Startup of the day: ICPPD
It's Westmeath week in The Daily Business Post. Every day, we profile a Westmeath-based startup. Today it's ICPPD, a new college which trains people in counselling and personal development.
**Company:** International College for Personal and Professional Development - [ICPPD](http://www.icppd.com/)
**Status:** active
**Founder:** Christine and Tom Moran
**Support:** self-funded
**What it does:** trains people in counselling and personal development
The recent downturn in the jobs market has left many people examining their chosen careers. Many people have looked to retrain, with personal development and counselling being a popular area. So how can people retrain to become a counsellor or psychotherapist?
Based in Athlone, ICPPD (International College for Personal and Professional Development) provides training and education to adult learners interested in personal development or a career in counselling and psychotherapy. The college also runs programmes to cater to professionals already working in those areas.
The college was founded in 2010 by husband and wife, Tom and Christine Moran. Currently seven people are working with the ICPPD
“Our main focus is training people in personal development, but specifically counselling and psychotherapy,” said Christine Moran. “We have worked in the field for over a decade.”
Athlone is the college’s primary location and ICPPD also works with the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) to provide courses. ICPPD is also running a course at All Hallows college in Dublin later this year.
“We have been trying to become known as a college of excellence in what we do,” said Moran. “We have been trying to do that on both a local and national level. Specifically we have been targeting those who want to pursue a career in helping others.”
The National Association for Pastoral Counselling and Psychotherapy (NAPCP) also approved ICPPD's Professional 3-year diploma in Holistic Counselling and Psychotherapy. ICCPD also provides foundation courses, personal development programmes and also advanced training and workshops.
**Advice:** “Make sure there is a market. It is also important to make sure you have enough money to get started. If you want to make something happen, you have to make it happen yourself.”
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