Professional development insight
Diary of a student…
Louise Foster MCIPPdip Payroll manager, RESQ Limited
Did the fact that the CIPP is Chartered or recognised within the industry influence your decision to enrol with the CIPP? And were there any particular modules which were of interest prior to enrolling? I decided on this qualification because within the payroll sector it is the most highly recognised qualification. The information learned in year one was of the most interest as it covered things in your daily role. I felt more comfortable in my role with the knowledge I had gained especially in year one. For someone who is thinking about studying for a CIPP qualification what would your advice be to them? The qualification is a lot of hard work and you must be 100% committed to complete the study. The feeling when completing the degree and putting the cap and gown on and walking out on stage is amazing and will stay with you forever and make the few years of study worthwhile. I would advise students to attend all the module review days because without the information received it would make the course so much harder to complete – so take all things available to you. Also make sure you speak to your tutor and other students because this really helps. And if you need any help ask your tutor. I wouldn’t have completed the degree without Clare, and for that I am very thankful. n
Can you give us an insight into your career and qualifications background? I started working for ResQ Limited (which has staff at sites in Hull and Seaham) in October 2010 in payroll and human resources support, and was promoted to payroll manager in 2015. Prior to ResQ I worked in a call centre environment in various roles, and completed SAGE Payroll at Hull College. I had GCSEs (general certificates of secondary education) along with a NVQ (national vocation qualification) in customer service and business admin. Why did you choose to study the Foundation Degree? I decided to complete the degree after speaking with someone who was in the process of undertaking the qualification. She explained how it would help my career in the payroll industry and I felt that the knowledge obtained would help my role. How important is this degree in relation to your career? It has helped me in the knowledge I bring to the company regarding different aspects
and in developing my role. It’s a very important qualification. I will use the knowledge and experience and information received from tutors and other students for many years to come. I’ve made friends and contacts within the industry who will stay with me for the rest of my career. How did you cope with the work-life balance and your study? At first it was hard to balance the amount I needed to study to ensure I completed the degree. On progressing the workload increased and I had to put things on hold to ensure I completed assignments. It wasn’t only me who had to give up time: my tutor Clare Warrington was always on hand to help and give encouragement when I felt that I couldn’t continue. During the three years of the Foundation Degree course I gave up things to attend the module reviews and tutorials. These are very important to achieving the degree because without the support of the reviews and tutorials you wouldn’t be able to do it.
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| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward |
Issue 34 | October 2017
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