TECHNICAL | 23
Carolyn Mcgowan MCIPPdip, Learning and Development Specialist
Terri Bethel MCIPPdip, Content Developer What’s a tool, habit or mindset you swear by in your role? Thinking of the reader whenever I write or review content. I try to consider what the potential reader already knows about the subject and what’s going to be most important or useful to them. Whether we’re introducing payroll topics to a student starting out on their payroll journey or summarising a Budget change for busy seasoned professionals, we need to recognise where their understanding is currently at, provide the next layer of knowledge and add value that’s relevant to them. It means we regularly write content on the same topic from several different perspectives, which is a challenge I love. What’s your favourite part of your role? There are many parts of my role I enjoy, but I think my favourite is the research. I love digging into topics (especially new or developing ones), looking at the legislation and policy documents (yes, really!) and teasing out the details which are going to matter to the pay communities. I enjoy thinking through the implications and making connections with other topics, although I might open a can of worms occasionally and get everyone in the team scratching their heads. But I love searching for the solutions, the satisfaction of getting to the bottom of a good conundrum and then distilling the results into digestible content.
What’s your superpower and why? Curiosity is the superpower that drives the creative design and development of our educational products. A naturally inquisitive nature urges me to explore new technologies and research alternative approaches, with the aim of keeping the learning experience fresh and interesting. Most importantly, it encourages me to think like a learner. When I approach content design and development from the learner’s perspective, it allows me to create a more engaging and workplace-relevant learning experience. When I let curiosity guide my work, I hope that the results spark a similar curiosity in the learner, motivating them to ask questions, practically apply their newfound knowledge in the workplace and problem-solve. Hopefully they also seek out further knowledge and learning opportunities themselves. Ultimately, curiosity is what inspires me to keep innovating, improving and developing educational products that pave the way for lifelong learning. What are you currently working on? Given the dynamic nature of payroll, no two weeks are ever the same in our team, which is a huge part of what I love about my role! Within our department, I predominantly work on the educational content, assessments and content quality standards for two of our flagship qualifications – the Payroll Technician Certificate and the Payroll Specialist Certificate . As both qualifications teach technical operational payroll, this time of year is always particularly busy as they must be kept up to date with legislative change. I’m currently redesigning our learning content for the 2026/27 tax year to incorporate the new statutory sick pay legislation, in line with the requirements of the Employment Rights Act 2025 enacted in December last year.
Lauren Handley MCIPPdip, Content Developer What’s a misconception people often have about what you do? Sometimes my job title can be a bit misleading. When people hear ‘Content Developer’, they often assume I work in social media. When I explain that I write and update learning materials for an educational institute, it’s usually not what they were expecting.
What’s your proudest ‘nailed it!’ moment in your role? Payroll QuickLearn (PQL) is at the top of my list. I’ve been the Lead Content Developer on this product since its inception. I work very closely with our Training Manager, Fiona Smith, and fellow Content Developer, Meena Salhan, on this project. I’ve spent most of the last two years learning everything I can about how to make bite-sized, e-learning impactful for our learners. I share a huge sense of pride with my team whenever PQL is mentioned.
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