Hi Vivienne,

You don't say what area of business you are in, but on paper it seems quite a leap from PA to EQ coaching. Are you sure you can do it? Employers now want proof of experience as well as the bit-of-paper showing you've got a particular, relevant, qualification. Make sure this is what you want because trying to make such a change is a huge step and will be very hard work, as well as demoralising and depressing. I'm not trying to put you off - being on my 3rd such dramatic change I wouldn't dare - but if this is a 'I sort of fancy...' pipe dream then stay where you are.

Assuming you still want to go ahead, perhaps start by looking at some of the OpenLearn and FutureLearn MOOCs - both of which are overseen by the Open University. These are free, online courses that you do in your own time and at your own speed. Most of them are for just a few weeks, and most of them will allow you to download a certificate at the end (some charge for this). I have used these a lot for various bits of professional development or to plug holes in knowledge - or even just for fun! To me they're like opening up a huge box of learning chocolates, which do I go for next :)

For what you're looking for, I can thoroughly recommend OpenLearn's 'Workplace learning with coaching and mentoring' and FutureLearn's 'The self-aware coach' as being ones that I've done and found helpful. 

Vivienne

Really sorry that you've never experienced an honest decent HR department - I can only hope that is a very, very small sample as, for me, I have never experienced a dishonest indecent HR department.

I would hope that would be the overwhelming experience of contributors to these forums, especially as the forums represent the chartered profession!