Are you considering HR training? You’ll find there are loads of HR courses both face to face and online with self study and virtual classrooms in a fantastic array of options. The choice is completely bewildering to us at times and we know lots about the HR world. So it must be quite confusing if you aren’t sure what is best for you. If you’d like to try and understand your options please read on……. And of course as a small and friendly provider we’re passionate about this so we’re always very happy to talk you through your choices to help you to develop your career in HR.
Take a look online and you will see that some HR courses are accredited, some are not, some are short, bite sized courses, some are lengthy CIPD qualifications and there’s different levels at Level 3, Level 5 and Level 7 – Foundation, Associate and Advanced. Of course we’re biased as we are a CIPD approved study centre but we do believe that HR training with a CIPD qualification at the end of it gives you great added value. It’s a like a badge of honour which represents your commitment to good people management on your CV. That will stay there forever whatever stage you are at in your career. Whatever level you are any HR training and particularly a CIPD qualification will grow your learning and build your confidence, your credibility and career.
HR Training via CIPD Qualifications
If you decide that CIPD qualifications are the HR training option for you there are a number of options. We’ve been involved with CIPD qualifications for many years and we generally know what works best for most learners. Of course it’s your decision what you choose but we’ll happily spend time helping you to work out which option is best for you. Then we will do our best to make sure you get the support throughout your qualification that you have paid for and that you need. It’s not always clear cut as sometimes people have an unusual combination of experience and academic background for example. But you can often achieve more by starting with a lower level rather than skipping a level just because others do that.
What we do know is that our learners who make the best progress are the ones who do the learning and choose the right level. There are also loads of different support packages out there. From face to face in a classroom to pure online budget options to self study plus to highly suppportive virtual classrooms and even blended options. We see people online all the time struggling because they’ve chosen the wrong support package or level for their needs. And we are on a mission to change that….so read on……..
It’s your HR training – choose wisely.
Accredited HR Training – CIPD Qualifications
You can only study a CIPD qualification through an approved study centre. You will enrol as a student member of the CIPD and your study centre registers you as a student. As you submit your assignments your study centre will send your results through to the CIPD. You will build credits towards your qualification as you learn and pass each assessment. Once you have passed all your units and the CIPD has verified your final assignment and results you will be awarded a CIPD qualification. And you will gain CIPD membership at the appropriate level according to what you studied.
You’ll get a highly prized CIPD Certificate to prove your hard work. Whilst you are studying you can show ‘working towards’ on your CV which will help to demonstrate your commitment to the people profession.
Take a look at jobs who are asking for a CIPD qualification – our learners are getting some of the best jobs in HR.
CIPD Courses – Which Level?
The CIPD levels and courses are:
- Level 3 – Foundation Certificate in People Practice. Achieve Foundation Membership of the CIPD
- Level 5 – Associate Diploma in People Management or Organisational Learning and Development. Achieve Associate Membership of the CIPD
- Level 7 – Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management or L&D. Achieve CIPD Associate Member and apply for Chartered Member.
Depending on the course and level you choose you will study 4, 7 or 8 units. You will need to pass an assignment for each unit once you have done the learning. Of course there’s always lots to learn and you can cut corners. The study centres’ internal marking and verification processes along with CIPD’s moderation and quality processes are strict. These robust marking processes should help to ensure that you have achieved the level that’s needed. We want you to be able to do a good or great job in people management. Do you want to do a good job or a great job? Your CIPD support package option will make a difference here as you will be building on your experience to develop your skills and knowledge.
CIPD Support Packages
Support packages vary and there’s of course a price associated with the support you get. The more expensive options have more coaching from an experienced people professional included and are more flexible. Your approach to this and your goals will help you to choose a centre that works for you. Do you want a study centre that teaches largely so you can pass the assignments? Or a centre that focusses on supporting you to learn and grow with others more widely on the topic? Do you want to gain the skills and credibility to apply your learning in the workplace. This is where you can gain loads of added value in our opinion. For example you can grow your network and knowledge of what other organisations are doing if you’re in a supported group. So that you feel really confident to evaluate and advise on great options and help to create workable, effective and evidence based solutions for your employer.
This underpinning knowledge, group support and application work is what helps you to build your confidence, credibility and career.
Choosing your Level of HR Training
If you’re not sure about the best level for you your study centre should advise you on the options not just sell to you. You should be able to explore your options on a call before you sign up. At AheadHR we’re always happy to advise any potential CIPD learner – there is often more than one way forward that you can choose from.
Once you’ve decided what’s right for you – and explored the pros and cons of each – you can sometimes join for a single taster unit. This works well if you want to do some HR training and want some short learning you can use towards a CIPD accreditation. It is a good option to check the course is right for you before you commit to a full length qualification. Especially if you are going for a level that may be a stretch for you. We have a policy to sometimes only accept a learner for a taster unit then top up approach.
CIPD Assignments
It will vary from centre to centre but with AheadHR you will have 2 or 3 weeks to complete your assignment once you’ve completed your learning period. This is an assessment of your knowledge and what you have learned during your studies. It helps to consolidate your learning so that you can go on to build on it after you course has finished. And what an achievement if you can get a high pass, a merit or a distinction! We’ll encourage and support you to do that if that’s your goal. If you are not quite ready on one of the assessment criteria your coach will advise you to rework that section. You may have another attempt to submit within a short period of time.
If you do everything we advise including all your formative work you will pass. If you work hard at it you will also reduce the amount of resubmissions you need to do. That will make life much easier and more enjoyable during your CIPD course. In our experience the students who do best are the ones who follow our guidance and put in the work.
CIPD – Gain the Learning to Futureproof Your CV
Some centres will also allow you to study without completing the assignments if you prefer not to do them. It might be that you haven’t studied for ages and aren’t quite sure. Once you’ve done the learning you may then decide you feel confident to have a go at the assignments. We’ll encourage you to do that but it is the learning that is most important and we’re happy to help you with that if this would work for you. For example you may have lots of experience and want to boost your knowledge but not feel you need the qualficiation.
CIPD Experience Assessment Support
If you are applying for the CIPD’s Experience Assessment route to membership you may have gaps and we’re happy to help you boost them. For example you may have had little exposure to reward because your company has a specialist compensation and benefit team. If you would like to boost your learning to help your experience assessment application we’ll help. A CIPD taster unit is a great option if you are in this situation.
HR Training to Boost Your Knowledge
You may have already achieved a CIPD qualification but would like to learn more about a topic that you didn’t cover in your course – for example one of the optional units such as employment law, diversity or wellbeing.
A Final Word on HR Training and Ethics
Finally a quick note about ethics and HR training.
As long as you don’t use one of the assignment writing providers that are touting their wares online we’re happy to support you in your HR training course. And if a CIPD qualification is right for you we hope you will consider AheadHR. As long as you pay for the right support package and choose the right level for you there’s no need to struggle – a bit of coaching, a supportive group and tutor and some hard work is all that’s generally needed.
You’ll learn about ethics on your CIPD qualification. Because it’s an accredited qualification regulated by Ofqual the rules are clear. And we’re happy to say that those people who do try to cheat will be found out and the CIPD will ban them from membership. CIPD study centres will often work hard to identify those learners and pick them up via plagiarism and other quality checks. If you’re interested in this area you will learn more about ethics and professionalism in your CIPD qualification course. It’s a core part of the CIPD Profession Map which is central to all the CIPD HR training courses. And if you notice someone is cheating – we would love to know 😉
Request an information pack or book a call with our friendly team.
