On 14th January 2016 — a Thursday — a small group of people sat down in Dubai for the first session of the Certificate in Professional Coaching. We had a programme we believed in, a clear philosophy, and a deep conviction that coaching could be taught in a way that was both robust and human.
Ten years and thirty-plus cohorts later, we're still here — and still believing that.
What Has Stayed
Three things have remained constant across every cohort and every iteration of the programme:
Coaching is more than technique. From the very beginning, we've taught that lasting change happens from the inside-out. You can learn the questions, the frameworks, and the competency language — but unless you've done your own inner work, those tools will only take you so far.
Growth requires discomfort. We have never tried to make the programme comfortable in a way that avoids the real edges of development. Coaching clients in front of peers, receiving feedback on your work, sitting with uncertainty — these are features, not bugs.
Community matters. The people you train alongside become one of the most valuable parts of the experience. Many of our graduates have stayed in touch — with each other and with us — long after graduation.
What Has Changed
The world around us changed significantly during those ten years. COVID forced us online, and what felt like a constraint turned into an expansion — we now train coaches across multiple time zones, from the UK to Southeast Asia. The programme is richer for it.
We upgraded our accreditation framework to ICF Level 1, established Basecamp as a space for ongoing practitioner development, and have begun exploring a Level 2 pathway for graduates who want to continue.
What Comes Next
We are proud of the coaches this programme has produced — those who've gone on to earn PCC and MCC credentials, built thriving practices, or integrated coaching deeply into their leadership. A coaching qualification is a milestone, not a finish line.
Here's to the next ten years.