PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Diary of a student…
team. It changed my perspective, not only as a payroll professional, but also as a leader. The skills are transferrable and widespread. The reflective work in year three taught me a lot about myself, both as a learner and a leader. The work is hard and time-consuming, but the skills and knowledge you gain from it are invaluable. Don’t skip reading the study material. It holds valuable information that helps, not only to pass your module, but it also makes everyday payroll more understandable. Howdid youmanage thework- life balance and your study? Do you have any tips for others in the same position? Keep a diary and allocate yourself time for studies. Work-life balance is hard enough without the added pressure of studying. But keeping myself to a schedule really helped me. You get out what you put in, so invest your time wisely. What would you say is themost important thing you learnt? I learnt a lot about myself and my capabilities in year three. I had been dreading the work-based project since year one, but upon completing it, the experience taught me that I can do it if I put my mind to it. What did you gain from this qualification – both in terms of skills and career progression? The qualification improved my soft skills as a leader and a team player. It helped me to reflect on my abilities and career aspirations. It also taught me a lot about how to manage change and project management, which has proved extremely useful. In terms of career progression, the qualification has seen me transfer into more senior roles and helped me to achieve my dream of working in the CIPP’s materials department. n
Lauren HandleyMCIPP Subject matter expert, CIPP
Tell us a little about your background and life, so far? I am a law graduate from Aberystwyth University, currently working in the materials department for the CIPP. My role involves writing and updating technical material used for the CIPP’s extensive educational catalogue. I am relatively new to this role, having transferred from the advisory team in May 2021. What can you tell us about your career and qualifications? I originally aspired to be a corporate law solicitor when I left my studies in 2012. However, I began my career in payroll in the National Health Service (NHS) expenses department, to fund my postgraduate legal practice course and qualify as a solicitor. I was soon placed on secondment within the payroll department under a training scheme and fell in love with the profession. I left my postgraduate studies to instead pursue a career in payroll. I transferred to the private sector in 2017, working for a large public outsourcing company as a payroll subject matter expert. Within six months of working for the company, I was promoted to the payroll operations team lead and was enrolled onto the Foundation Degree in Payroll Management with the CIPP. In July 2020, I was contacted about a vacancy in the CIPP’s advisory team and jumped at the chance to be part of the Institute. The role was a huge learning curve and an invaluable experience. I transferred
into the materials team in May 2021 and am now part of the team responsible for writing training and qualifications material. Why did you choose to study the Foundation Degree? Ever since I started working in payroll, everyone talked about the CIPP and how the Foundation Degree was the qualification to have. I knew that, if I was to develop my passion for the profession along with my payroll knowledge, this was the course that I needed to embark on. I wanted to develop and challenge myself to go as far as I possibly could; and I knew the Foundation Degree would assist in achieving that goal. Howdid you find the qualification? I thoroughly enjoyed studying for the Foundation Degree. There were times when it was a struggle to balance life, full-time work and studies, but being able to allocate designated time to studying helped. I learnt so much during my three years. The tutors were always so helpful and knowledgeable. The study material was a great reference point when I was working in payroll operations, especially during my time as a team leader. What advicewould you give to others who are thinking about studying to improve their career? Don’t hesitate – go for it. It’s been a really rewarding experience, and the assignments teach some great skills and encompass theories on leading and working within a
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | October 2021 | Issue 74 6
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