The success of the government’s pension system reforms will depend on the industry having enough skilled and qualified professionals to implement them effectively, according to the Pensions Management Institute (PMI).
Vanessa Jackson, chief learning officer at the PMI, said the scale of planned change meant professional standards would become increasingly important as schemes and providers respond to new expectations around governance, transparency and value for money.
She said: “Raising standards is a commitment to excellence, not simply a compliance exercise. The government’s pensions reforms are ambitious. They will require skilled, qualified and committed professionals who are equipped to deliver reform responsibly.
“That’s why raising professional standards has never been more important.”
The Pension Schemes Act 2026 has brought in significant changes to be enacted over the next few years across the defined contribution, defined benefit, and local government pension sectors.
At the same time, a consultation is ongoing about raising standards of trusteeship and pension scheme administration, with one area of enquiry involving qualifications.
Recognising existing expertise
Jackson’s comments come as the PMI has introduced its Level 5 Experienced Pensions Professional Certificate, its first new qualification since 2022.
The qualification is aimed at pensions administration professionals with at least five years’ experience and is assessed through evidence drawn from their day-to-day work rather than exams or coursework.
Candidates build a portfolio including work products, witness testimony, and personal reflections to demonstrate technical knowledge, practical skills, and professional behaviours.
Jackson said the approach was intended to give experienced professionals formal recognition for expertise they had built through their careers, while helping employers benchmark competence and support staff development.
Those completing the qualification will gain ProfPMI status and will be supported by continuing professional development requirements.
The certificate forms part of a broader PMI focus on skills across the sector. Earlier this month, the institute announced 40 new trainees for its Trustee Accelerator Programme, which was established to bring people with little or no pensions experience into trusteeship.
The latest cohort includes participants from a range of professional and educational backgrounds, including people who did not follow a university route.
The PMI said the new certificate would be the first in a series of qualification developments, with a Level 6 qualification aimed specifically at senior pensions administrators due to be introduced in 2027.
