PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Diary of a student…
Joanna Seabrook MCIPPdip Payroll and benefits administrator, Krohne Limited
During my final year I had a baby, so it was tough going trying to write assignments with a new-born; and there were times when I thought I would not meet the deadlines. I persevered and am proud that I managed to achieve this. If you need longer to gain the qualification it is not the end of the world as you will reach your goal in the end. What would you say is the most important thing you learnt? To believe in myself and not to be afraid of change. It is important to embrace change and keep improving the way you work, especially in the payroll environment. What did you gain from this qualification – both in terms of skills and also career progression? I have gained a lot more confidence in myself and my work. I remember a tutor saying that if we are happy at the level we are then just gain experience in different sectors, and we do not have to become a manager if we do not wish to. This is exactly what I decided to do. I have worked in different industries from manufacturing, shared services to accountancy firms, using different payroll systems and have learnt a lot. I am back in manufacturing now which I really enjoy. The experience I have gained over the years and the Foundation Degree in Payroll Management has helped get me to where I am now. There are lots of parts to my current job that are new to me and out of my comfort zone, but I have managed to embrace them. n
Tell us a little about your background and life so far. I am 44 years old and live in
immensely. I found the sessions very useful and it was good to hear about the other students’ payroll experiences and the way their companies worked. The course cemented the skills I already had and broadened my knowledge even further. It also gave me the confidence to question things in my role. What advice would you give to others who are thinking about studying in order to improve their career? I would recommend it, as it’s worth all the hard work. I was so pleased to gain such a recognised qualification, and the graduation ceremony was one of the best days of my life. Try to manage time to complete the work but do not be afraid to ask for help and support when needed. Utilise the time with tutors and write lots of notes as the information they give will point you in the right direction for assignments and revising for exams. The tutors helped me outside of sessions via emails and calls which I found a great help. How did you manage the work-life balance and your study? Do you have any tips for others in the same position? Try to be disciplined and set time aside to complete assignments and revise for exams. Some companies let you have study days so take advantage of this if available.
Northamptonshire. I have three children and a husband to look after which keeps me quite busy. I enjoy spending time with family and friends and a spot of ballroom dancing. What can you tell us about your career and qualifications? After finishing college, I started my first full- time job in 1997 in purchase ledger for a construction company. When a colleague left, I was asked to run a small in-house weekly payroll and found I enjoyed it much more. Like most people I have met in payroll across the years, I just fell into it and realised it was the job for me. I secured my first payroll administrator job with R Griggs Limited, which manufactures Dr Martens, running a busy weekly payroll. Unfortunately, I was made redundant in 2004 as the manufacturing moved abroad, following which I took a break as I had a young family. I returned to work full-time in 2011 as a payroll transactions officer for a county council in a shared service. Why did you choose to study the Foundation Degree? In all honesty, it was tough going trying to study and work full-time and keep up with all my commitments – but worth it. The support from the tutors and other students was great and helped me
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | September 2020 | Issue 63 20
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