Work confidently on career change

The Firework Career Coach Training

Course overview

An ICF accredited 6-month online training to give existing coaches the confidence and credibility to help their clients move from confusion to clarity in their careers.

Starting dates

Nov 2024 - Full

Mar 2025 - Early bird places open

July 2025 - Early bird places open

You're a coach who wants to work effectively with individuals in career transition

You're driven to help people find and do fulfilling work.

You have strong coaching skills, likely gained through professional coach training.

At the same time, you also want to feel more fully equipped with the tools you need to coach individuals through career change.

The training runs online over six months

The training is anchored by three online half-day core training sessions, where you'll learn, practise and gain confidence in the most important parts of the methodology and have an introduction on how to leverage design thinking and experiential learning in your approach.

Over the next six months, you'll also take part in a series of expert sessions and mentoring calls that are designed to help you implement the methodology in your practice, deepen your knowledge of the core concepts, and find clients. These include: 

  • An online expert session going deeper into specialist career coaching techniques
  • Two online group mentoring calls to give you support on maximising the benefit of Firework in your coaching practice
  • Two online marketing expert sessions designed to help you confidently source a consistent set of clients for your career coaching practice

You’ll gain the confidence, credibility and connections to have greatest impact with your clients

As a Firework licensed Career Coach, you’ll get:

A set of online coach materials and white-labelled client materials

A badge to use on your website and materials

A lifelong Firework licence to use the framework and tools with your clients

Access to all ongoing updates to the training materials

19 ICF Continuing Coach Education Units (CCEUs) for attending the training, mentoring calls and expert sessions

Membership of the Licensed Firework Coaches LinkedIn community

This is an advanced training for existing coaches

Firework is not designed to teach you foundational coaching skills.

Instead, it's an advanced course designed to add an additional framework and set of tools to the coaching capabilities you already have.

As such, Firework is designed for existing coaches and is by application only.

We're looking for individuals who can demonstrate a strong understanding of the fundamentals of coaching, have completed at least 50 coaching hours, and can articulate a clear rationale for why they want to take part.

Firework is a fabulous resource for coaches. Previously with clients ‘stuck’ around their career, I would use a mix of tools from my past training and experience. The training has provided me with a proven process and tools, which is so valuable.

Claire Palmer
,
Leadership Coach

You’ll be led by four highly experienced career coaches and trainers

Michelle Bayley
Lead Trainer

Michelle Bayley has been working as a coach since 2002.

She also has 25 years' experience of working in government with ministers and at Board level, advising on communications strategy and delivery.

Michelle has the Professional Certified Coach (PCC) accreditation with the International Coach Federation (since 2010) and is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (2004). She is also a Licensed Firework Career Coach (2004) and has been training others in Firework since 2007.

Sarah Dawrant
Lead Trainer

Sarah Dawrant, BA, CPCC is a licensed Firework Career Coach with a talent for understanding and developing people's unique gifts, strengths and abilities.

Sarah works with clients around the world to support them in figuring out what they are innately best at, as well as how to set boundaries and be more assertive in the workplace. As an interactive trainer, she has run workshops across Canada, the UK and Europe for blue-chip companies, charities and governments.

John Lees
Trainer

John Lees is one of the UK’s best-known career strategists. He has published 15 books on careers and work including the UK best-seller ‘How to Get a Job You Love’ and his latest , ‘Get Ahead in Your New Job’.

John was previously Chief Executive of the Institute of Employment Consultants and was a founding board member of the Career Development Institute. He holds degrees from the Universities of Cambridge, London and Liverpool and is a NICEC Fellow.

Richard Alderson
Trainer

Richard is the founder of Careershifters, which has reached 8 million+ people and worked directly with 16,000+ career change clients.

His background includes 15 years in entrepreneurship, coaching and leadership development. He co-founded an award-winning incubator for social entrepreneurs in India, as well as helping to set up a number of other social businesses in the UK and India. He's also been an IT/business consultant, journalist, environmental researcher and monk's assistant.

Here’s what participants have said

“[Firework] has wildly exceeded my expectations.”

Tara

“[Firework] has transformed my coaching practice. It’s paid itself back so many times over.”

Josh

“Firework has given me an end-to-end process that's now an integral part of my practice. I wouldn't be where I am today without it.”

Fiona

“I’ve always had a lot of people coming to me for career help and I wanted to develop a specialism in that area. It’s [now] given me a second stream of business.”

Gayl

Firework is about growing the impact of your coaching

  • Strengthen your confidence in working effectively with people in career transition, through having a structured but flexible framework you can tailor to your clients' needs
  • Attract more clients through having the credibility of being licensed by one of the longest-established and most trusted career change coach training providers
  • Continue to improve your practice through ongoing support from a high-quality network of peers

This training is extremely good value. To date I've used it with 31 clients, which means I've earned back the initial cost 75 times over. Firework has been key to me establishing a thriving coaching practice. It's moved both the quality of my offer to my clients and the success of my practice onto a different plain.

