After more than 18 months of working on reviewing every aspect of the application and assessment process, Icon is delighted to officially 'relaunch' Icon Acreditation. We now have a more candidate-friendly system that still upholds the high standards of practice in the conservation profession, and better servicing conservator-restorers on their route to professional recognition.
We knew it was essential to have Icon members involved at every stage of the review process, to ensure the new system met the needs of the sector. The review panel included assessors, accreditation committee members, mentors and pathway members who worked together to design our new process. The result, we hope, is a simplified assessment process which works better for members.
Simplified application process
We asked you what you thought about the accreditation application form and your message came through loud and clear! We understand that the complexity of this form has deterred many potential applicants from pursuing accreditation. Consequently, we have introduced a simplified application that doesn’t require you to write in a particular way and fit everything you need to in a small space. If you’ve already started completing the old application form, don’t worry, we can help. Please get in touch with us so we can talk through what you’ve got so far.
Introduction of an e-Portfolio system
All accreditation candidates must gather examples of their work to demonstrate they meet the Icon Professional Standards. The introduction of an industry standard e-Portfolio system, OneFile, will enable candidates to collate evidence in one place and label it against the relevant sub-standards. If you prefer to write, you can upload written case studies and attach related documentation, such as images of your work or assessment reports. Alternatively, if you prefer to talk, you could upload a recording of you explaining your work out loud. The important thing is that you can present yourself in a way that suits you. And remember, the Icon team will be on hand to help you every step of the way.
Timings that work around you
Conservators are busy people and being able to dedicate time to the Icon accreditation process can be challenging. Under the new model, candidates have greater flexibility to manage their assessment process around their work and personal commitments. There are three application deadlines a year and you can work through the process at your own pace, taking up to 12 months to complete your assessment. You can have peace of mind that, should you need to, you can step away from your assessment for a while and pick it up again later.
Assessment criteria and a fully transparent assessment process
We know it’s tricky to understand exactly what is required to meet each Icon Professional Standard. To help candidates we have introduced clear assessment criteria that detail exactly what you need to do for each sub-standard. We have also shared the full assessment plan that underpins the delivery of Icon accreditation on our website. So you can fully understand exactly what happens at every stage of the application and assessment process.
Flexible payments
The assessment fee for Icon Accreditation is £950. We know that this can be tough to find in one go. As such we have introduced flexible payment plans to allow you to spread the cost of the fees. Payments can be made in full by card or invoice, as four quarterly direct debit payments or over three stages at the submission of your application, portfolio and prior to your professional discussion.
It is important to note that Icon makes no profit from the delivery of Icon Accreditation. The total cost of delivering an assessment is £2,950 per candidate. However, the fee charged to candidates is £950. This is based on the actual costs, such as the fees for assessors and specialist advisors - no part of the fee covers staff time or any additional Icon costs. This is only made possible due to the huge amount of time and effort that is freely given by professional conservators who dedicate their time to delivering Icon Accreditation.
Want to find out more?
Please visit the Accreditation pages to read about the full Icon Accreditation application and assessment process.
We will be running drop-in sessions over the summer to talk you through the new assessment process and answer any questions you have:
If you have any other questions please don’t hesitate to get in touch by emailing [email protected].
