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1. What is PPD?
PPD stands for Personal and Professional Development and it is the practical work experience requirement that all students must complete alongside their exams. To become an Associate or Fellow you need to successfully complete PPD as well as the IFoA examinations and professionalism components.
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2. What is a PPD year?
A PPD year is the unique date that your PPD runs from and to. The date is calculated from your joining date so is different for all students. It is your responsibility to complete your PPD each year by the deadline date. For example if you joined the IFoA on 1 April then your PPD year will run from 1 April to 31 March and you must have completed your records by midnight (GMT) on 31 March.
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3. What if I joined before July 2004 and am currently exempt from doing Work-based skills (WBS)?
From January 2019, all students who have not become an Associate or Fellow need to start recording their PPD. PPD replaces the pre 2004 work experience requirements.
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4. What if I work for an accredited employer?
The accredited employer scheme is being replaced by PPD and will be phased out by January 2021. If you work or have previously worked for an accredited employer, you may still submit your accredited employer form when you come to qualify to count towards your total 36 months of practical work experience requirement. You are not able to qualify solely on your accredited employer form as all students should have started recording PPD from September 2018.
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5. How much PPD do I need to complete?
You are required to record a minimum number of PPD credits and formal learning hours whilst you are a student member of the IFoA. The minimum amount per year is 3 credits and 2 formal learning hours.
When you have completed all the required examinations and professionalism components you will need to ensure you have recorded the following PPD requirements: Associate: minimum of 10 credits and 2 formal learning hours over the course of 12 months. Fellow: minimum of 20 credits and 6 formal learning hours over the course of 3 years (minimum of 2 hours per year).
If you joined the IFoA after 2 January 2019 the PPD requirements are as follows: Associate (must be obtained before progression to Fellow): minimum of 15 credits and 2 formal learning hours over the course of 24 months (minimum of 2 hours per year). Fellow: minimum of 5 additional credits and 2 formal learning hours over the course of 12 months.
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6. I’m submitting a mixture of Work-Based Skills (WBS) and PPD - how much do I need to do?
You need to ensure you have the minimum amount of work experience recorded across both schemes i.e. 36 months for Fellow and 12 months for Associate. You should pro-rata the review questions (WBS) and credits (PPD) depending on the amount of months you are submitting e.g. 2 years WBS and 1 year PPD will require 8/12 review questions and 7/20 credits. 1 year WBS and 2 years PPD will require 4/12 review questions and 14/20 credits. Please see the transition pages for more information.
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7. What if I am taking a career break or have a gap in my actuarial employment?
If you need to record a PPD exemption you should contact the IFoA to inform us of your situation as soon as possible. Students cannot record exemptions themselves and it is your responsibility to inform the IFoA if you cannot meet your annual PPD requirements. Exemptions can only be recorded for specific reasons such as parental leave, unemployment, further education, career breaks etc.
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8. How does the IFoA monitor my PPD?
The IFoA conducts PPD audits each month to ensure the quality and standard of PPD is maintained. You may be selected for a PPD audit at any time during your student journey. You should keep evidence of how you met the competencies and any discussions you have had with your supervisor until you qualify. The IFoA may ask you for this as part of your PPD audit and may contact your supervisor to confirm the accuracy of your records.
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9. Do I need a supervisor?
All students will need a manager or supervisor to discuss their PPD records with. They do not need to be a qualified Actuary. The IFoA may contact your supervisor who is supporting your work experience to confirm the accuracy of your records. You may have more than one manager or supervisor to support you in achieving the different objectives and competencies but they must not be a friend or relative to avoid any conflict of interest. You should discuss your submissions with your supervisor as part of your professional development and record on each submission that you have discussed it with them. Please keep the contact details of your supervisors throughout your PPD journey as they may be requested by the IFoA before you qualify.
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10. I’m self-employed and don’t have a supervisor. How can I complete PPD?
If you are self-employed then you will still be able to complete the PPD requirements but you need to make the IFoA aware of this in order that appropriate support can be provided. We will ask you to complete an additional form to record your working contracts so we can ensure you have met the minimum amount of work experience.
