Obtaining an NLP certification can be both personally fulfilling and career advancing. Many organisations recognise that NLP certification is a valuable skill, useful in a wide variety of fields, from business and coaching to education and therapy.
There are three main levels of NLP Certification, each of which builds on the previous:
- Practitioner: A full-length programme comprising 120 hours of hands-on training. At the end of the course there is a two-day assessment process to ensure that you have reached the appropriate level of skill.
- Master Practitioner: Qualified Practitioners undertake a further 120 hours of training in the application of more advanced skills, and are then required demonstrate that they have attained the requisite standard of skills.
- Certified Trainer: Master Practitioners can then study a further 120 hours training in how to train others in NLP at the first two levels.
However, it is worth noting that not all organisations adhere to these standards, and there are thus various other training routes, using either these or other names, which will offer a qualification in NLP.
While the quality of the training is not necessarily dependent on the actual qualification offered, it is worth checking that the training provider you are considering is accredited by a body such as the ANLP or the ABNLP.
These are independent bodies whose role is to offer a universal accreditation Scheme that is open to all certified NLP Trainers. By setting basic standards and requirements, they ensure that any training is of a consistently high level, and that the qualification you obtain will be widely recognised.
