CAREER DEVELOPMENT INSIGHT
Diary of a student…
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area yet, but I am sure CIPP will be able to offer a course to suit.
AdamEllison ACIPP Cintra HR and Payroll Services
Howdo you copewith thework- life balance and include your study? Achieving a balance between work, studying and a social life is hard. When there is deadline to meet but your friends are going out it’s a tough choice to make. You need to be organised and disciplined to make sure you strike the right balance. For me, the best way to achieve this is to enter important dates into a diary on phone or laptop and schedule the work I need to do accordingly. For example, I find short bursts work well for me – a couple of hours study on certain days helps to keep me motivated – and because these are not too long, I don’t get bored. To be honest though, I enjoy studying as most of the topics are interesting and keep me really engaged. How important is this degree in relation to your future career? The Foundation Degree is important to my future career as it can help develop my knowledge and skill base, which will enhance my future applications for senior roles. The first question usually asked is ‘are you CIPP qualified’ and the higher the level of qualification I can achieve the better. For someonewho is thinking about studying for a CIPP qualification, what would your advice be to them? My advice would be to just go for it. There are a great range of courses available, with something for those just starting their career in payroll, to those looking to progress or hone their knowledge further. The CIPP have been an integral part of my career as I have studied from level 2 to level 4 and I still want to go on and learn more. n
Can you give us a brief background into your life? I am 22 years old. I have recently bought my own house and a puggle called Bear. Geordie born and bred it goes without saying that I’m an avid supporter of Newcastle United and love going to home games when I get the chance. I also enjoy going out with my friends and playing computer games. I’m an outgoing person and love meeting and working with different people, so working in a bureau environment is perfect for me, as I get to deal with a range of people and payrolls. Can you give an insight into your career and qualifications background? From a young age I’ve always been involved in a customer service environment. I worked in various retail jobs which gave me the experience and confidence to deal with a cross-section of people and also an understanding of the importance of good service. Although thoroughly enjoying providing a great customer service, I have always enjoyed working with figures too, which is why I decided to look at a career in payroll: working at Cintra is a perfect combination of both. Starting as an apprentice, I was given the opportunity to develop my skills to become a valued member of the team. My team leader says I’m like a sponge when it comes to learning new things –
my ability to soak-up knowledge and engage with clients led to me being nominated for two national awards through the CIPP and Reward Strategy. Winning the CIPP Newcomer of the Year award is a real career highlight to date. To be nominated by my team and be endorsed by our amazing clients was validation for the hard work I’d put in – and I couldn’t have been prouder. Why did you choose to study the Foundation Degree in Payroll Management? Did the fact that the CIPP is Chartered or recognised within the industry influence your decision to enrol with the CIPP? I passed the Foundation Degree access course which allowed me to progress on to year two which I hope to start in spring 2019. I think having this qualification shows I am dedicated to the profession and, hopefully, that with greater experience I’m a good candidate for more senior roles such as a team leader. The CIPP have a great reputation and are held in high regard by my employer. This, coupled with the fact that the Institute is extremely well-respected across the industry, made the CIPP the natural choice when looking to further my education and qualification. In the future I would like to specialise in a specific area of payroll. I haven’t made my mind up as to exactly what
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | May 2019 | Issue 50 14
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