The British Franchise Association’s Formal Qualification Programme

The Qualified Franchise Professional award is the British Franchise Association’s formal recognition of knowledge and experience, CEO Pip Wilkins says

When surfing the internet or social media in the busy world of franchising, you may have started to see ‘QFP’ appearing after some people’s names. You might be wondering what this means, why do they have it and what makes it special? Wonder no more.

In all areas of the franchising sector, the British Franchise Association is here to help and prides itself on providing comprehensive training in the specialised and complex world of franchising.

Education initiatives

At the heart of these education initiatives is the provision of a comprehensive certification for skilled and experienced sector professionals, a rounded and interactive set of training courses designed to test and upskill even the most time served and dedicated member of the franchise community. This qualification is called the Qualified Franchise Professional or ‘QFP’ for short.

As such, the QFP is the bfa’s formal recognition of professional knowledge and experience. Attaining it demonstrates a deep understanding of the complexities and best practice in franchising and the time invested by an individual to continuously develop their skills and know-how.

The main entry requirement for starting the QFP journey is that you work for or manage a business that is a bfa member in order to keep it relevant to the world of ethical business format franchising, while focused on the cutting edge of excellence in the sector.

The award is well established as the foremost qualification available to an individual in franchising. It confers credibility and denotes a commitment to the highest standards. Whether you are a franchisor, employee or adviser, achieving the QFP will make you more efficient and effective at work.

All events, courses, seminars and forums that make up the core and elective learning for the QFP are provided by the bfa through its accredited training providers.

Range of topics

The QFP qualification covers a comprehensive range of topics including:

• Expertise where it’s needed most. The QFP qualification gives candidates the skills to understand how to effectively recruit franchisees, monitor performance, motivate a network and get to grips with the financial elements of the business.
• Practical skills that make a difference. QFP students learn specialist techniques and processes that can be applied directly to the franchising sector. All elements are directly relevant to franchising, so you can be assured you will be well prepared.
• Gives you access to industry experts. QFP students have to attend dedicated training workshops as well as other industry events that feature a wide range of expert led seminars. Engaging with industry experts can have a genuine impact on management efficiency and profitability.
• Keeps you one step ahead. Every QFP member commits to ensuring their long-term effectiveness through continuing professional development, so you will be kept up to date in terms of knowledge and skill set.

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