Next Step....no CIPD quals! - HR Qualifications and studying - Careers Clinic

4 Next Step....no CIPD quals!

Dan | 0 Posts

27 Sep, 2021 12:16

I'm a newbie and this is the first time I've posted. As you can see from my subject heading, I don't have any CIPD qualifications. But what I do have is a load of experience including 12 years working as a trade union officer, and more recently, at an HR Advisor role level in retail for companies such as IKEA and The Co-op.

Using the experience and knowledge that I have built up and gained, I'd now like to move into a more specialist HR role within Employee Relations. To help me achieve this, I'd like to gain some recognised qualifications but I'm unable to self-fund myself for any CIPD qualifications which are quite expensive. I'm also not getting any younger (45-50 years range) so need a self development training solution that fits in :-)

My question is this, can anyone help me with any self-study options to get me to where I want to go i.e. ER Specialist role? Preferably some options that lead to some good recognised accreditation or is the CIPD route the best and only route available for me do you think?

Thank you in advance for any help and/or support.

Dan

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Jim | 0 Posts

29 Sep, 2021 09:05

Hi Dan & welcome to the community.

I would always recommend CIPD membership for the resources that the organisation provides (these forums not least of which). Having said that there is as far as I'm aware, there's no dedicated course on employee relations, but it is covered in the foundation and associate level courses.

You obviously have a great deal of knowledge and experience and the CIPD has a policy of recognising prior learning (RPL). It may be possible that you don't have to complete all the modules to gain a qualification. This should reduce the study time and cost of the course for you.

I think with your experience you should be aiming at the Associate Diploma in People Management. Find a study centre here:

findacentre.cipd.org/

Have a chat with them about RPL and see if that helps. Alternatively, you might consider experience assessment as a method of membership.

www.cipd.co.uk/.../experience-assessment

Again I would consider Associate level. It still takes a bit of doing but is significantly cheaper than a course.

Best of luck and welcome once again
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Keith | 0 Posts

29 Sep, 2021 09:35

Hey Dan

To a certain extent it depends on what you mean by a specialist ER role. That might mean helping deal with first line D&G issues which is often done now in almost call centre like situations or its more about helping with complex ER situations and staretgy.

I am not sure for teh latter a qualification (CIPD or otherwise) will be the crucial factor in getting you an ER role. And if it were then it's likely to be a higher-level qualification (Law masters or the like) rather than a Level 3 or 5, a certificate, or a diploma.

What will get you a job is convincing someone in an ER department that you have the experience necessary to do this and the gravitas to pull it off effectively. Specialist ER roles are few and far between (unless first line grievance/disciplinary handling) and it will be hard work.

If it's the first line D&G handling then i would look to one of the mass solutions centres who will give you a strong grounding you can move on from.

Good luck
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Alex | 0 Posts

4 Oct, 2021 08:08

Dan, ICS are doing a competition at the moment for a chance to win free tuition on a
CIPD course - could be worth looking into... www.icslearn.co.uk/.../
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Alun | 0 Posts

4 Oct, 2021 08:21

Dan,

I would recommend the experience assessment route, much cheaper than a full qualification and gives you the CIPD membership that every employer will want for the roles you are looking for.
Alternatively consider a mature apprenticeship in HR?
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