an accredited coach training program, and you've completed all the requirements, you should then be able to apply for the ACC or PCC (Associate or Professional Certified Coach, which are highly respected industry certifications) through the ICF upon graduation from the school.

An accredited coach training program should also have teachers that have reached the pinnacle of their professions. Most of the teachers will, and should, have an MCC (Master Certified Coach) through the ICF, because a coach with an MCC has the experience, knowledge, and understanding to teach all the different facets of coaching. Be wary of schools whose instructors aren't credentialed (or are below the PCC level) as they may not have the experience or knowledge to help you become the professional coach you want to be.

Also, make sure the coaching school offers courses in your desired specialty. For instance, if you want to do executive coaching then make sure the professional coach training you're applying for has an executive or corporate coach training offering. Even if you haven't decided on a specific specialty, it is a good idea to narrow it down to two or three and make sure that the professional coach training you apply for has a variety to select from, including the specialties you are eyeing. Specialties include (but are not limited to): executive and corporate coaching, small business and career coaching, life coaching, health & wellness coaching, as well as spiritual coaching.

Other things to look for include making sure the school uses actual clients for practice purposes. While students coaching other coaching students is great for starters, it is much more helpful and a greater opportunity to coach clients with real life issues. The amount of supervised coaching practice the school offers (where a mentor coach supervises you coaching an actual client) is another factor to consider. Supervised coaching should be a large percentage of the hours required. The best schools will have up to 50% of coaching hours be required supervised coaching.

There are other factors to consider: location, face-to-face training, and the use of technology (How tech-savvy do you want the school to be?) but the most important thing is to make sure you feel great about the school you choose. Don't be afraid to ask questions of the school, the teachers, and credentialed coaches that you respect. Best of luck!


About the Author:
Anisa Aven has devoted herself to the study of human potential, the principles of conscious success, and the evolution of the social entrepreneur. She has been a popular coach for over ten years, a popular radio talk show guest and public speaker, and a serial entrepreneur. For information on Coach Academy International's ICF-accredited programs, visit http://www.CoachAcademyInternational.com.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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