Human Resources Student Stories:
CIPD Student Stories: Donna Caswell-Bate | CIPD Level 3 Certificate

Donna hadn't studied in 13 years and was worried that she wasn't going to be able to achieve her goals. However, just 4 months into learning - things changed for the better!

I’m currently a People Administrator, however, when I started the CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate in People Practice, I was a Customer Care Manager.

I had been in customer service for 13 years after not really knowing what I wanted to do and then after months of considering if I should take the leap and try and change my career path to Human Resources, I decided I would start with getting the qualification.  

I chose to study with ICS Learn because the flexibility of when and where was a big factor that I had to consider.

I knew that I didn’t have the lifestyle that would allow for me to have strict deadlines and the option of being able to study when and where I wanted was exactly what I wanted.

ICS Learn also offered the best price and payment options, so it wasn’t a hard decision to sign up!

I was originally incredibly nervous to start studying, I hadn’t studied in 13 years and really to my core did not believe I could do it.

After passing all my assessment’s I actually found a message to my friend saying “I don’t think I can do this, I am too stupid for this” I remember the exact moment I sent that.

I also remember the doubt and tears that had come the day I first looked at the assessment criteria.

The tutors at ICS Learn are incredibly adaptive and responsive. No question was too much and every single response was full of encouragement.

The feedback on assessments was so incredibly thorough that it was very easy to make any changes I needed to. The course content and supporting materials hold all that I needed to know and more.

The original goal was just to get the qualification, I didn’t for one moment think I would actually get a job within HR until I had at least finished my qualification.

After 4 months of studying, I was offered the position of People Administrator, I was in complete awe how much had changed. With the support of an incredibly supportive People Team, Previous Managers, and the tutors at ICS Learn I passed all assessments a year later.

It still makes me laugh to think how much I believed I couldn’t and wouldn’t be able to gain the qualification.

Now that I have gained my qualification, the next step I am working towards is becoming a People Advisor. With the knowledge gained from the course alongside the experience and support from my team I have learnt so much over the last year and can not wait to see where I end up next. I am eager to complete my level 5 and to continuously develop.

I would recommend ICS Learn as the courses offered suit every person’s needs.

I still wake up every day, thrilled that I took the leap and now get to go into a job that I absolutely love in an industry I am incredibly passionate about. 

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