PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INSIGHT
Diary of a student…
Claudia Schwyn MCIPPdip, Payroll manager, Blackstone Property Management Ltd
I am very proud that I have achieved this qualification. How did you cope with the work-life balance and your study? I dedicated fixed times to my study, which was usually the weekend. It gave me enough time to write and do my research for my assignments and I was under no time pressure. Initially, I tried studying in the evening, but I was usually not able to concentrate after a long day of work. 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? Absolutely, these days it is always beneficial to have a qualification from a Chartered Institute and it’s one of the reasons I chose the CIPP. A colleague who was already studying towards this degree recommended both the CIPP and the Foundation Degree. I looked forward to the modules on leading a team and flexible benefits. For someone who is thinking about studying for a CIPP qualification, what would your advice be to them? Be committed and dedicate time to your study – it will be a very rewarding experience. I have met fantastic people and even now we share information and use each other’s knowledge and experience. Networking during the Foundation Degree course and sharing ideas is important. n
Can you give us a brief background into your life? I grew up and lived in Switzerland for most of my life moving to the UK about four years ago. I wanted to gain some work experience in another country, preferably English-speaking, to improve my language, and London seemed to be that place. The city has many opportunities and I like the variety it offers. In my spare time, I spend as much time as possible outdoors. Can you give us an insight into your career and qualifications? I did an apprenticeship with the Swiss government whilst I went to business school. After graduation I was offered a permanent role in the finance department where I looked after the payroll. My aspiration at that time was to become an accountant and so I studied towards a degree in accounting. Over the years I was more involved with social security, pensions and human resources and my interest shifted into these areas. I was liaising and communicating directly with employees which I very much enjoyed. After ten years in this position, I decided to move on and worked as a payroll manager for an international service provider, looking after client payrolls. My clients ranged from small
local companies to big international companies with about 1,000 employees including expatriates. I enjoyed dealing with shadow payrolls for expatriates and being exposed to other payroll legislation and working with professionals from other countries. Whilst working for this employer I studied towards a federal qualification in Swiss social insurances. My first position in the UK was as a payroll manager looking after client payrolls but wanting to be involved in international payroll I moved to my current employer where I am looking after a Spanish, German and UK payroll. Why did you choose to study the Foundation Degree? When I moved to the UK it was the first time I’d experienced UK payroll, which was very challenging and difficult at times as I had to get up to speed with UK legislation. The Foundation Degree covers many themes which are important when working in payroll and therefore I decided to enrol on this course. How important is this degree in relation to your career? Very important, as there is so much to learn and know in payroll – my degree gives me the confidence and motivation. All the modules are transferrable to my day to day work and it also made me more aware of the links with other key people and departments.
| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | July – August 2018 | Issue 42 14
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