Jon Mitchell
,
Career Change Coach

These are our upcoming Training dates

March 2025 Training

Core sessions:

20th March - 1pm-5.15pm UK /
9am-1.15pm Eastern

25th March - 1pm-5.15pm UK /
9am-1.15pm Eastern

27th March - 1pm-5.15pm UK /
9am-1.15pm Eastern

July 2025 Training

Core sessions:

3rd July - 1pm-5.15pm UK /
8am-12.15pm Eastern

8th July - 1pm-5.15pm UK /
8am-12.15pm Eastern

10th July - 1pm-5.15pm UK /
8am-12.15pm Eastern

Participants must be available to attend all three core training sessions live online. The dates and times for the follow-up group mentoring calls and expert sessions will be announced in the initial training. You will be given access to the recordings for these.

The training is designed to get you a fast return on your investment

The early bird participation fee, valid until 30th November 2024, is £2,395 (approx. US$3,104) or 4 monthly payments of £625 (approx. US$810).

The normal participation fee is £2,795 (approx. US$3,623) or 4 monthly payments of £725 (approx. US$940).

The median package rate charged by Firework Coaches is US$1,944 (data from our 2024 International Career Coaching Report).

Based on this, we expect, but do not guarantee, that you will achieve a positive return on investment on your Firework Career Coach training fees with your first 2-3 clients.

Express interest

If you're interested in becoming a Firework licensed career coach, we'd like to invite you to speak to one of our senior Ambassadors who can explore with you whether the training would be a good fit – and give you a chance to ask any questions you have.

Please note: To be eligible for the course, you must be an existing coach with at least 50 hours of coaching completed by the time you start your training with us.

Starting dates

Nov 2024 - Full

Mar 2025 - Early bird places open

July 2025 - Early bird places open

Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of the Firework Career Coach training?

Firework is ultimately about helping you to be a more effective, confident and credible career coach.

In particular, you'll get:

1. A proven framework and set of 50+ tools and further resources that can be used as an end-to-end process, or as a toolkit

2. ICF accreditation, with 19 CCEUs

3. All the tools in a white-labelled format, ready to use immediately with your clients

4. A lifelong licence

Can I use the training to coach clients through career development as well as career transition?

Yes.

The Firework is a comprehensive career coach training, designed to help your clients find more fulfilment in their work, whether it's through career transition or career development.

The training includes tools to explore what motivates your client and their favourite skills to help them think about the next move in their current field.

I am an experienced coach with many resources already in my coaching toolkit. What additional value would Firework bring? 

The primary additional value you would get is a unique set of tools and an end-to-end framework that's been custom-built – and proven – to work with clients going through career transition.

You would also gain value through:

1. The credibility of being a licensed Firework coach

2. Becoming part of a worldwide community of licensed coaches

3. Earning 19 ICF CCEUs

4. Having a set of white-labelled tools that you can use right away with your clients

If any of the above feels appealing – and even if you still have concerns – we'd recommend having a no obligations chat with one of our team, who will be able to help you understand whether the training would be a good fit for you.

You can do this by clicking on the Express Interest button on this page or on the this website's top menu bar.

		What criteria do I need to meet to take part in the training?

You'll need to demonstrate three things: 1. A strong understanding of the fundamentals of coaching (through going through coach training and / or your own individual practice); 2. That you've completed at least 50 hours of coaching; 3. A clear rationale for why you'd like to take part.

We accept applications from both experienced and recently qualified coaches.

Do I need to be an ICF accredited coach to apply?

No.

You will however need to demonstrate three things: 1. A strong understanding of the fundamentals of coaching (through going through coach training and / or your own individual practice); 2. That you've completed at least 50 hours of coaching; 3. A clear rationale for why you'd like to take part.

Does Firework recommend any particular coach training as a foundation for Firework?

Many Firework participants have gained coach certification through ICF accredited providers such as Co-Active, The Coaching Academy and Animas. However, any coach training that provides you with a strong understanding of the principles of coaching is acceptable.

In addition, and perhaps more importantly, you must be able to demonstrate practical experience of coaching individuals.

We require participants to have at least 50 hours of coaching experience prior to taking part in the Firework Training.

Will the training support me in getting more clients?

Yes.

In the six months following your initial training, you’ll be able to take part in two marketing online masterclasses that are dedicated to helping you find coaching clients and grow your practice.

What type of clients can the Firework training be used with?

