CIPD Student Stories: Claire Silva

From Childcare to Human Resources, after 20 years, Claire decided a career switch was on the cards and enrolled on the CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management. 

Having spent the last 20 year working in childcare and achieving everything I had wanted from this I decided to explore other career paths but was very nervous about leaving an industry I knew very well and a little piece of me was scared that I was not capable of doing anything else.

Fortunately, I had spent some years working in admin during my childcare career and had obtained a Level 3 NVQ in Business Administration, which allowed me the opportunity to work for a consultancy firm as a Business Administrator.

After spending a year working as a Business Administrator and often becoming the first point of contact for new starters and ongoing HR admin queries, I wanted to understand HR further, with the support of my employer I have been able to take on aspects of HR responsibilities within the organisation such as recruitment, HR reporting and HR policy and processes improvements.

As I began to grow, I wanted to explore a qualification in HR that would further support my career and give me the underpinning knowledge and confidence in this area.

A CIPD course was the clear and only option, due to its high regard within the industry of HR.

Having completed Level 3 and a Level 6, I felt I needed to start in the middle so I would be pushing myself to gain the knowledge I needed at a level of skill I was comfortable studying at.

The CIPD Level 5 in People Management course seemed to be the right fit for me. Having also previously completed a bachelor’s degree via distance learning, I knew this was something I wanted to pursue for my CIPD course as well.

ICS became the obvious choice when I looked at their learning platforms, systems of support and flexibility for someone working full time. They were very clear that I would be required to join CIPD as a member to ensure my qualification would be recognised and overall were offering a fair price.

The online recorded or live masterclasses have been very helpful in understanding the subject matter more broadly and the module reading material provides an excellent starting point for learning.

The platform is initially overwhelming, but their induction sessions guide you through the whole system smoothly. I have only needed to submit one question to my tutor, but they responded quickly and clearly and the live sessions allow additional opportunities to raise questions.

I have only recently started my course with ICS but it is already having a positive impact within my role, I am in the process of moving from an Administrator to the HR position within my organisation. I have input on how my job description will look and have already taken on the responsibility of the day-to-day HR tasks that are required.

If you're like Claire and looking to switch careers, gain a professional qualification in HR with ICS Learn today.