Professional February 2023

REWARD

Payroll apprenticeships – a career for life

Ian Holloway MSc FCIPP, explains why payroll apprenticeships open the door to a career in the industry, and gives an update on the Level 3 apprenticeship

T here’s no doubt that payroll and reward is a career in its own right. For professionals already within this career path, they don’t need to hear this shouted from the rooftops. We know how challenging yet satisfying the career is. What we do need to do is to shout to those not in the profession and, perhaps, colleagues, employers and workers who take payroll and reward for granted. National Apprenticeship Week 2023 The annual National Apprenticeship Week takes place from 6 to 12 February 2023. With the 2023 theme being ‘skills for life’, this is important for all professions. However, for payroll and reward, for the payroll profession, this gives us the opportunity to: l showcase the two current payroll apprenticeships (Levels 3 and 5) l highlight that apprenticeships build career knowledge, skills and behaviours, which will remain for life and, importantly,

The payroll apprenticeships There are two payroll apprenticeships available in England: l the Level 3 (Payroll Administrator), progressing to l the Level 5 (Payroll Assistant Manager). Developed by the profession for the profession As chair of the trailblazer group, I know that each apprenticeship has been developed by the profession, specifically for the profession and this is a career achievement I’m proud of. No commercial payroll qualification has been developed the way the two payroll apprenticeships have, ensuring they meet the needs of employers and individuals who want to start or progress their payroll career. The huge difference between an apprenticeship qualification and a commercial one is important, and this is a fact that the trailblazer and I became engaged with at an early stage. No professional purpose is served by building

are transferable between employments and, indeed, professions l reaffirm that apprenticeships are the only recognised professional qualification that can be funded by apprenticeship levy funds or UK Government co-funding. Plus, importantly, they’re performed at the workplace, rendering them both professional and vocational. All for the purpose of saying ‘payroll is a career, and we already recognise that’. This article highlights the importance of the two payroll apprenticeships, plus updates the profession on the progress of the review of Level 3 that’s well underway.

| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward | February 2023 | Issue 87 40

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