Coaching, irrespective of the specializations is a booming industry that has advanced in leaps and bounds in the past decade. As per recent data, there are more than 5, 86,292 coaches across 161 countries, including the UAE region. The industry is one of the fastest-growing in the world, with a projection of $20 billion by 2022. Coaching might still be an unregulated practice, but it has leading organizations like the ICF, EMCC, and AoC that offer accreditations to training providers and coaching practitioners. In this blog, we will offer an overview of ICF coaching certification in the UAE.
About ICF (International Coach Federation)
The ICF is a non-profit organization with a global presence. At present, it is the leading and also the largest governing body in the coaching industry. Since its inception the ICF has set the parameters of coaching certifications, ensuring that the training focuses on the understanding, learning, and upholding of the coaching competencies, the core principles, and the Code of Ethics.
What most people miss out on the role of the International Coach Federation is that it does not offer training to aspiring coaches, rather provides accreditations to other training institutions approving their programs and modules. However, it does offer credentials to professional coaches after they fulfill certain requirements as stated by the ICF.
Different Levels of ICF Credentials
There are three certification levels that you can apply to as a coach practitioner. Before enrolling in a program to get an ICF coaching certification in UAE, make sure you’ll clear about the different levels of ICF credentials.
The levels differ in respect of the total number of coach-specific training and coaching practice hours. It is a parameter used to assess your skills and competencies as a coach. The level pathways are:
- Associate Certified Coach (ACC)
- Professional Certified Coach (PCC)
- Master Certified Coach (MCC)
Let’s break it down further to know the specifics:
| ICF Levels | Coach-Specific Training Hours | Mentoring Hours | Coaching Hours | Minimum Clients |
| ACC | 60+ hours | 10 hours with an ACC credentialed mentor coach | 100+ hours | 8 clients |
| PCC | 120+ hours | 10 hours with a PCC/MCC credentialed mentor coach | 500+ hours | 25 clients |
| MCC | 200+ hours | 10 hours with an MCC credentialed mentor coach | 2500+hours | 35 clients |
In each case, you need to pass the Coach Knowledge Assessment (CKA) to get credentialed. While credentialing is not mandatory for coaches, it enhances the credibility of the practitioners, helping create a reputation in the industry.
Getting ICF Coaching Certification in UAE
To get started with your ICF coaching certification in UAE, you need to:
- Enroll in an ICF-approved or ICF-accredited coach training program.
- Attend and complete the coach-specific training hours.
- Complete 10 hours of mentor coaching with an ICF credentialed coach.
- After completion of the training, you can start accumulating your coaching experience hours as you get mentored.
- Pass CKA Exam
Depending on the ICF credential you want to apply to, you must collect coaching experience hours. You can count pro bono and of course, each level has its specific number of experience hours as mentioned earlier. You also have to maintain a coaching log for your ICF application as ICF will need it for review.
On a concluding note, when seeking ICF coaching certification in UAE, it becomes really vital for the coaching aspirant to find an institute of good repute like the Team Transformation. With a global presence through their highly functional and well-equipped virtual classrooms, Team Transformation has been setting precedents of quality training in the coaching industry. Being an ICF-accredited training provider in UAE, Team Transformation trains and supports you to get ICF coaching certification in UAE. Contact now to get started!
