Already working in governance, but want a professional qualification to cement your skills and enhance your career prospects? Perhaps you work in law or finance and have had a glimpse into the world of governance that you want to explore further. Or maybe you work in a role where you’ve been given some governance responsibilities and want to build on them.
Whatever has led you to a career in governance, you could use your prior learning or experience to help you achieve your professional goals more quickly.
Lauren Osman GradCG
Head of Governance, Avenues Group
“I actually started as a part-time personal assistant! I started supporting the Finance Director, who was also the Company Secretary, and she saw potential in me, pushed me to pursue a career in governance, and I have never looked back.”
Assess your competency as a governance professional
If you want to gain a deep understanding of your competencies in governance and be signposted to an array of resources and training that will help you develop in your career, use the three self-assessment tools on the Competency framework to shape your pathway. They help you examine your value, practice and knowledge and identify the gaps you need to fill, in order to progress through the four stages of Entry, Emerging, Established and Expert.
Qualifying as a governance professional
Qualifying as a chartered governance professional or chartered company secretary shows that you have the knowledge, skills and experience to take on a job with significant and wide-ranging responsibilities.
Chartered status is the international benchmark for a career in governance, recognised and valued by employers across the world. Your journey to become a chartered member of the Institute starts with the Chartered Governance Qualifying Programme.
Nick Lindsay ACG
Director, Elemental CoSec
“I originally trained as a lawyer before going on to practice as a corporate lawyer both in private practice and in-house. Whilst at Visa Europe, I worked closely with the company secretarial team and found that I had a real interest in the governance aspects. They supported my training as a chartered secretary via the Fast Track Professional Entry route, and everything progressed from there.”
What if I already have professional experience in a governance role?
If you have five years’ or more experience in a company secretarial or governance professional related role, you may be eligible to start directly on Part One of the Chartered Governance Qualifying Programme.
What if I have a prior qualification?
If you hold a degree-level qualification in law or finance, you can start your journey to chartered status faster. You will not be required to complete all of the modules in the Chartered Governance Qualifying Programme if you hold a:
- Law or Finance Degree
- Are a member or the Bar or Law Society for your jurisdiction, or compliant with the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Regulations
- Are a qualified member of a recognised accountancy body (ICAEW, ICAS, ICAI, ACCA, CIMA or CIPFA)
- Are a qualified law or finance practitioner with more than five years' experience
Qualified and wanting to progress?
If you have already completed the chartered governance qualifying programme, and are looking at ways to develop your career further, it is time to consider upgrading your membership, to be recognised for your valuable relevant work experience, in addition to your qualification.
