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STEP helps professionals shape their career needs by improving the delivery of its Diploma qualification

by Victoria Hand
STEP helps professionals shape their career needs by improving the delivery of its Diploma qualification

Posted in Press Release on

STEP helps professionals shape their career needs by improving the delivery of its Diploma qualification  

 

The membership body STEP is today (6 July) making it easier for professionals to meet their career needs by introducing improvements to how its Diploma qualifications are delivered.  

This change brings enhanced flexibility, incorporating local, international and STEP-recognised content. It is part of STEP’s global approach to supporting professional development at each career stage. 

STEP is introducing the improvements in response to feedback from employers, regulators and practitioners. They asked for a wider range of content to better support business, client, and practitioner needs.  

Commenting on the changes, Mark Walley, Chief Executive of STEP said: ‘Our mission is to inspire confidence in families planning their assets across generations. We do this in several ways, including upholding high professional standards and promoting education. 

‘Our Diploma is a vital part of this work and we work closely with our members and employers to ensure that all our qualifications meet the needs of professionals, employers and the wider sector. We are pleased to be announcing these changes today, which will make it easier for professionals to demonstrate their expertise.’ 

The Advanced Certificates that make up the STEP Diploma are delivered by STEP's primary training partner, CLTI. CLTI is a professional training, education and qualifications provider for the financial services industry. Over the past 20 years, CLTI and STEP have worked together to develop more than 25 qualifications and training courses that fit practitioners’ needs. 

CLTI Managing Director Julian Davies said: ‘As STEP’s global education partners, we are proud to be supporting them in the launch of the new STEP Diploma. Together, we have ensured that all the Advanced Certificates within the STEP Diploma qualification give professionals the technical content and skills to support both their practice and career pathway in the modern industry.’ 

About STEP 

STEP is the global professional association for practitioners who specialise in family inheritance and succession planning. STEP works to improve public understanding of the issues families face in this area and promotes education and high professional standards among its members.  

STEP members help families plan for their futures, from drafting wills to issues surrounding international families, protection of the vulnerable, family businesses and philanthropic giving. Full STEP members, known as TEPs, are internationally recognised as experts in their field, with proven qualifications and experience. For more information, visit: www.step.org. 

STEP Diploma Qualification how does it work? 

Students can build a STEP Diploma that works for them by choosing from our extensive suite of Advanced Certificates.They can combine four Advanced Certificates (worth 30 Diploma-level credits each) to make up their Diploma. 

The Advanced Certificates are grouped in three sets:  

  • Set 1: Private wealth administration and governance 
  • Set 2: Tax and compliance 
  • Set 3: Electives 

Students must choose at least one from Set 1, at least one from Set 2, and two from any of the three sets.There are details of the courses available within each set in a briefing at the end of this press release.   

Recommended combinations  

The existing combinations of Advanced Certificates comprising the current STEP Diplomas in Trusts and Estates (England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland) and the STEP Diploma in International Trust Management will still be available. These remain as recommended combinations 

From today, students will be able to continue with the Advanced Certificates they had originally planned to take, or select different Advanced Certificates to build their STEP Diploma. They will need to take at least one from each of Sets 1 and 2.   

Regional diplomas and accredited specialist courses 

The regional diplomas offered locally by STEP Canada, STEP Ireland and STEP New Zealand (instead of via STEP’s education partner CLTI) will continue to run as before.  

Students who wish to adapt their regional diploma to include Advanced Certificates from the new STEP Diploma options may do so on request by contacting STEP’s Professional Development Team.  

We also recognise courses and qualifications offered in some jurisdictions by STEP Education Partners, which can count towards all or part of a STEP Diploma. Currently these are: 

  • Australia 
  • Austria 
  • Italy 
  • South Africa  
  • USA 

 
More information about these accreditations and the number of credits provided by each course is in the Course Listing. 

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