Hello Ian, and welcome to the Communities

If you try using the search function, you will discover that making a transition into HR is something that crops up here fairly frequently and you will find some great advice on approaches to try.

To start you off, as you know where you are going to be when you get back to the UK, I suggest you make contact with your local CIPD branch.

Hi Ian,

There are obviously confidentiality concerns around work experience in an HR department, but the problems aren't insurmountable if a company is willing to get be flexible. The bigger issue is usually that HR departments are busy, and looking after an additional person in your team for a period is perceived as a burden - even if that person is interesting and willing to get involved.

Have you approached schools to see whether you could offer some time in their HR departments? You may have more of an 'in' there, with your experience in education.

I am HR Director of a secondary school in London and I'd certainly be open to this kind of thing, but that's not very handy for Cornwall!

In reply to Nina Waters:

Thank you Nina. It's a good idea of yours to contact schools and I will certainly do that. I was also thinking of contacting Cornwall Council because I know that quite a few schools outsource HR matters to them rather than having HR departments. I guess that if I really have no joy, I could consider spending a few days in London? Haha!

In reply to Elizabeth Divver:

Thank you Elizabeth. I will definitely make contact with the Cornwall and Devon CIPD branch once I am back in August.

In reply to Ian:

Hi Ian... and welcome to the Community. Further to what Nina has said... have you looked at whether there are any substantial MATs in Cornwall? They may have one or two people working on HR.

There have been some threads on the Community from others transitioning from teaching into HR (or L & D).

In reply to Steve Bridger:

Hi Steve,
Thank you for your advice. I've had yet another couple of negative responses and they have quoted 'confidentiality' as a reason. There are a number of MATs in Cornwall and that's a good suggestion. Fingers crossed!