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11. What happens if some of the work that you have covered is confidential to your company?
You may cover some of the objectives and competencies of PPD while you undertake work that is confidential or commercially sensitive. In these cases, if you are unable to fully describe how you have met these competencies, please include as much detail of the activity and learning experience as possible and note the reason for any gaps in your submission. Our reviewers may confirm this with your supervisor so please ensure you have discussed this with them before submitting your PPD.
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12. What if I change my job?
If you are changing jobs you should complete PPD as usual for both your existing and new employment. You need to make sure that you have discussed your PPD with your supervisor before you leave as we may follow up any queries with your submissions with them. You should also keep their contact details. If you are having a break in employment between your 2 roles, you may contact us to record an exemption if you are not able to meet the minimum PPD requirements for that year.
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13.What if I fail to complete the annual PPD requirements?
As part of the audit process the IFoA will identify those students who have not completed the minimum amount of PPD and will contact them. It is your responsibility to keep your PPD and contact details updated.
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14. I want to stay as an Associate and don’t intend on studying for Fellowship - do I still need to do PPD?
If you have transferred to Associate and don’t intend on studying for Fellowship, you will need to contact us so we can update your record making you exempt from PPD. You will not be able to book or sit any IFoA exams.
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15. I am an Associate and have been exempt from PPD. I want to study for Fellowship- what do I need to do?
Depending on the amount of time since you qualified as an Associate and the work you have been doing since qualifying will depend on how much PPD you need to complete. You should contact us to discuss your individual requirements and to allow us to update your records so you can record your PPD and book onto examinations.
Contact Details
Education Services Team
education.services@actuaries.org.uk
Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, 1st Floor, Park Central, 40/41 Park End Street, Oxford, OX1 1JD
We aim to respond to all enquiries within two working days.
Filter or search events
Events calendar
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Your Actuarial Career: Managing Career Breaks
Staple Inn Hall, High Holborn, London, WC1V 7QJ5 December 2019Maternity or paternity leave, sabbaticals to study or travel, managing care responsibilities or escaping unemployment – Join Chika Aghadiuno and a panel of IFoA guests including Rachel Vecht, Women Ahead (International), Lee Faulkner, Financial Wellbeing Actuary, First Actuarial, Emily McGuire, Partner at Aon Hewitt, and Sarah Mathieson, Head of Research and Knowledge, IFoA, to ex
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Sessional Meeting - Silent Cyber Assessment Framework
Staple Inn Hall, High Holborn, London, WC1V 7QJ9 December 2019The (re)insurance industry is faced with a growing risk related to the development of information technology (IT). This growth is creating an increasingly digitally interconnected world with more and more dependence being placed on IT systems to manage processes. Note: Registration is from 17.30 in time for the sessional to begin at 18.00.
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CPD Member Event in Shanghai, China
Function Room, F39, S1 Fuson Group, the Bund Finance Centre, No.600 Zhongshang East 2nd Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai Chinese address:BFC外滩国际金融金融中心,S1复星集团,39层报告厅,上海中山东二路600号9 December 2019The IFoA’s President-elect Tan Suee Chieh will visit Shanghai. We will host CPD and Awards Presenting event on Monday 9 December 2019. The event is part of Mr Tan’s first presidential trip to China.
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Professional Skills Training - London (10 December 2019)
Staple Inn, High Holborn, London WC1V 7QJ10 December 2019This event will be of interest to students and recently qualified actuaries.
A 2 hour CPD event designed to meet the IFoA’s Stage 3 Professional Skills Training under the IFoA’s CPD Scheme 2019/2020. The content and discussion at this session is particularly tailored to actuarial students and newly qualified actuaries working in any area and the format is interactive, so you should come along prepared to take part in the discussions with your peers.
