Frequently Asked Questions

Our ethos is simple: we train practitioners who are confident and grounded in their guidance practice, and everything about the programme flows from that.

It starts with who teaches you. All our assessors are current practitioners working in freelance or salaried career roles, and each has undertaken rigorous CPD beyond their core qualifications — such as the ICF ACC coaching credential or the Level 5 coaching apprenticeship. The practice you're learning is live, not remembered.

The programme reflects the same priorities: three dedicated workshops on career guidance skills and a workshop on career theory, because it's putting theory into practice that produces credible practitioners. We also go beyond the awarding body's minimum on observed practice. OCR doesn't require two competent career guidance observations — we do. It's a Sonder requirement, built into the programme because we believe repeated, assessed practice with developmental feedback in between is what builds deep, confident practitioners.

After your first competent observation, you'll receive detailed feedback designed to stretch your client work before your second. Not all assessment centres ask this of their candidates; we think it's where the real development happens. You'll also have access to a dedicated repository of training videos, handouts and resources linked to each unit, and once you've passed your observation requirements, a full in-person masterclass day to refine your practice alongside your cohort.

If what matters to you is coming out the other side as a guidance practitioner — not just a diploma holder — that's what we've built our programme around.

We deliver two cohorts each year, starting in September and March. We don't offer a self-paced or roll-on, roll-off model — and that's a deliberate choice. Learning alongside a consistent group of fellow practitioners is one of the most valuable parts of the qualification, and it's something a self-paced model can't replicate.

We also cap each cohort at fifteen candidates. Smaller groups mean more contact time with your trainers, more individual support within workshops, and space for the kind of discussion that makes the learning stick. If a cohort is full, we'll offer you a place on the next intake.

We teach the Full Level 6 Diploma over a 12-month period. We typically find most candidates complete within a 12–18-month time frame. Further information about the course structure and Guided Learning Hours can be found on the OCR website.

Yes. The OCR Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development is the benchmark professional qualification for career development practitioners in the UK and meets the qualification requirement for entry to the CDI Professional Register.

We use an online e-portfolio platform called Ecordia to manage all assessment activity. Once enrolled, you'll be given a dedicated username and password to access your personal portfolio. Your assessed pieces of work will be set up within the platform, and you simply upload your work against each assessment task as you complete it. Your assessor will then review your submissions and provide feedback directly through Ecordia, keeping everything in one place throughout the programme.

Yes. What matters is that you have access to clients with a genuine career guidance need — and these don't have to come from your workplace. Many candidates source their own clients outside their job, working with them on either a paid or voluntary basis, and complete the qualification successfully. We've trained several candidates who weren't in careers-facing roles at all.

If you're unsure where you'd find clients, talk to us before you enrol. We have an established network of organisations and may be able to put you in contact with one that can facilitate practice opportunities for you.

This is one of the most common worries we hear — and it's rarely the barrier people fear it will be. Level 6 describes the depth of thinking the qualification asks for, not the volume of academic writing. You won't be producing dissertations.

We use a range of assessment methods. Some units do involve written assignments, and for these you'll need to write clearly and accurately — broadly GCSE-standard English is sufficient. But much of your evidence is gathered through professional discussion: a structured, supportive conversation with your assessor where you talk through your knowledge and practice. Most candidates find this a far more natural way to demonstrate what they know, particularly those returning to formal learning after a long gap.

If you're still unsure, get in touch and we'll talk honestly with you about whether the qualification is right for you at this point.

Yes. There are two practical requirements to be aware of. You will need a UK registered address to which your OCR certification can be sent, and you will need access to a client group — whether in a paid or voluntary capacity — with genuine career guidance and development needs. Clients can be sourced through your own network or via a voluntary arrangement, provided there is a genuine career development need. This is because the Level 6 Diploma requires you to undertake observations of practice with real clients.

You should also be aware that our workshops are delivered live on Wednesday mornings (GMT). Attendance at live sessions is expected, so we would encourage you to consider whether your time zone makes this workable before applying.

Possibly — we consider Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) on a case-by-case basis. If you hold a relevant qualification such as a Level 4 Diploma in Career Information and Advice or an NVQ, send us the details and we'll review what, if anything, can be carried across.

One thing we always check is currency: qualifications and the practice evidence behind them need to be reasonably recent, as the career development landscape has changed considerably. The older the qualification, the more likely we'll ask you to evidence current knowledge and practice rather than rely on prior accreditation.

Yes, absolutely. We've worked with candidates in exactly this position before. If you hold the OCR Careers Leader units, we can APL these against the Level 6 Diploma in Career Guidance and Development — meaning you would only need to complete the mandatory units (Units 1–7) to achieve the full diploma.

The one thing we'll need from you is evidence: certificates or formal confirmation of the units you hold, as OCR requires proof of prior achievement before the APL can be applied at certification. If you're unsure whether your units qualify or can't locate your certificates, get in touch and we'll help you work out where you stand.