Internal audit designations and apprenticeships: which one is right for you?
Over the past couple of years, the routes to the IIA and Chartered IIA designations and the exams and syllabuses have changed to align them with the new Global Standards and resolve anomalies in the previous system. The aim was to make members’ professional pathways smoother and more flexible with a learning framework that enabled multiple entry and exit points to reflect individual career paths.
The new system also provides credits for qualifications already gained with designations designed to lead to professional membership.
Internal audit designations are the foundations of internal audit professionalism. As AI, geopolitical stresses and other factors change our working environment ever more rapidly, the training and skills required by internal auditors must also evolve – and must be continually updated.
So, what do internal audit designations offer, and what will work for you?
Starting out
For those new to internal audit and with little or no internal audit experience, the entry level certification is the Foundations of Internal Auditing (FIA). This provides a thorough grounding in the core concepts of internal audit and should whet your appetite to progress further.
Members with at least two years’ internal audit experience should consider the Internal Audit Practitioner (IAP), which is a permanent designation (unlike previous iterations which expired after three years).
The next level is the globally recognised Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) certification.
The CIA certification is the global benchmark for professional internal auditors, and provides members with in-depth understanding of all elements of the International Professional Practices Framework (IPPF) and its implementation.
The IAP uses the CIA Part 1 syllabus, so IAP holders do not need to repeat this exam when they enrol on the CIA.
There are three CIA exams:
- Part 1: Internal Audit Fundamentals;
- Part 2: Internal Audit Engagement; and
- Part 3: Internal Audit Function.
The Part 1 syllabus addresses the IPPF and the Global Internal Audit Standards (GIAS), Part 2 covers the engagement, including planning and communicating recommendations, and Part 3 addresses leading internal audit and leading a team. You have three years to complete the CIA. Most students take between six and nine months per part.
You don’t have to progress to the CIA course immediately, but you can retain this credit while you pause your training if you wish.
If you are a qualified accountant, information system auditor, or you have more than ten years’ internal audit experience, you may also qualify for one of the Challenge Exams which allows you to become CIA by sitting a single exam.
All members with the FIA, IAP, CIA or CMIIA must complete and record annual continuing professional education (CPE) to ensure their skills stay up to date.
Going further
When you are ready to make your mark as a leader, the Chartered Internal Auditor (CMIIA) will demonstrate your ability to lead an internal audit function and collaborate with senior management and the board. You can achieve the CMIIA via the learning pathway, or by demonstrating your experience if you have already spent a substantial period in a CAE role.
Chartered Internal Auditor remains the cornerstone designation of the Chartered IIA for those leading the profession. It demonstrates your leadership credentials and gives you voting rights as a Chartered IIA member.
The Chartered Leadership Programme follows on from the CIA syllabus and equips senior internal auditors with leadership skills applicable to many management roles. These skills also support those who wish to move into executive or non-executive positions.
Apprenticeships
The Chartered IIA’s new Internal Audit Technician Apprenticeship (level 4) has the Foundations of Internal Auditing as a mandated qualification and so requires little or no previous internal audit experience. It is therefore perfect for those starting out in the role.
Anyone wishing to enrol on a IATec Apprenticeship should contact the training providers listed on our website directly.
The IATec apprenticeship will soon lead on to a Certified Internal Auditor (level 6) apprenticeship, which will include achieving the CIA designation. This apprenticeship is currently being developed and will be available from early 2027.
Why it matters
As global risks and challenges develop and the pace of change, fuelled by AI, accelerates, internal audit must also evolve and accelerate. We may not know exactly what risks will emerge next year, but we can ensure that our profession is highly skilled and continually improving what we do and the support we provide.
The internal audit profession requires fully trained and competent internal auditors, keen to develop their own skills and those of their teams. Achieving our certifications and designations will ensure that you remain relevant and able to support boards and audit committees with the assurance and advice they need.
At the same time, you will also advance your capabilities and maintain your own value wherever your career takes you.