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IFoA Joint Member Event with the Sunshine Insurance Group, Beijing China
Room TBC, Kuntai International Plaza, No.12, Chaowai Street, Chaoyang District, Beijing 地址:会议室待定,北京市朝阳区朝外大街乙12号1号楼昆泰国际大厦12 December 2019The IFoA’s President-elect Tan Suee Chieh will visit Beijing. We will co-host CPD and Awards Presenting event with the Sunshine Insurance Group on Thursday 12 December 2019. The event is part of Mr Tan’s first presidential trip to China.
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NOCA event - The stochastic full balance sheet model
N/A13 December 2019Presenter Bill Curry
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ARC Sessional Research Event: Drivers of Mortality - Risk Factors and Inequality
Staple Inn Hall, High Holborn, London, WC1V 7QJ6 January 2020The authors will focus on a large dataset obtained from the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) and related sources. Data are available at the level of Lower Super Output Areas (LSOAs) – small geographical areas with, typically, 1000-2000 residents and include death counts, exposures and a significant number of socio-economic variables including the index of multiple deprivation (IMD).
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SIAS Event: My Journey to Data Science, Big Data and AI
Staple Inn Hall, High Holborn, London, WC1V 7QJ7 January 2020Patrick Lee is an actuary who has made the transition to working in software architecture and artificial intelligence (AI). He holds Microsoft Professional qualifications in Data Science, Big Data and AI and is currently working towards a DevOps (the automation of software testing and deployment) qualification. He is a member of the IFoA Council and is also President of the Wessex Actuarial Society. He is also a member of the IFoA and the RSS's joint Data Science Focus Group and will talk on the ethical use of AI.
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NED Event: Actuaries as iNEDs of Investment Fund Boards / Investment Governance Committees and Value
Staple Inn Hall High Holborn London WC1V 7QJ9 January 2020The event will be chaired by Brandon Horwitz, an actuary who is a consultant who has held various investment governance roles and who specialises in investment governance as well as being an iNED.
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NoCA event - The Matching Adjustment Calculation
N/A10 January 2020This presentation covers the detail for how the matching adjustment is calculated. A small simple example spreadsheet is provided and discussed in detail.
For actuaries wanting to get more involved with the matching adjustment, this is the opportunity to get a detailed description of the mechanics involved. This includes cashflows derisking, PRA tests as well as hypothecation.
The presentation is provided by James Sharpe who has worked on a number of matching adjustment calculations with several firms.
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IFoA Volunteer Recognition Reception
Staple Inn, 4 High Holborn, Holborn, London WC1V 6DR, UK15 January 2020As a thank you to all our Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA) volunteers, you are invited to join us at Staple Inn Hall, for an evening of drinks, canapes and networking, in London.
IFoA President, John Taylor, will be attending and will make a speech
If you support the IFoA as a volunteer (member or non-member), or in any other role, and you are going to be in London on 15 January, please book your place and join us at this reception.
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Professional Skills Training - London (16 January 2020)
Staple Inn, High Holborn, London WC1V 7QJ16 January 2020This event is now fully booked. To join the waiting list please click here.
A Trusted Profession
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Sessional Meeting - Operational Risk Dependencies
Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh 9 Queen St Edinburgh EH2 1JQ20 January 2020The Operational Risk Working Party aims to assist actuaries and others in the modelling and management of operational risk. One of the key challenges in modelling operational risk is the modelling of dependencies between operational risks, and between operational and non-operational risks such as market, credit and insurance risk. Their paper seeks to assist in this regard, and help develop good practice in setting assumptions and modelling operational risk dependencies.
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Professional Skills Training - Edinburgh (23 January 2020)
IFoA (Edinburgh), Level 2, Exchange Crescent 7 Conference Square Edinburgh EH3 8RA23 January 2020This event is now fully booked. To join the waiting list please click here.
A Trusted Profession
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KSS event in Glasgow: Public Sector Pensions
Hymans Robertson, Glasgow 20 Waterloo St, Glasgow30 January 2020– the unappreciated key assumption, the resulting unsustainable promises, the unmanaged risk and the unrecognised debt?
Speaker: Allan Martin will present this talk on 30 January in Glasgow, Stirling and Edinburgh. If you wish to register for another location please return to the Events Calendar.
