Video: "The Practitioner Diploma allowed me to discover who I am"

Transcript: 

“I enjoyed connecting with people from all different backgrounds and job profiles, careers, even locations across the world, and I felt that that just brought this kind of rich experience. I found that when we all came together, and maybe it's because the AoEC is seen as such a prestigious and the gold standard of coaching, that it attracts so many people from all around the world and you just get this really rich experience. Really I think the way they did it was just as effective as I could imagine it being in person. I thought that the exercises we did were still completely accessible, and actually having the space at home to kind of quietly reflect was really useful as well to be able to kind of engage with the content. But then also to step out of it really easily and just take your own moment to let some of the content and the reflections sink in.

The faculty were brilliant. They were so supportive, and when you've been observed and then you just received their feedback they did it in such a way that just always uplifted you even if you were thinking “Oh my goodness that was terrible” - there was always good in everything and they really helped you see that and build your confidence.

Personally, I believe that the course allowed me to discover who I am - which now I recognize what an advantage that is in the kind of world that we live in. The fact that people are kind of going on this journey a lot later in life, and I've had the privilege to work this out right now. I've had a lot of life change to navigate in my life and the lessons I've learned from the programme have served me. Professionally it's helped me secure work in a new country. I moved to Canada this year to join my family and my fiancé, and coaching was the reason that I got hired in my current position. So the AoEC in my mind, the standard was of the top level and that's particularly around also the different elements of work that were required so the written work and the assessment, and developing your own model. There was a lot of different moving parts that you got to engage with, and therefore you were not just developing one aspect of your coaching. It was multiple parts so I would say absolutely do it whether it's a personal or professional endeavour, or both. Coaching changes and transforms your life, and even if you're not intending to practice as a coach having the skills I found just empowers you to be a lot more in control of yourself, your life in a world where everything seems crazy. Having the skills of coaching from the AoEC’s programme is invaluable.”