CIPD Student Stories: Ben Manning | CIPD Level 5 Diploma

Ben decided to pursue a CIPD Level 5 to further his personal development and increase his income potential. This is how he got on with the course.

I work as a learning and performance partner for a major national retailer, and I decided to obtain the CIPD Level 5 Certificate in People Practice, furthering my personal development and my career and increasing my income potential.

My main reason for waiting to study is that the world of people management and the included specialists, such as recruitment, training, employee relations, and wellbeing, is constantly changing, and if professional knowledge is not updated, you can easily be left behind. Staying current is important, as this is given huge consideration in any recruitment or promotion process.

I decided to study with ICS Learn, as they are the market leaders in distance learning and trusted partners of the CIPD, and they provide ultimate flexibility for busy professionals who are balancing life, work and learning at the same time.

Initially I was concerned that distance learning would be too challenging, as you are not physically present with others or accountable to real-life people. My ICT skills probably needed some work, and I was worried I didn’t have the technical no-how to manage everything online.

Eventually I took the leap of faith and enrolled, and my fears were not founded at all. The learning portal was easy to use, materials were set out in a logical order and my basic ICT skills were ample to study the course online.

The tutors are available if you have any questions or you are struggling with anything.

They are normally quick at replying and will often signpost for more specific sources of information. My assignments were marked within a couple of days, and the feedback was personalised with clear suggestions for improvement if appropriate.

Without completing my course, I would not have progressed my career and increased my earning potential. It has also helped me improve so many of my soft skills and shown me how I can support others with their development.

ICS offer unmatched flexibility in every part of their offering – the learning content can be taken at your own pace, which makes the duration of the course flexible. This can fit with busy lives, family, and work commitments. If you are self-funding, there are a range of payment options that make development achievable for everyone.

Finances should never be a barrier to learning, and ICS do their bit to make learning accessible for all.