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KSS event in Stirling: Public Sector Pensions
M&G Prudential, Stirling Craigforth Campus, Stirling30 January 2020– the unappreciated key assumption, the resulting unsustainable promises, the unmanaged risk and the unrecognised debt?
Speaker: Allan Martin will present this talk on 30 January in Glasgow, Stirling and Edinburgh. If you wish to register for another location please return to the Events Calendar.
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KSS event in Edinburgh: Public Sector Pensions
Hymans Robertson 1, Exchange Place, Semple St, Edinburgh30 January 2020– the unappreciated key assumption, the resulting unsustainable promises, the unmanaged risk and the unrecognised debt?
Speaker: Allan Martin will present this talk on 30 January in Glasgow, Stirling and Edinburgh. If you wish to register for another location please return to the Events Calendar.
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NoCA event - The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals: The role of actuaries
N/A31 January 2020Presenters: Rebecca Deegan, Head of Policy, IFoA, and Faye Alessandrello, Policy Manager, IFoA
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ARC Sessional Research Event
Staple Inn Hall, High Holborn, London, WC1V 7QJ3 February 2020This sessional will be delivered by members of the research team working on the ARC “Big Health & Actuarial Data’ research programme, led by Professor Elena Kulinskaya (University of East Anglia).
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Professional Skills Training - London (11 February 2020)
Staple Inn, High Holborn, London WC1V 7QJ11 February 2020A Trusted Profession
A 2 hour CPD event designed to meet the IFoA’s Stage 3 Professional Skills Training under the IFoA’s CPD Scheme 2019/2020. This session is suitable for actuaries working in any area (i.e. it is not specifically aimed at Pensions, GI or any other technical discipline) and is interactive, so you should come along prepared to take part in the discussions.
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Sessional: Impact of E-cigarettes Working Party
Royal College of Physicians, 9 Queen St, Edinburgh EH2 1JQ24 February 2020This sessional meeting will be of direct interest to actuaries and others working in the in the Health and Care, Life or Pensions sectors or indeed actuaries with an interest in morbidity or mortality. Note: Registration is from 17.30 in time for the sessional to begin at 18.00.
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Professional Skills Training - Edinburgh (25 February 2020)
IFoA (Edinburgh), Level 2, Exchange Crescent 7 Conference Square Edinburgh EH3 8RA25 February 2020A Trusted Profession
A 2 hour CPD event designed to meet the IFoA’s Stage 3 Professional Skills Training under the IFoA’s CPD Scheme 2019/2020. This session is suitable for actuaries working in any area (i.e. it is not specifically aimed at Pensions, GI or any other technical discipline) and is interactive, so you should come along prepared to take part in the discussions.
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NoCA event - Model Risk
N/A28 February 2020Presenter: Mark Pibworth
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Spring Lecture 2020, Edinburgh - Vicky Pryce
Assembly Rooms, 54 George St, Edinburgh EH2 2LR25 March 2020What next in Economic Policy?
Please join us on 25 March 2020 for our annual Spring Lecture presented by Vicky Pryce in Edinburgh.
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NoCA event - Intergenerational Fairness: Thinking long-term
N/A27 March 2020Presented By: Rebecca Deegan, Head of Policy, IFoA, and Catherine Burtle, Senior Policy Analyst, IFoA
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IFoA Asia Conference 2020, Kuala Lumpur
CCEC Nexus, 7, Jalan Kerinchi, Bangsar South, 59200 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia24-25 June 2020The sixth annual Asia Conference once again offers a prestigious line-up of home and international speakers discussing the insurance and financial industry’s innovation and change in Asia. This year's conference in Kuala Lumpur will be hosted by Tan Suee Chieh, IFoA’s first Asian President. He will also make his Presidential address at this conference and will expand on the important elements of IFoA’s new strategy.
Additionally, this landmark conference will showcase how the IFoA is reinventing itself to support its members to succeed and thrive in a digital age, within traditional businesses and beyond, as a global organisation.
Not to be missed by international industry players, opinion formers, academic and industry leaders, actuaries and non-actuaries.