Just qualified

Professional skills courses

The Professional Skills Course is available as a face-to-face or an online option and dates are given on the application forms on the right.

Professional skills is a key part of your training and ongoing development.

Members are required to take the Professional Skills Course within one year of qualification as a Fellow. All other members admitted to the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries on or after 1 July 2006, who have not completed a Professionalism Course under the previous regime (i.e. the 1-day Associate Course, 2-day New Fellows Course, or the 1 day Professionalism event for experienced actuaries) are required to complete the Professional Skills Course:

• within one year of qualification as a Fellow; (i.e. transferring to the category of Fellow), or
• between the 4th and 6th anniversaries of their admission to the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries

whichever comes first.

For those who are eligible to apply for Associate membership attendance at a Professional Skills Course must be undertaken before application can be made to transfer to Associate.

A web-based version of the course is also available - for course dates see the application form on the right hand of this page.

As a qualified actuary you agree to continue to develop and maintain your professional competence, which includes spending at least two hours a year developing your professional skills.

The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries is developing a suite of web-based professional skills events for experienced members, in partnership with the University of Leeds Inter-Disciplinary Ethics Applied (IDEA) Centre. These are being developed with a view to re-introducing a revised mandatory requirement for experienced members by June 2013 (this event will replace the Experienced Professionalism Event).

The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries also holds regular meetings, seminars and conferences to encourage and facilitate the exchange of technical and professional ideas. You can find out more about these activities through our website and other publications such as the British Actuarial Journal and The Actuary. In addition, our committees regularly discuss matters of concern or interest, such as professional standards, proposed legislation and technical issues.

The Actuaries’ Code

Since the launch of the principles-based Actuaries’ Code in 2009, the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries has endeavoured to embed the principles of the Code in its education and training. As a student you will have become familiar with the Code and the standards the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries has developed concerning how we agree to behave in the conduct of our business. The Code offers comprehensive written guidance on professional conduct by our members.

Continuing professional development

Your professional qualification shows your commitment to learning and achievement. The continuing professional development (CPD) programme helps you improve your skills and knowledge and will help you get more from your career, and achieve your career goals. You can record and update your CPD progress in the secure member login area of the website.

To help you maintain your CPD, you'll find relevant reading lists in the research and resources section of our website. In our events section there are details of events and activities to develop and maintain your skills and knowledge, and to help you network and keep in touch with other actuaries. If you are professionally active, you must complete a minimum level of CPD.

Fellows and Associates who complete the Professional Skills course are able to claim 7 hours CPD (one of which can be counted towards technical CPD).

Study for the exams which were undertaken in the CPD current reporting year can also be counted as private study CPD on condition that a learning outcome is inserted.

Professional skills and development

Attending courses and events throughout your actuarial career helps you stay in touch with what professional skills mean to you and the profession. Using a variety of lectures, group discussions and case studies Professional Skills Courses alert you to some of the issues you may encounter in your professional life and help you prepare for and deal with them.

Professional Skills Courses

For more information

• Course objectives
• Application form for the Professional Skills Courses
• Timetable: programme for the course
• Further reading: useful reading for those attending the course to help set it in context
• Professional skills training handbook
• Frequently asked questions about the new structure of the courses

For more information and advice on professional skills courses e-mail: PSCstage2@actuaries.org.uk or call Cindy Checchia +44 (0)1865 268214.

Professionalism courses abroad

We organise professionalism courses primarily for our members. However, we have approved many overseas courses as equivalent to UK versions, such as those organised by the:

• Society of Actuaries
• Casualty Actuarial Society
• Society of Actuaries in Ireland
• Actuarial Society of South Africa
• Institute of Actuaries in Australia
• Canadian Institute of Actuaries
• Singapore Actuarial Society.

With increasing international membership, we aim to make it possible for more members based overseas to attend an approved course without travelling to the UK.

We also encourage overseas actuarial associations to develop and run approved equivalent courses. Those organising professionalism courses outside the UK who are interested in seeking equivalency approval should email Neil Hilary. Details of the approval process are set out in the Process for accreditation.

UK-based members should attend events organised by the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.

Disciplinary schemes

Our disciplinary schemes consider allegations of professional misconduct made against our members. We involve non-actuaries in our discipline process and we hold disciplinary tribunals in public. Matters which have a wide effect on public interest are handled by the Financial Reporting Council.

Watch and listen ...... ... newly qualified actuaries speak of their continued commitment to learning as their careers progress.