Company secretary : Training

Most company secretaries gain chartered status with the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) by passing relevant examinations, gaining significant work experience and meeting ICSA criteria.

Replacing the ICSA International Qualifying Scheme (IQS) in June 2011, the ICSA Chartered Secretaries Qualifying Scheme (CSQS) typically takes between one and three years to complete, depending on exemptions based on existing qualifications as well as the number of modules to be studied simultaneously. The modules are:

• financial reporting and analysis;
• applied business law;
• corporate law;
• corporate governance or health service governance;
• financial decision making;
• strategy in practice;
• corporate secretarial practice;
• chartered secretaries case study.

Anyone may register for the scheme and some companies provide time off and support while studying for the CSQS. Individuals may undertake self-study, part or full-time study at a college or by distance learning supported by on-the-job supervised experience. Another option is full-time attendance on collaborative Masters courses at partner universities and this results in the university's postgraduate award in addition to the ICSA graduate status (GradICSA). Financial assistance for training may be available through the Worshipful Company of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators .

Public limited company secretaries may also gain chartered status with other organisations, namely the:

• Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA)  
• Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy (CIPFA)  
• Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)  
• Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS)  
• Chartered Accountants Ireland  
• Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)  

Opportunities regularly arise for new graduates to train within public limited companies, share registration agencies, charities, local government, the public sector and professional services companies. These are usually open to graduates in any degree subject. Some organisations advertise administrative training schemes for general management trainees, and these types of roles can provide a broad range of experience across several departments.

It is important that company secretaries keep up to date with developments in legislation by reading professional journals, newsletters and other information. Experienced professionals also recommend networking and sharing working practices with other company secretaries, both formally and informally.