The International Group of P&I Clubs are pleased to announce a suite of new measures to support the Clubs’ correspondent networks in engaging with the P&IQ programme including a significant discount on the exams and textbooks plus an opportunity to win a scholarship.
Importance of correspondents
It is often said that correspondents are the “eyes and ears” of IG P&I Clubs worldwide, and since opening of the P&IQ programme to non-Club staff in 2017, they have been by far the largest non-Club participation group. Since 2020 over two hundred correspondents from across the globe have taken P&IQ exams each year. Their success is the Clubs’ success in many ways. Because, as well as supporting the programme, the greater levels of participation and progression among our correspondents network have a direct benefit in terms of the service levels the correspondents can provide to Club staff and members.
New Discount
The Education Committee have been working closely with the Group's Correspondents Committee to see whether more can be done to support Club correspondents in their participation in the P&IQ programme. From the May 2023 exams, we are pleased to announce that the staff of all correspondents listed with at least one IG Club will benefit from a 25% discount on all exam and textbook purchases when participating in the P&IQ programme. It is hoped that this significant discount will further encourage uptake in the P&IQ programme worldwide, as well as encouraging those employees who have sat a number of the early modules to continue their journey to the Advanced Certificate and Diploma level.
Garry Stevens, Chair of the IG’s Correspondents Committee welcomed this news, saying:
"The IG Correspondents Committee is striving to support and expand training for the vital network of worldwide correspondents and believes the P&IQ course can assist greatly in this respect. The discount being offered to Club correspondents is highly appreciated."
Scholarships
In addition, in March, it will be announced that, in order to ensure participation across the spectrum of correspondent companies by size and location, the Group's Education Committee will be awarding two correspondent-specific scholarships in 2024 to employees of commercial correspondent companies named in the currently (2024) published list of correspondents of at least one IG P&I Club. These fully funded places on the programme will provide exam entry, learning materials, as well as other support, to individuals who would otherwise be unable to complete the course*.
Alex McCooke, the Chair of the IG’s Education Committee said:
“We are delighted that the course has been growing in recent years and that we are in a position to find new ways to support our correspondent network, and in particular those companies who are smaller or correspondents who are only beginning their careers, and who may otherwise have been unable to engage with use and create that mutual benefit of shared education. The response so far has been very enthusiastic, and we’ve had many impressive applications.”
Textbook Bundle Purchase Facility
At the Group's Correspondents Conference in London in September 2022, the Education Committee showcased the updated P&IQ module textbooks to attendees. Many correspondents enquired whether they could order the set for their libraries or offices, to use both as educational tools and reference materials. Previously the textbooks have only been available to candidates sitting the relevant exam. However, the Education Committee has now agreed, on the basis of the number of requests from club correspondents, that the set may be purchased as a reference suite in a bundle. The RRP of all seven textbooks is £ 631, but they will shortly be available to purchase from the P&IQ website, at a bundled price of £583.
We hope that all these steps reinforce the value the IG Clubs place on their correspondent networks and shows how we are keen to make the programme as valuable, approachable and accessible as possible.
* For candidates working as commercial correspondents, when addressing the criteria relating to financial need, they should, in addition outline why their employer has not agreed to fund their participation.
Exam bookings for the May 2024 season are due to open on 1 March 2024 and can be accessed via this link - https://pandiq.mycoracle.com/
Textbook bundles may be ordered at any time via this link – https://shop.pandiq.com/catalogue/category/textbook-bundle_5/
For any question in relation to the discount, textbook bundles or exam booking, candidates may contact [email protected]