Our Firework licensed coaches have successfully used the Firework training and/or a selection of the 50+ Firework tools with a variety of clients – from graduates, mid-careerists and those approaching retirement.

Can I use Firework with graduates or those returning to work after a career break?

Yes.

There are Firework coaches who are successfully using the tools with school leavers, graduates, those returning to work after a career break or parental leave and even retirees looking for a new challenge or focus.

Can Firework be used with clients who want to start their own business?

Yes.

If your client is unclear about what kind of business they'd like to start, or how they'd like their business to fit in with and support their wider life, then the Firework framework can help them get clarity on these aspects.

Can the Firework tools be used with groups/workshops as well as individual clients?

Yes.

A number of our Firework licensed coaches have found that the tools can be used successfully in a group format.

How many sessions do I need with a client to take them through the whole course?

We've typically seen that Firework-licenced coaches take between 8 and 12 sessions to take a client through the full Firework course.

Many coaches also use the tools on an ad-hoc basis with their clients.

Is the Firework toolkit effective when coaching clients online?

Yes.

The Firework toolkit and methodology has been carefully designed for you and your clients to use online, over the phone or via face to face sessions.

Do I need to have coaching clients to work with whilst going through the course?

We encourage you to have either paying or pro-bono clients to start using the Firework tools with as soon as possible after your initial training.

You’ll get far more out of the follow up mentoring and marketing calls if you have some experience of using the tools with real-life clients.

How flexible is Firework when working with clients?

Very.

Many of our Firework coaches find that they can either use Firework as an end-to-end framework for their clients or they can use it as a toolkit with which to select relevant activities or exercises from.

You are free to brand these tools as your own and combine them with other resources you already have to best support your clients.

How long does it take to become a licensed Firework coach?

Once you’ve completed your initial core training, you'll receive all your materials and your Firework licensed coach badge, so you can start using the framework and tools with clients straight away.

Over the following six months, you’ll be invited to a series of expert masterclasses and mentoring calls that are designed to help you strongly embed the methodology in your practice and find clients.

Can you provide an outline of the Firework Training?

The training begins with three online half-day core training sessions, where you'll learn, practise and gain confidence in the Firework methodology, including the three key phases: Explore, Dream, and Discover. You'll also have an introduction how to leverage design thinking and experiential learning in your coaching approach.

Over the following six months, you'll also take part in a series of expert sessions and mentoring calls, designed to help you implement the methodology in your practice, deepen your knowledge of the core concepts, and find clients.

How much time do I need to set aside for homework whilst taking part in Firework?

Once you receive your course materials, we ask that you spend a couple of hours going through the first phase of the framework and completing the exercises for yourself.

During the course, you may find it helpful to familiarise yourself with the other phases prior to each session, and to prepare any questions you would like the trainers to answer.

We also recommend that you find at least one practice client after the core training sessions to take through the Firework framework and practice using the coaching tools on. This is to ensure you gain maximum benefit from the course and solidify your learning.

How many participants are there in each Firework cohort?

Typically 12-16 participants. The cohort size will vary according to demand.

What kind of coaches take part in the Firework Coach Training?

A whole range!

We've had executive coaches, life coaches, career coaches, coaches for young people – and from the UK, US, Europe, Australia and South East Asia.

Our coaches also come from a wide range of working backgrounds, from corporate HR, recruitment, training and many other fields.

Do the course fees include VAT?

Yes, where VAT is applicable, which is currently in the UK.

Do you offer rates for coaches on low incomes?

We have one reduced-rate scholarship place per training available for an outstanding, genuine low-income applicant.

This is by application only and we will require information about your household income for the last three years.

Can I brand the Firework tools with my own logo once I’ve done the training?

Yes.

Most of the tools are white-labelled so you can adapt and brand them as you wish.

How often do you run the training?

Currently three times a year, typically in March, July and November.

How long has the Firework training been delivered online?

After running in-person training events since 2004, we successfully launched our first online training in June 2020.

How many Firework coaches are there?

There are currently more than 700 licensed Firework coaches globally.

How can I make payment for the Firework training?

We take major debit cards, credit cards and bank transfers.

Also, you can choose to pay your course fee in full or you can pay in four monthly instalments (the instalment option is slightly more as there’s more admin on our side).

How long is the Firework licence for?

It’s a lifelong licence.

How much are clients willing to pay for career coaching?

This will vary depending on a prospective client’s financial situation, their commitment level and their perceived value of the coaching process.

Based on the results of our most recent International Career Coaching Report in 2024, our Firework coaches charge an average of £1,500 (or US$1,911 / €1,781 / AUS$2,895) for a coaching package of around nine to twelve coaching sessions.

What time do the initial training sessions take place?

The initial core training sessions will run from 1pm - 5.15pm UK time / 8am - 1.15pm Eastern.