PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
# Be Payroll Emma Watson MCIPP, payroll and human resources (HR) manager at AWS Accountancy Limited, shares her experiences of studying with the CIPP
What course(s) have you studied / are you currently studying? I achieved my Payroll Technician Certificate (PTC) in 2018 through the CIPP. I then moved on to gain a HR support qualification in 2020 through a local college. In 2021, I completed the Foundation Degree access course with the CIPP to begin studying for the Foundation Degree in Payroll Management, which I’ve recently completed. How would you describe your experience of studying with the CIPP? It has been a very positive experience. My course was mainly online due to Covid-19. However, the module workshops and tutorials were extremely helpful, and were structured to assist you with writing your assignments. The study material was also useful and accurate, and I aimed to read this before entering the module workshops so I understood topics before they were discussed as a group. The tutors throughout the course were fantastic – they would ensure all questions were answered in the module workshops and tutorials before moving on to the next topic, so you left the sessions feeling assured. They were also only a phone call / message away if you needed assistance. Can you describe your payroll career / journey to us so far? In 2016, I left my role in science with no back-up plan. A job role came up at a local accountant for a payroll junior with on-the-job training. I’d always been good at maths at school so thought I’d have a good chance at succeeding in the role. To begin with, I was shadowing the payroll manager, learning about tax / tax codes and National Insurance. I quickly learnt that payroll wasn’t just about maths. It was about good communication skills with both the team and clients. It was about hitting deadlines and being the first port of call for clients when they received correspondence from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and The Pensions Regulator (TPR). After a year of training and watching webinars by HMRC and TPR, I decided I wanted to gain qualifications in payroll. They would be valuable for personal growth and would give clients and managers confidence I was qualified in what I was doing. I began Googling available payroll qualifications and the CIPP popped up at the top of my search. After meetings with the directors, it was agreed that I was to begin the PTC with CIPP. It was here that I gave myself a goal: I wanted to have as many qualifications as possible, especially while I was still young and in the studying mindset.
After completing my PTC, I moved onto a HR qualification through a local college. We received many queries through payroll regarding contractual issues, such as holiday entitlement and redundancy payments, so gaining more knowledge in these areas would allow me to provide more accurate answers to clients. In 2021, I decided it was time to knuckle down and begin the Foundation Degree in Payroll Management. It was something I’d always wanted to achieve but the word ‘degree’ scared me, especially knowing it would be alongside my full time role. In April 2021, when the furlough calculations finally started to calm down, I decided I’d complete the access course to the Foundation Degree to begin year two in September 2021. I’ve recently completed the Foundation Degree in Payroll Management and can’t wait for the graduation in November. Do you have any plans for further study with us? If so, what are they and why? For now, I’m taking a break from courses but keeping my knowledge up to date with the CIPP’s Professional magazine and webinars. If I’m to study further, I’d be looking into a pension course through the CIPP, so I’d be qualified in payroll, HR and pensions. What advice do you have for anyone thinking of studying a qualification with us? I’d say if the option is there to complete a course though the CIPP, to take it! You’re not only expanding your payroll knowledge, but you’re also gaining invaluable skills to take with you through your work journey. It may seem intimidating committing to a course, but if you remain positive, organised and in touch with your tutors, you’ll have all the materials you need to complete your qualification. How do you feel about working in payroll? What does working in payroll mean to you? I’m proud to work in payroll. I’m keen to promote payroll and help it gain the recognition it deserves. When starting out, I was told payroll is mainly colouring in with highlighters. Covid-19 and furlough calculations certainly shifted this opinion and I’m excited to see the growth of the industry. I enjoy helping people. So, to be able to carry out manual calculations which help people understand their pay is a reward. To be the person clients can trust and rely on with their needs is the most important part of the role, as you’re using your knowledge to reassure people on important business matters. n
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| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward |
Issue 94 | October 2023
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