What is the Certified Associate Coach (CAC) certification?

The Certified Associate Coach (CAC) is CCI’s first-level professional coaching certification. It qualifies graduates to practise as coaches with confidence, integrity, and competence — grounded in professional standards and assessed performance.

CAC is designed for:

• aspiring professional coaches
• leaders seeking formal coaching credentials
• practitioners who want a recognised coaching qualification to support their work

CAC is a stand-alone certification. Many graduates practise confidently as Certified Associate Coaches without pursuing further certification.

Professional standards and assessment

CAC certification is awarded through demonstrated coaching competence, not attendance alone. Assessment includes:

• observed coaching sessions
• an oral examination
• 20 real coaching practicum hours
• evaluation against ICF ACC performance markers

This ensures graduates meet a clear professional standard and can coach ethically and competently in real-world contexts.

Who is CAC for?

CAC is suited to people who want to coach with professionalism and clarity, including:

• Individuals exploring coaching as a profession
• Leaders and managers
• HR and People & Culture professionals
• Educators and facilitators
• NGO and development practitioners
• Entrepreneurs and founders
• Individuals seeking personal growth and self-awareness

You do not need prior coaching experience. You do need a willingness to practise, reflect, and be assessed.

What you'll develop

Over the course of CAC, you’ll develop:

• a coaching mindset aligned with professional ethics
• presence and deep listening
• powerful questioning that unlocks insight
• clarity around goals, ownership, and accountability
• the ability to coach without advice-giving or fixing
• confidence holding coaching conversations independently

This is not theoretical learning. You are trained to coach, not just talk about coaching.

Program structure

The CAC certification is completed over three modules, each delivered in person:

• Foundations (Module 1 – 2 days)
  Coaching mindset, presence, and core skills
• Module 2 (2 days)
  Developing coaching competence and structure
• Module 3 (2 days)
  Integration, practice depth, and assessment preparation

Certification is awarded upon:

• completion of all modules
• successful observed coaching
• completion of 20 hours of coaching sessions
• passing the oral assessment

How you'll learn

CAC is highly experiential. You’ll learn through:

• live demonstrations
• real coaching conversations
• paired and small-group practice
• reflection and group dialogue
• facilitator observations and feedback
• reflection and integration

There are no scripted role-plays. You’ll work with real conversations, in a supportive learning environment. This is how true coaching competence is developed.