Introducing the Society of Actuaries Readiness (SOAR) Education Pathway, New Micro-credentials and the Professional Affiliate Membership
Schaumburg, IL, Feb. 2, 2022 - As part of the Society of Actuaries’ (SOA’s) Long-Term Growth Strategy, the organization works to be a trusted partner, providing valuable resources and reliable support for actuarial candidates getting ready for a career as an actuary. Focusing on education, the SOA announces the Society of Actuaries Readiness (SOAR) Education Pathway, alongside introducing Micro-credentials and a new Professional Affiliate Membership.
The Associate of the Society of Actuaries (ASA) pathway is the first step of this career-long learning journey. As announced in July 2021, the SOA is updating the ASA curriculum to meet employer and market demands for increased data analytics coverage, expanded leadership training in adaptability and change, and emotional intelligence. These changes don’t increase the travel time to ASA and will keep the high standards actuarial candidates and employers expect.
“The SOA pathway is designed to get actuarial candidates ready for their future,” noted Greg Heidrich, SOA Chief Executive Officer (CEO). “We are constantly in consultation with actuarial employers and industry professionals to ensure the SOA’s education and credentials remain relevant and keep actuaries ahead in the marketplace.”
New Micro-credentials
The SOA bundled several of the ASA pathway steps into three Micro-credentials to make candidates’ educational journey more rewarding. These Micro-credentials include Pre-Actuarial Foundations, Actuarial Science Foundations, and Data Science for Actuaries. Candidates will be able to highlight these meaningful, hard-earned educational accomplishments through digital badges that they can display. Candidates can begin pursuing the Micro-credentials, as many of the new pathway components are now open for enrollment. Candidates will still be able to pursue their ASA
New Affiliate Memberships
In October 2021, the SOA launched the Affiliate Membership, open to anyone interested in actuarial science—students, parents, teachers, counselors, and candidates who earn the Pre-Actuarial Foundations Micro-credential.
The SOA is also excited to announce a new Professional Affiliate Membership, which is open to candidates who earn either the Actuarial Science Foundations or Data Science for Actuaries Micro-credential. They will have access to an exclusive suite of benefits designed to support actuarial candidates and connect them to their pathway peers, including through webcasts, podcasts, peer-to-peer networking and more.
About the Society of Actuaries
With roots dating back to 1889, the Society of Actuaries (SOA) is the world’s largest actuarial professional organization with more than 30,000 actuaries as members. Through research and education, the SOA's mission is to advance actuarial knowledge and to enhance the ability of actuaries to provide expert advice and relevant solutions for financial, business and societal challenges. The SOA's vision is for actuaries to be the leading professionals in the measurement and management of risk.