CEO’s address
Ken Pullar FCIPP Chief executive officer, CIPP
Good afternoon and welcome to graduands, friends, family, tutors and other guests. We are here to celebrate and support the graduands who have achieved a major milestone in your payroll or pension careers.
Let’s not lose track of that first point – we are here to celebrate your success – so don’t get comfortable, please all stand and give everyone around you a big round of applause for their achievements.
Your journey to this point will not have been an easy one. We all understand that learning while in employment and balancing our work, family, friends and studies and, of course, navigating the pandemic, will have been a huge challenge, but it’s one you have managed successfully, and you can all join in celebrating together today.
You should be incredibly proud of your achievement; knowledge is power, and you have worked hard to increase yours and open up career opportunities which aren’t available to unqualified peers. A huge well done.
But let’s not forget the husbands, wives, partners, friends and family members who have helped to get you here today. Those who have helped you juggle commitments, those who have understood when you couldn’t make that night out, those that have passed you that drink while you studied on holiday. So, let’s take a moment to applaud those who have supported and helped you in being here today. Thank you all. You have helped your loved ones become true professionals in their industry. You’re now equipped with a significant range of knowledge and skills and, through maintaining your CIPP membership and using your designatory letters, you can shout about how brilliant you are. Your designatory letters demonstrate your qualification and professionalism to the world. Make sure you continue your membership with the CIPP to use these well-earned letters after your name. These letters not only demonstrate that you have achieved your qualification, but that you have access to the latest information and support in the industry, and that you’re a payroll or pensions professional worth having on the team. When we achieve goals in our lives, we often start to think about the next one. It’s a rare person who thinks, I’ve achieved everything I wanted to, and stops. While you may be thinking about a well-earned break at the moment, I’m sure it won’t be long before you start working on your next challenge or goal. Be that further qualifications or working towards Chartered membership with the CIPP – it’s all a little closer due to the qualification you have achieved.
Whatever you do next, remember learning is a lifelong journey, both personally and professionally, but wherever your journey takes you, I want to wish you the very best of luck.
And I’ll leave you with the words of Benjamin Franklin:
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I learn.”
Enjoy your day and congratulations once again.
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GRADUATION CEREMONY
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