The Level 5 Coaching professional, and the 64 providers delivering it.
Work with individuals and teams to enhance their professional performance.
About this apprenticeship
What this apprenticeship covers
Apprentices learn to deliver one-to-one and team coaching across a range of organisational contexts, using established models such as GROW, solutions-focused coaching and cognitive behavioural approaches. The programme covers contracting with clients and stakeholders, setting and monitoring outcome-focused goals, applying questioning techniques to raise self-awareness, and delivering non-directive feedback. Underpinning theory includes emotional intelligence, motivational psychology, diversity and inclusion, and relevant legislation such as data protection and safeguarding. Apprentices also develop their own reflective practice and receive supervision throughout.
Day-to-day responsibilities
A coaching professional typically manages a caseload of coaching relationships, scheduling and running structured sessions with individuals or teams. Week to week this means preparing for and conducting coaching conversations, maintaining confidential session records, contracting with clients and line managers on goals and boundaries, and reviewing progress against agreed outcomes. They may work alongside HR, leadership development or organisational development teams. Regular supervision, self-reflection logs and continuing professional development activity are also part of the role.
Career outlook
Completion leads to roles such as performance coach, leadership coach, team coach, career coach or wellbeing coach, often within internal L&D or HR functions. Experienced practitioners frequently move into independent consultancy or set up coaching practices of their own. Employers span health, finance, professional services, education, retail and the public sector. Professional body membership, for example with the ICF or EMCC, is a common next step and supports progression to senior or executive coaching work.
64 approved providers
Sorted by achievement rate.
Pier Training (Pier Technology Limited trading as Pier Training) is a UK apprenticeship and commerci...
Gi Group UK is a workforce and HR services provider that delivers apprenticeship and training soluti...
North Hertfordshire College (NHC) is a further education college offering a broad range of vocationa...
North Lancs Training Group (NLTG) is an independent training provider offering apprenticeships and w...
MBKB is an Ofsted Outstanding training provider delivering apprenticeships and professional programm...
Trafford College is part of The Trafford & Stockport College Group and offers a wide range of techni...
Warrington & Vale Royal College is a large further education college serving Warrington, Northwich, ...
Intec Business Colleges Limited is a national work‑based training provider specialising in apprentic...
South Devon College is a further and higher education provider offering a wide range of apprenticesh...
Established in 2011, Richmond is an apprenticeship and workforce development provider offering appre...
WELL Training is a UK-based people development provider established in 2010 that delivers state-of-t...
Logistica Training is a UK-based training provider offering apprenticeships and short courses design...
Fashion Retail Academy is an industry-led fashion college based in central London that specialises i...
Northwest Education and Training (NWEAT) is a UK training provider established in 2013 that speciali...
The Childcare Company is a national apprenticeship training provider specialising in Early Years, ch...
Tend Training is a national training provider that has been delivering apprenticeships and vocationa...
Skillcert is a registered independent education and training provider delivering government-funded a...
ITEC Training & Education Center is a technical training provider based in Rochester, New York, deli...
Paragon Skills is a national apprenticeship provider delivering Ofsted-rated ‘Good’ training with a ...
Lifetime is a UK apprenticeships training provider focused on helping employers upskill, reskill and...
Career outcomes
Roles after completion
Graduates typically move into roles such as Internal Coach, Leadership Coach, or Performance Coach within an organisation's HR, learning and development, or people function. Some take on the title of Coaching Practitioner or Wellbeing Coach, working across teams rather than within a single department. Others operate as Career Coach or Team Coach, supporting change programmes or talent pipelines. A minority move straight into independent practice, though most build their hours and client base while employed.
Progression paths
Within three to five years, many coaches take on responsibility for coaching strategy across a business unit, moving into roles such as Head of Coaching, L&D Business Partner, or Organisational Development Consultant. There are two broad tracks from that point. A leadership track leads toward Head of People, People Director, or Chief People Officer. A specialist track deepens into systemic or executive coaching, supervision of other coaches, or independent consultancy with a portfolio of corporate clients. Formal accreditation with bodies such as the ICF or EMCC typically accompanies progression along either track.
Where these roles sit
Demand sits across the full range of UK industries. Large employers in financial services, healthcare, central and local government, professional services, and technology tend to maintain internal coaching teams or commission coaching programmes at scale. Smaller organisations in education, the third sector, and professional services more often bring in associate or freelance coaches. Public sector employers, particularly the NHS and civil service, have invested steadily in internal coaching capacity.
How it's assessed
How the apprenticeship is assessed
Throughout the apprenticeship, the learner builds competence in coaching practice while working in their role, drawing on theory and applying it in real sessions with individuals and teams. Before moving to final assessment, the apprentice must pass a readiness check, often called a gateway, where the employer and training provider confirm the learner has met the required knowledge, skills and behaviours. Final assessment then establishes whether the apprentice can perform the full coaching role to the standard expected. Assessment for many standards is currently being updated as part of ongoing reform, so check the standard's gov.uk page for the current specification.
