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CIPD Level 3 newbie

Gemma

| 0 Posts

6 Feb, 2019 11:32

Hi all,

So I'm currently doing the CIPD level 3 at college one day a week. It only started a few weeks ago but it all feels a bit daunting as we are starting our first assignment shortly! 

I'm worried I'm not academic enough as I haven't studied for years. I'm not working at the moment just a stay at home mum so felt I needed something for me and feel it'll open more does I job wise as I was an admin assistant before I got pregnant. 

How hard are the assessments? Is it manageable with kids? 

Any experience of someone in a similar position would be good.

Thank you

Gemma

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  • Jacqueline

    | 0 Posts

    6 Feb, 2019 13:15

    Hi Gemma
    I'm not in the same position as you, but I wanted to give you some encouragement - my colleague is doing the level 3 at the moment and she says the assignments tend to require fairly short answers - her problem is cutting down on the amount of words she writes! There's loads of resources on the CIPD website and loads of people on these forums to test your answers with. Just because you're a stay at home mum at the moment, it doesn't mean you've lost all your other skills - you've just developed new ones to go with them. To be honest, working in HR is a lot like herding toddlers anyway. :-D
    Kind regards
    Jackie
  • Gemma

    | 0 Posts

    6 Feb, 2019 21:17

    In reply to Jacqueline:

    Hi Jacqui,

    Aww bless you, thanks for getting back to me. I'm just in the middle of completing my first assessment and I'm finding some of the questions hard. I'm sure once I get into it a bit I'll get a routine going, it's just hard as I've got a little one who demands a lot of attention so evenings and weekend will be study time.

    Have you do a CIPD course? If so which one?

    Gemma
  • Jacqueline

    | 0 Posts

    7 Feb, 2019 08:17

    In reply to Gemma:

    Hi Gemma
    I did a post grad diploma in Personnel Management (level 7 equivalent) a long time ago - I was lucky that my employer paid for it and allowed me the time to do it and I was not long out of university so I still had the habit of studying. It did take quite a bit of work in the evenings and at weekends though and I had to learn how to write essays - my degree was in Maths, so I hadn't written an essay since GCSE English!

    My top studying tip was to at least make a start on the assignment early on - I would do a mind map of all the things that might be relevant to the answer, so I wasn't sat staring at a blank piece of paper or computer screen. I would add things to my mind map every time I thought of something and build it up over time. Then I would sit down and plan my answer around the most relevant things from my mind map and write the answer up.

    If you're stuck on an answer, feel free to ask people on the forums - but do bring your own thoughts along when you ask for help. We'll happily give people a nudge in the right direction or help debate perspectives on a particular topic but we won't supply all the answers. ;-)

    Good luck!

    Jackie
  • Gemma

    | 0 Posts

    7 Feb, 2019 09:17

    In reply to Jacqueline:

    That sounds like a good idea Jackie. Sounds like your very smart, I'm not that academic.

    I'm on my first assessment and I'm stuck, I posted my question in the forum so if you could have a look and let me know your thoughts I'd be very grateful xxx
  • Emma

    | 0 Posts

    25 May, 2019 15:59

    Hey Gemma
    You are further along in your course now since you submitted this post. How are you finding it? I started my Level 3 in January and I go through mixed emotions of feeling like I understand and then feeling massively overwhelmed as if I will never retain all this information. If we can help each other in anyway, we are possibly at similar points in the course let me know! Emma
  • Emma

    | 0 Posts

    28 May, 2019 11:00

    Hi Gemma

    My advice would be after every college session, write up some notes or research topics discussed. I also broke down the assignment into mini questions and write them as you go along after the classes. I am about to complete my Level 3 at the end of June so feel free to ask any questions.

    Emma
  • Kelly

    | 0 Posts

    29 May, 2019 11:17

    In reply to Emma:

    Hi. hope you don't mind me jumping on the thread, I am currently doing my level 3 via an online portal / tutor support and currently working through 4DEP to prepare to submit i am struggling to understand how things are wording did either of you 2 feel the same at any point.

    Kelly
  • Emma

    | 0 Posts

    29 May, 2019 17:05

    In reply to Kelly:

    Hey Kelly I'm not sure what section that is just by the numbers (probably should) but what subject is it on and I may be able to help.
    Emma
  • Claire

    | 0 Posts

    30 May, 2019 14:37

    In reply to Kelly:

    4DEP is your CPD assessment isn't it? I didn't enjoy this assignment and made a right pigs ear of my CIPD map but still managed to pass with little negative feedback so if you have any questions let me know :)
  • Claire

    | 0 Posts

    30 May, 2019 14:45

    I completed my level 3 last year and did it online with Avado, so not sure if your semesters will be the same but my advice would be to take lots of notes and make sure you split your time so commit to an hour or two a night when the kids are in bed as example to really focus and try not to leave your assignments to the last minute. When I did mine I was a standalone HR in my company plus for 3 sister companies aswell as covering the office manager and PA roles within my company so was not allowed any time off from work to complete it so had to use evenings and weekends to keep on top of it all, it was very challenging.

    Assessment wise, I think at the moment your probably just getting scared by the jargon. I will admit it is not the easiest course in the world like an NVQ but it is so valuable, and with tools such as CIPD and ACAS you have every ounce of information in front of you so all you have to do is make sense of it and put it together in a document, so try not to stress yourself before you have even started as it will feel more manageable over time when you get used to it!

    If you have any questions at all let me know, best of luck with your course, stay positive and enjoy the learning :-)
  • Claire

    | 0 Posts

    30 May, 2019 14:46

    In reply to Claire:

    Dammit I have just seen this is an old post! Hope you have found it useful you should be near the end now.... Just you wait until you see how much free time you are going to get back :)
  • Emma

    | 0 Posts

    18 Jun, 2019 15:53

    In reply to Kelly:

    Hey Kelly
    I am also struggling with 4DEP. I am planning to hand it in Thursday but let me know if I can help/we can help each other?
  • Kelly

    | 0 Posts

    19 Jun, 2019 14:22

    In reply to Emma:

    Hi Emma,

    Thanks for the message i have just returned from Holiday I submitted activity 1 before i finished as a draft and have been told that it was correct so on the right path it was more the presentation layout i was unsure about, I have a call next week for activity 2, i think it is the long distance learning that i find difficult as you don't seem to have someone to just ask so to speak.

    Good luck Thursday i hope all goes well and will defiantly give you a shout if i need any help thank you for the offer :-)
    Kelly
  • Kelly

    | 0 Posts

    19 Jun, 2019 14:23

    In reply to Claire:

    Thank you Claire :-)
  • Karen

    | 0 Posts

    8 Jul, 2019 15:37

    In reply to Kelly:

    Hi Emma

    How's it going? I have recently completed Level 3 via online distance learning with ICS Learn. The support wasn't great on some level but I was part of a Whatsapp group (now over 70 members) which has been the lifeline to many participants. Always people around to ask questions and share the frustration and challenges in the group!

    Karen