3.2 Coaching training
As mentioned in Week 7, coaching is not currently a regulated industry. However, this is likely to change in the future and many coaches already have relevant qualifications.
Large organisations may offer training programmes for staff interested in internal coaching, i.e. coaching colleagues within the organisation. Ask your Human Resources team for more information. If not, there may be funding available for you to train externally as part of your own professional development.
If your employer is unlikely to fund your training, or you are not currently in employment, there are many independent training providers offering coaching courses and qualifications.
Try to find courses that are recognised or accredited by one of the three leading professional associations in the UK:
- European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) [Tip: hold Ctrl and click a link to open it in a new tab. (Hide tip)]
- Association for Coaching (AC)
- International Coaching Federation (ICF)
Check out their websites to find out more about how they accredit courses. They also offer advice and information about individual accreditation, as well as news pages, blogs etc.
Each organisation has a subscription fee, which will give you access to members-only resources, such as recent research and discussion groups.
There are also many useful publications available, written primarily for coaches or trainees. For example:
The Complete Handbook of Coaching (2024), 4th edn., Sage Publications.
Edited by Elaine Cox, Tatiana Bachkirova and David Clutterbuck, with chapters from leading, international professionals, it is presented in three parts: theoretical perspectives; genres and contexts; professional practice issues. It is viewed as the most comprehensive and accessible overview of the field today, and new editions seek to include the latest developments and ideas.
This book is full of practical examples and case studies, and a new online teaching guide provides videos and further reading to support learning.
It would be particularly useful for coaching practitioners and trainees.
An Introduction to Coaching Skills: A Practical Guide (2020), 3rd edn., Sage Publications.
Written by Christian van Nieuwerburgh, this book is aimed at novice and trainee coaches. It takes a step-by-step approach that is easy to follow, and is written in an honest and encouraging style. It is a practical book, full of activities and coaching questions to try.
It also links to a companion website, which presents numerous videos to illustrate different coaching behaviours and their impact.
The Career Coaching Handbook (2022), 2nd edn., Routledge.
Written by Julia Yates, who you have seen in short video clips throughout this course, this book combines the latest career development research with the most up-to-date coaching approaches, allowing the author to clearly explain what career coaching offers to clients.
It has an engaging and straightforward style aimed at new practitioners looking to enhance their career coaching practice.
From a US-based coach’s perspective, The Coaching Tools Company (Elsey, 2024) suggests ‘The top 15 coaching books to make you a better coach’. The list includes examples from some key authors in the field, including Sir John Whitmore who developed the GROW model. Find the link to this article in References.
Now you’ve looked at some of the resources available to help you progress, the next section rounds off the course by looking at the future of mentoring and coaching.