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Professional skills

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Your students will develop 25 professional skills in five key competency areas, preparing them to become critical thinkers, agile problem-solvers and effective communicators ready to succeed in the modern business landscape.

We are updating our qualifications 

This information is for employers with Next Generation ACA students who started from 1 July 2025 or have been switched to the Next Generation ACA.

See the existing ACA training process for students who started up to 30 June 2025, or learn more about the transitional arrangements as we update our qualifications.

What are the ICAEW professional skills?

Professional Skills diagram

The ICAEW professional skills will equip your students with the ability to handle the variety of different situations they will encounter throughout their career.  

Over the course of their training agreement, students will develop key transferrable skills and be encouraged to consider their lifelong learning and development. Complementing technical skills development, professional skills will support your student’s career longevity and readiness for the future workplace.  

Professional skills areas

There are five key competency areas, each comprising five professional skills:
  • Communication
    • Active listening 
    • Clarity and impact 
    • Confidence 
    • Digital security and communication 
    • Feedback 
  • Critical thinking
    • Adaptability 
    • Analysis and evaluation 
    • Curiosity 
    • Decisions and recommendations 
    • Digital literacy 
  • Emotional intelligence
    • Appreciating other viewpoints 
    • Empathy 
    • Resilience  
    • Self awareness 
    • Values 
  • Leadership
    • Collaboration 
    • Developing others 
    • Developing self 
    • Digital capability and innovation 
    • Project management 
  • Professionalism
    • Accountability 
    • Professional judgement 
    • Professional scepticism 
    • Reliability 
    • Self review 

Recording professional skills

A three-stage proficiency model will guide students through their professional skills development, supported by the employer as part of their regular six-monthly review meetings. 

There are three proficiency levels: 
  • Aware

    The student: 

    • Has a conceptual understanding of what the skill is and how it applies in a professional setting; 
    • can identify where others have demonstrated the skill and comment on their effectiveness; and 
    • is beginning to develop their own experience, requiring close supervision and direction. 
  • Experienced

    The student: 

    • Has an acceptable level of real and varied experience; 
    • recognises the interconnectivity with other skills; and 
    • can work somewhat independently, with broad support and direction. 
  • Accomplished

    The student: 

    • Independently and intuitively demonstrates the skill; 
    • has widespread experience, consistently delivering to a high standard; and 
    • provides support and development to others through mentoring. 
Throughout their training agreement, students will self-assess their skills proficiency at each six-monthly review, focusing on skills developed in the prior six months. As part of each six-monthly review conversation employers will agree or amend skills proficiency levels, with the focus being on the development cycle of Reflect – Discuss – Look forward – Declare. 

Employer responsibilities

As the employer, you will need to: 

  • monitor your student's professional skills progress and review this during six-monthly reviews; and 
  • provide the student with timely feedback their skills proficiency and ensure that your student records this feedback in their online training file, available from September 2025.  

Student responsibilities

Students following the ICAEW professional skills will need to: 

  • log their skills proficiency level in the online training file – available from September 2025 - completing a declaration for each six-monthly review; and  
  • achieve the experienced proficiency level for all 25 skills and accomplished in at least five skills by the end of their training agreement. 

Getting your professional skills scheme accredited

Employers may be able to get their professional skills scheme accredited by us where the programme follows the overarching skills identified within the ICAEW professional skills. This means their students will follow your internal scheme rather than the ICAEW professional skills. 

If you would like your professional skills scheme accredited, we can discuss this with you at your authorisations review. Employers who are already accredited for the existing ACA professional development ladders will continue to be accredited for professional skills, pending their next authorisations review. 
Have a question?

If you need any support or have a question on ACA training, please contact us.

Access the training file

Review and approve your student’s progress in their online training file.

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