Paraplanners to discuss standards at events

One event will take place in London with another one in Leeds and an online event a week later.

The events have been organised by Richard Allum, managing director of Oxfordshire-based The Paraplanners, after the question of standards kept coming up at the Pow Wow events he organises.

He said: “There is a bit of frustration about the fact that anybody can call themselves a paraplanner.

“All the paraplanners that have been involved in this are keen to push for professional standards and get better at what they do.

“There is a lack of paraplanner-focused CPD and the idea of a standard or kitemark has been discussed quite a bit.”

Mr Allum first floated the idea of developing an agreed set of standards in December and organised the events following positive feedback.

He said that while he did not want to prejudge the outcome of the events, there would have to be some kind of structure and quality control involved in any standards drawn up.

Mr Allum said: “It will have to have some form of recognition so we will have to speak to the people that employ paraplanners and the professional bodies.

“It could involve setting up a whole new organisation.”

The first event will take place in London from 9am on 4 March and the second one will take place in Leeds from 1pm on 10 March.

This will be followed by an online event starting at 1pm on 17 March.

Mr Allum said that 87 people have already signed up to the two events and places can be booked by visiting paraplannerspowwow.co.uk.

Paraplanner view

Joanna Hague, an accredited paraplanner at Nottinghamshire-based Investment for Life, said: “I am going to the event because I am sitting on the fence.

“I know some people know exactly how they feel but I have not made up my mind. At the moment there is a huge push towards paraplanner apprenticeships and yet whenever I see people looking for paraplanners what they want is someone who is qualified so I cannot join those two things up.”