CIPD Learner Stories: Kaitlyn Glenn

Kaitlyn is thinking more strategically and able to perform workplace tasks with a people-first approach, thanks to the Level 5 Associate Diploma in HR.

I'm a Customer Service Manager managing a team of 8 office employees as a member of senior management. I have a strong HR focus in my role and currently undergoing training to step up to deputise for the HR manager. This responsibility called for me to research course options to gain a qualification in the area.

I'm currently undertaking the Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management. I chose this course as I had gained valuable HR experience in my role through disciplinary hearings, recruitment, professional and personal development, but I really wanted to enhance this knowledge.

I did also have gaps in my knowledge. Business acumen is not something that comes naturally to me but I have a natural interest and ability for personal development and organisational values. From looking at the course content, it certainly looked like something that would enhance what I had already dipped my toe into in the world of HR but also help with my understanding of the sides that I struggled with.

I loved the fact that at the end of the compulsory units, you were able to pick an optional unit of your choice, so that you could really tailor your learning experience. I started the course over a year ago, and went in thinking I knew exactly what optional module I wanted to choose. Although it's still early days into my learning journey, and there have been units or topics that I have struggled more with, my pre-set idea of what optional unit I wanted might now be changing.

I had never experienced online learning before, apart from short toolbox training sessions at work, but nothing to this extent.

However, I appreciated how flexible it was and how it fitted around my work life.

Before I signed up to complete this qualification, I looked at college options but the fact that you had pre-set days you needed to attend just did not work for me. DPG was also very appealing to me as you could enrol whenever you liked, compared to college or university options which often only enrol students each September.

Online learning did take some getting used to, but this did not take long. For me, I just needed to get used to navigating the system and the dashboard. I went to university before the pandemic ultimately changed the way we learn and so I was very used to face to face learning, however, the support that DPG offers from the tutors is fab!

I can send a question and it will be answered very quickly and I have even been offered video chats to help with my assessments. With the way that the world is now, with online learning, I think this support is second to none.

Although I have not yet finished my course, the content has already aided me in my role. The content I have learnt so far has helped me think more strategically when approached with upgrading office training systems and it allowed me to form an action plan to provide more comprehensive training.

In short, I would recommend DPG. Although you're essentially in control of your learning, there is support there if you need it. And the wide range of topics that you cover, some of which you wouldn't even considered a link to HR and people has been a real highlight for me.

If you're like Kaitlyn and keen to solidify your working experience with a qualification, enrol on an 100% online CIPD qualification today.