Professional development insight
Diary of a student… Linda Shotton MSc
has also helped me with my CIPP tutor work as I can understand many of my students’ issues and help them accordingly. How do you cope with the work-life balance and include your study? I would be lying if I said it was easy but I love learning. It was made even harder when I decided to train to be a tutor on the Foundation Degree in Payroll Management. I now facilitate module review days and currently I have a year-2 tutor group with thirteen students. I live with my ninety-year old father who has dementia which tends to add additional stress. Luckily I have very supportive managers and colleagues. I was allowed the time and resources I needed. My friends were excellent and kept me grounded ensuring I had some ‘me’ time. 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? The Foundation Degree was recommended to me and I enjoyed year 1 as this reminded me of the basics of payroll as I had been out of payroll for a few years. On the MSc, I thoroughly enjoyed the strategic management of remuneration and the strategic business finance for non-accountancy professionals modules. Although I enjoyed the appreciating skills for career development and leadership module personally I do not like this type of inward-looking work. For someone who is thinking about studying for a CIPP qualification what would your advice be to them? Go for it. It has been a wonderful experience. Stressful at times but the graduation at the end is worth the hard work. The qualification is good and is worthwhile. I would recommend it. n
FCIPPdip Assoc CIPD Payroll manager, Homes and Communities Agency
Can you give us a brief background into your life? I come from the north east of England and have worked all my life since leaving school. I have been made redundant twice and have temped until I found a new role. In 1987, I moved to London for a new role and lived there for eighteen years. I thoroughly enjoyed working and living in the south east, but returned to the north east at the beginning of 2005. I am a committed Catholic and am very involved in my church. I love going to the theatre, listening to live music and meeting up with friends. Can you give us an insight into your career and qualifications background? I did not find study easy at school and had to work hard to gain qualifications. Having said that, I did leave school with a variety of O and A levels and RSAs. When choosing my options my mam persuaded me to take shorthand and typing as something to always fall back on which has been extremely useful in both my work and personal life. My first job was a junior secretary. After being made redundant from that I joined the health service and worked in nursing personnel. This was my first role in human resources (HR) and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Unfortunately, the health authority would not support my completing the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s (CIPD’s) qualification so I obtained a job in London as personal assistant to the managing director with responsibility for HR in an international steel trading company. As part of this role I had responsibility
for the UK and pension payrolls working extensively on the annual review for the whole organisation. Here I was involved in a management buyout and a takeover. The company sponsored me to complete the CIPD qualification. I then started the Payroll Alliance Diploma but did not complete this due to the pressures of the work. I was made redundant at the end of 2004 and had a number of short-term contracts; one was leading HR/payroll from announcement of closure of the factory until this event. In 2007, I was appointed as HR advisor within English Partnerships covering maternity leave. My contract was extended as the organisation was being merged with two others and we became the Homes and Communities Agency. In 2010, the head of HR asked me to transfer into payroll as a succession planning exercise. I started the Foundation Degree in Payroll Management and graduated in 2013. Also in 2013, I was appointed payroll manager. I then started the MSc. Why did you choose to study the MSc in Business and Reward Management? I completed the Foundation Degree in Payroll Management and had to choose between the BA or MSc. I contacted the CIPP to discuss this and decided that the MSc was better suited for my purposes. How important is this degree in relation to your future career? Though now fully qualified for my role I am investigating a CIPD level 7 course. However, I am not thinking of changing my role in the short-term as I have flexibility which I require with my dad. This course
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| Professional in Payroll, Pensions and Reward |
Issue 31 | June 2017
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