What learners need to prepare
Building a strong body of evidence throughout the apprenticeship makes a significant difference at the gateway and beyond. Learners should keep records of their coaching sessions, including reflections on their practice, feedback received, and how they have developed their own coaching model over time. Waiting until the end to collate evidence is a common mistake. Working closely with both the employer and training provider from the start, and engaging with supervision and self-reflection consistently, puts learners in a stronger position when readiness is reviewed.
Choosing a provider
What good looks like
Look for providers with an achievement rate above 65% on their FATP profile, ideally higher given the relatively short 14-month programme. Because coaching is a practice-based discipline, strong providers will give apprentices access to real coaching hours with genuine coachees, not just simulated role-play. Ask whether supervised practice and reflective log requirements are built into the programme structure. Employer satisfaction scores matter here: coaching sits inside organisational culture, so providers who understand how to work with line managers and HR teams will design the programme around your context, not a generic classroom model. Check that the provider holds or aligns to a recognised professional body standard, such as ICF or EMCC.
Red flags to watch for
Be cautious of providers running very large cohorts with declining achievement rates, which can indicate that individual supervision and coaching practice hours are being squeezed. If a provider cannot clearly explain how apprentices accumulate supervised coaching hours across the programme, that is a significant gap. Vague answers about how they handle the reflective practice and self-development requirements suggest the programme is content-heavy but light on the applied work that defines competent coaching. Providers who cannot point to alumni working in recognisable coaching roles after completion are also worth scrutinising.
Questions to ask before you commit
- How many supervised coaching hours will the apprentice complete, and how is that practice structured across the 14 months?
- How does the programme develop self-awareness and reflective practice, rather than just knowledge of coaching models?
- Which professional body frameworks does the programme align to, and does the end-point assessment recognise any external accreditation?
- How does the provider involve the employer throughout, particularly in agreeing the coaching context and reviewing progress?
- What happens if an apprentice struggles with the interpersonal or emotional intelligence elements of the role?
- What is the current achievement rate for this standard, and how has it changed over the last two years?
- Can you speak to a previous apprentice or employer who completed this programme with you?
Common questions
What are the entry requirements for the coaching professional apprenticeship?
There are no national entry requirements set by the standard, so employers decide what they expect from candidates. In practice, most employers look for people already working in a role with coaching responsibilities or a clear move into one. Some employers ask for prior experience in a people-facing or leadership role. The apprentice must be employed throughout and the learning must be relevant to their job. Check with individual training providers about any specific academic or experience expectations they set.
How long does the apprenticeship take and what does the time commitment look like for the employer and apprentice?
The typical duration is around 14 months, though this can vary depending on the apprentice's prior learning and pace of progress. Apprentices remain employed throughout and apply their learning directly in the workplace. A portion of their contracted hours is set aside for off-the-job training. The exact minimum duration and off-the-job requirement are subject to ongoing reform under Skills England, so check the current specification on the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education page for the latest figures before planning delivery.
How is the apprenticeship assessed and what does the end-point assessment involve?
Before assessment, the apprentice must pass through a gateway, at which point the employer and training provider confirm the apprentice has met the required knowledge, skills and behaviours. Assessment models for many standards are currently being reviewed, so the precise methods, for example professional discussion, observation or portfolio, may have changed. Always check the current assessment plan on gov.uk for the up-to-date requirements. The apprentice must demonstrate genuine competence as a coaching practitioner, not just theoretical knowledge.
How does funding work and what will the apprenticeship cost the employer?
The funding band for this standard is £5,000, which is the maximum government contribution toward training costs. Large employers who pay the apprenticeship levy use those levy funds directly. Smaller employers co-invest with the government, typically contributing 5% of the training cost, with the government paying the rest. Employers with fewer than 50 staff taking on an apprentice aged 16 to 18 pay nothing toward training costs. Funding covers training and assessment only, not the apprentice's wage. Speak to a training provider to confirm current co-investment rates.
What does a coaching professional apprentice actually do in their day-to-day role?
Day-to-day work centres on conducting one-to-one and team coaching sessions, contracting with individuals and stakeholders to agree goals and boundaries, and using questioning techniques to help people develop their own thinking. Apprentices maintain coaching records, manage confidentiality, apply models such as GROW or solutions-focused approaches, and track progress against agreed outcomes. They also reflect on their own practice, attend supervision, and develop their personal coaching model. The role spans sectors including health, education, finance, technology and professional services.
What can a coaching professional apprentice progress to after completing the programme?
Completers are well placed to move into senior or specialist coaching roles such as leadership coach, executive coach, team coach or systemic coach. Some go on to build an internal coaching practice within their organisation or take on coaching as a core part of a management or HR role. Professional body membership, such as with the ICF, EMCC or AC, becomes more accessible with demonstrated competence at this level. Further qualifications at degree or master's level in coaching, organisational psychology or leadership development are natural next steps for those wanting to specialise further.
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Curated by Alex Lockey, FATP founder and editor. Last reviewed: .
Sources include the apprenticeship's official specification on apprenticeships.gov.uk, Skills England guidance, IfATE archive records, DWP funding bands, and provider data sourced directly from the public Apprenticeship Provider and Assessment Register (APAR). Standard reference: 555.
Some sections on this page were drafted with AI assistance from published source data and reviewed by a human editor before publication. See our editorial methodology for how we maintain this content. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.