We’re Dedicated to Empowering Employability Professionals with the Tools, Recognition, and Opportunities They Need to Thrive: Scott Parkin FIEP, Group CEO of The Institute of Employability Professionals

The Institute of Employability Professionals, or IEP, is the international membership organisation for the employability, employment support and employment services sector. The IEP’s vision is to help practitioners build their knowledge, skills, and commitment to shared values so they can meet the required professional standards. It works to raise awareness among policymakers and influencers about the social and economic value of the work the sector does. The organisation also encourages employers to recognise that investing in skilled, well-trained professionals is key to achieving their objectives. The IEP brings people together, creating a network that opens opportunities and strengthens the sector worldwide.

In an interview with SME BUSINESS REVIEW, Scott Parkin FIEP, Group CEO of the IEP, spoke about the IEP’s international expansion, its commitment to frontline practitioners, and ongoing efforts to strengthen skills, partnerships, and professional standards. Here’s what Scott had to say. 

Interview Excerpts

Could you elaborate on how the IEP was founded and discuss the initial vision behind its establishment?

The IEP was founded in 2011 by a group of passionate professionals who recognised the need for a dedicated Institute to represent and support those working in the sector. They believed that frontline practitioners in particular, those supporting people into work every day, deserved the same professional recognition, standards, and development opportunities afforded to other professions. From the outset, the IEP has been practitioner-led and focused on ensuring that employability professionals everywhere are the best they can be. This founding vision continues to drive our work today.

As the IEP is the only professional membership institute in the employability, employment support and employment services sector, what are its key focus areas?

The IEP exists to support the people who support others into work, helping them progress and stay in employment. We are dedicated to empowering employability professionals with the tools, recognition, and opportunities they need to thrive. We work across six strategic pillars—Member Support Services, Learning and Development, Research and Thought Leadership, Governance and Accountability, Growth and Diversification, and Quality and Excellence. These pillars guide everything we do, from delivering world-class learning to strengthening professional communities, influencing policy, and driving forward standards globally.

How does the IEP contribute to social and economic progress through its work in employability?

By supporting employability professionals to deliver high-quality, person-centred services, we enable better outcomes for individuals who face challenges accessing the labour market—be it due to long-term unemployment, caring responsibilities, health conditions, or other barriers. In turn, this improves inclusion, reduces inequality, and strengthens economic resilience. We believe in the power of employability support to change lives, and that belief underpins our role in fostering a confident, skilled, and recognised workforce for the future.

How does the IEP work with governments and stakeholders to improve employability outcomes on a global scale?

We collaborate with government stakeholders, commissioners, providers, and professional bodies across the UK and internationally. Through our Global Centre for Employability Excellence and our three Centres of Excellence, we are building a global network that gathers and shares evidence of what works in employability. These partnerships focus on improving service delivery, shaping more effective policy, and ensuring the voice of practitioners informs system change. By connecting organisations across countries, we support the development of more inclusive, high-quality employment services rooted in research and real-world practice.

How is the IEP working to improve the skills and standards of employability practitioners?

IEP’s Learning Academy offers a comprehensive and evolving portfolio of accredited awards, CPD masterclasses, and digital resources developed by employability professionals for employability professionals. These include training in areas such as mental health, employer solutions, AI, coaching, motivational interviewing, Leadership, IPS and understanding neurodiversity. Our learning programs are not only high quality but also highly practical, ensuring that practitioners can immediately apply their learning in real-world settings. With increasing demand for services supporting people with health conditions and disabilities, we are also expanding our suite of accredited learning programs and qualifications to address the changing needs of government programs—particularly around health and disability-focused employment support—both in the UK and overseas.

How has the IEP adjusted its approach amid shifts in the employment market?

The employment landscape is rapidly changing, and the IEP has adapted accordingly. We have expanded into new international markets, including Australia, Sweden, the Gulf, and Canada, and have established partnerships that reflect the diverse needs of modern service delivery. In collaboration with these partners, we are building more Centres of Excellence that focus on capturing and sharing effective practice, grounded in real-world delivery and evidenced based. Our mission is increasingly shaped by global insights, allowing us to offer more inclusive, responsive, and forward-thinking support for practitioners everywhere.

What have been the IEP’s most notable achievements over the past year, and how have these shaped its strategic direction?

Over the past year, we have seen major developments that reflect our growing international influence and our commitment to professionalising employability across borders. These include the launch of a new Centre of Excellence in Canada, welcoming our 300th Fellow into the IEP global community, and introducing mentoring programs in both Australia and the UK that connect members with experienced sector specialists. We have also deepened our partnerships in the Gulf states and continued to expand our impact through the IEP Learning Academy. Another major achievement was the launch of our Professional Excellence Award, which recognises providers that invest in the professionalisation of their employees—helping to set new standards across the sector. Alongside this, we have been recognised through several awards—for our quality improvement framework, the Learning Academy, and our flagship practitioner-focused event, IEP Basecamp, which we held for the second consecutive year. These milestones demonstrate the growing recognition of our work and reinforce our strategy to connect people, share what works, and raise the standard of practice across the sector.

What priorities is the IEP setting for the rest of this year and for 2026?

We are prioritising the continued development of our regional and international networks, the strengthening of our Quality Improvement Framework, and the expansion of our accredited learning. In particular, we are responding to increased demand for skills in health and disability-related employment support. We are also committed to growing our member and partner communities through inclusive engagement strategies and supporting the wider sector through data-led insights and professional development opportunities. Our work will be shaped by our six strategic pillars and underpinned by our renewed values of collaboration, trust, innovation, social purpose, potential, and quality.

Do you have any final thoughts or comments before we conclude?

At the IEP, we know that employability professionals change lives. They provide vital support to people navigating complex challenges and help them take steps toward brighter futures. Our role is to support, recognise, and elevate the people who deliver that change every day. With our new mission, global strategy, and a vibrant, growing community, we are proud to lead the way in professionalising employability—making sure the people who support others are, themselves, supported to be the very best they can be.

Scott Parkin FIEP | Group CEO of IEP

Scott Parkin FIEP is the Group CEO of the Institute of Employability Professionals. He oversees the IEP’s strategic direction, focusing on developing practical, sector-specific learning, both accredited and non-accredited, to help practitioners grow and perform at their best. He also plays a key role in building international partnerships that promote good practice and raise standards in employability.

We work across six strategic pillars—Member Support Services, Learning and Development, Research and Thought Leadership, Governance and Accountability, Growth and Diversification, and Quality and Excellence. These pillars guide everything we do, from delivering world-class learning to strengthening professional communities, influencing policy, and driving forward standards globally.

We collaborate with government stakeholders, commissioners, providers, and professional bodies across the UK and internationally. Through our Global Centre for Employability Excellence and our Centres of Excellence, we are building a global network that gathers and shares evidence of what works in employability.

We are prioritising the continued development of our regional and international networks, the strengthening of our Quality Improvement Framework, and the expansion of our accredited learning offer. In particular, we are responding to increased demand for skills in health and disability-related employment support.

We have expanded into new international markets, including Australia, Sweden, the Gulf, and Canada, and have established partnerships that reflect the diverse needs of modern service delivery.

The IEP exists to support the people who support others into work, helping them progress and stay in employment.