New KPMG training programme gains ChMC accreditation

KPMG has launched a new training programme for consultants at all stages of their career. The course has been officially accredited by the ChMC and officially recognised by the CMI.

Since its launch, the Chartered Management Consultant award has gone from strength to strength – with half of the Management Consultancies Association’s member firms having now joined the drive to chartered status for the industry. Even among experienced management consultants, it is becoming a major career milestone helping recognise expertise and credibility.

This has seen a key uptake of the ChMC among the Big Four, too. To that end, Nicholas Fox, partner and head of government at KPMG UK recently said, “I feel it is my duty to inspire and encourage consultants to pursue the Chartered Management Consultant (ChMC) accreditation, which is quickly becoming a hallmark of excellence in our industry signifying the highest standards of professionalism and expertise. With the full support from my firm, I was keen to pursue the ChMC accreditation, recognising its significance for our industry.”

Following on from that sentiment, KPMG UK has gone one better, by announcing it has launched a new professional development pathway for its consultants, which is accredited by the ChMC competency framework. Central to this is KPMG’s new flagship learning programme, Core Consulting, which has been officially recognised by ChMC awarding organisation the Chartered Management Institute.

Head of Consulting at KPMG UK David Rowlands stated, "Our strength is our people, and our people perform best when they’re continually building confidence, skills and knowledge which can be used to solve client problems. The ChMC framework is a great way of formalising and recognising this learning and is good for our people and our clients alike.”

The five-day program designed to upskill KPMG’s consultants is the first time that CMI has awarded Recognised Programme status to a programme covering the ChMC standards. The programme focuses on building deep empathy and deep collaborative skills as well as developing technical expertise, and will be extended to all new graduates joining the firm in the coming months. By the end of this year programme will have been delivered to over 800 KPMG consultants from various grades. The programme will also be extended into 2024.

Matt Roberts, a director for the Chartered Management Consultant award at the CMI, added, “It's excellent that KPMG has chosen not only to get its programme accredited but also to ensure that the new core consulting programme now provides all who complete it with the confidence that it will help them work towards gaining full Chartered Management Consultant status."

Since its launch in 2021, the ChMC has gained immense popularity. More than 850 Chartered Management Consultants have already been awarded the title, with over 4,000 on their ChMC journey. Earlier this year KPMG also announced it would be offering all its consultants the opportunity to work to become Chartered from their first day. Approximately 200 graduates and apprentices within KPMG's consulting practice can now pursue chartered status from the outset of their careers at the firm, alongside other grades.

Speaking on the development, Tamzen Isacsson, CEO of the MCA, noted, “It’s terrific news that so many consultants at KPMG will now be able start their professional journey towards becoming Chartered, gaining independent recognition for their experience and training. At its core ChMC is not just an assessment of over 50 competencies but a commitment to the highest of ethical standards and this provides great benefits for individuals and clients.”