Client Testimonial: ILM Level 7 Coaching and Mentoring
Salford Professional Development recently spoke with Caroline Jones, Learning and Development Manager, who participated in the ILM Level 7 Certificate in Coaching and Mentoring programme. In her role, Caroline leads development conversations across multiple sites, supporting employees with career progression, professional growth and ongoing learning opportunities. Looking to strengthen her coaching approach and improve the way she supports others, Caroline enrolled onto the ILM 7 in Coaching and Mentoring programme to further develop her skills and confidence in coaching and mentoring conversations.
Reflecting on her decision to join the course, Caroline explained that coaching plays a key role within her position and that she wanted to develop practical techniques that would help unlock potential in others and guide more meaningful development discussions. Caroline says:
“Career coaching is a really important part of my role, and I felt that doing this course would really help with those coaching conversations. Often, people already know what they want to do, but it’s about helping to unlock their potential and bring out information they may not have fully explored themselves.”
Throughout the programme, Caroline found the practical frameworks and questioning techniques particularly valuable. She explained that the course has already started to shape how she approaches conversations within her role, giving her more structure and confidence when supporting others with their development. One aspect she found especially useful was the GROW model and the emphasis placed on effective questioning skills.
“I particularly liked the structure of the GROW model, and I think that will be really useful when starting and ending development conversations. One of the biggest things I’ve learnt is how to ask more useful questions. I think those questions will really help probe further into people’s development and help them think more deeply about where they want to go.”
Caroline also highlighted the value of learning alongside other professionals on the programme. From hearing different perspectives to taking part in practical coaching sessions, she found the collaborative environment both engaging and inspiring. Reflecting on her experience, Caroline shared:
“I would definitely recommend the course. Even by day three, it had already inspired me. The facilitator was engaging, knowledgeable, and gave lots of practical examples that were useful. I also think the other delegates really make the sessions valuable as well, because everyone brings different experiences and ideas to share. The coaching sessions we did each day has been really useful in helping us think about how we’ll apply everything going forward.”
The ILM Level 7 Certificate in Coaching and Mentoring is designed for senior professionals and executives who regularly coach and mentor at a strategic level. The programme helps learners develop emotional intelligence, communication, listening, and questioning skills, while building the confidence to support individuals and teams through development and change. Participants also learn how to evaluate the effectiveness of coaching and mentoring within an organisation, helping to drive stronger performance, engagement, and leadership capability across the workplace.
