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Civvy Qualifications

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Mightierthan

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I'm looking to get a professional qualification as I may, just may, be considering a life in civvy street. Ideally I want something that my AMLC, rank and experience gives me without me doing any/much work.

As far as I can see from the CPD list on the A1 website my options are:

-- CMI Level 4 (Diploma) and Level 5 (Certificate) in Management - does this give any post nominals?

-- City & Guilds Senior Award in Leadership & Management (Graduateship (GCGI))

-- ILM Management NVQ Level 4 - Member (MInstLM)

-- Level 5 Advanced Diploma in Administrative Management (Full membership, MInstAM) – retrospective plus project report

-- IAM - Certificate in Management Practice (Student Membership) - does this give post nominals?

-- CIPD - NVQ Level 5 in Personnel Strategy

-- CIPD Professional Assessment of Competence (PAC) – 5 years recent managerial level experience 3 in HR specific roles.
One to one interview, work based evidence, a 7,000 word Management Research Report and evidence of CPD results in Chartered MCIPD). Does this give post nominals? Is it a lot of work?

Basically I want to find out which of the above is more valued in the civvy environment in a HR-related role. I would be grateful for your thoughts as I expect many of you scholars have gone down one of these routes. Thanks for looking!
 
Just me But

Just me But

Just about to start the CIPD CiLM, year one of a two year course which you complete with either Graduate Membership of CIPD or, if you add and extra 12,000 words to your final disitation, an MA. This will be day release, I know unheard of these days but I got it, and will involve a lot of weekend and evening research/studying.

CIPD is increasingly becoming a license to employment within the HR field and the above course should let you start off as a HR advisor rather than go across to civi street as a HR Administrator.

Good luck whatever course you decide to do.
 
busby1971 said:
Just about to start the CIPD CiLM, year one of a two year course which you complete with either Graduate Membership of CIPD or, if you add and extra 12,000 words to your final disitation, an MA. This will be day release, I know unheard of these days but I got it, and will involve a lot of weekend and evening research/studying.

CIPD is increasingly becoming a license to employment within the HR field and the above course should let you start off as a HR advisor rather than go across to civi street as a HR Administrator.

Good luck whatever course you decide to do.
Click to expand...

CIPD is the way ahead. I'm doing the same (albeit 2 nights a week over 3 years) and halfway through the 2nd year. It's demanding study wise but is by far the most accredited qual. Bottom line is you can, of course, get a qualification by doing very little but in reality it wont hold much credence compared to one which you have to invest time and effort. As an aside if you can get the CIPD to award you a PAC on the basis of your RAF experience then you'll be a very a rare beast indeed. Best wishes.
 
Same for me mate, I am looking for something more; NVQ 4 in Mgt is all I have but with the AMLC credit I am looking to submit previous achievement/credit and see where I can slot in on a course...

CIPD is apparently the way forward but haven't decided yet - was thinking of this or Degree in Leadership & Mgt, must have a chat with the PLA and see what she says! I suspect CIPD would be better.
 
Mightierthan,
It depends on what you want to do when you leave, if its HR then CIPD is the only worthwhile road in my opinion. You'll learn all about leadership and management on the course as well. As for PAC, it's difficult, I know Sqn Ldr Admin Sec's who couldn't go the PAC route because they didn't have certain experience, i.e how many people in RAF HR know about the interacies of reward, high performance working, organisational culture etc.

Your objective should be CIPD membership, Graduate is good, Chartered is much better, with your expereience you should get your membership upgraded no problem. I wouldn't worry about the MA to much, most CIPD courses give you atleast a PG Dip, if you don't mind a writing a dissertation versus a management report go for the MA, otherwise the courses are normally the same. Not sure what base you are on, however I can recommend the CIPD course at Bucks New Uni in High Wycombe, having completed it 18 months ago. Just started an MBA, but thats a diferent story.

Having left 20 months ago I can honestly say the Chatered MCIPD has given me the edge over other candidates when applying for jobs, I'm a HR Manager now earning much more than I did, with a more varied an interestting workload.

Check out www.totaljobs.com for jobs in the area you intend to settle. If you intend to leave, make sure your last job in the RAF holds you in good stead, employers only seem to be interested in what your last job was. It might be worth seeking a posting if you are in weird job like GD Flt, SWO or manning which don't have any equivalency outside, recruitment jobs are worth considering. Play up your experience of JPA(Oracle), a lot of private/public sector organisations use it, sorry you can get away from it! Its worth looking for security cleared (SC/DV) HR roles as well, they are specialist websites seeking security cleared staff, including HR staff.y

Good luck Vinny
 
Thanks for all the advice gents. Sorry I didn't reply earlier but I've been away from the computer for a while.

CIPD it is then!
 
If you are not sure about HR, then it may be worth following up the CMI route and seeing if you can get Chartered Manager - if post nominals are for you, then you get CMgr MCMI out of it. This is becoming more prevalent as a professional management qual, and could open other non-HR doors.

My advice is, unless you know specifically and exactly what you want to do in civvy street, keep your options as wide as possible (eg doing a BEd is great if you want to become a teacher, but maybe not much cop for anything else).

All the best....
 
Get CIPD accredited if you want to go into HR - nearly all HR jobs require at MCIPD.

Turn your cv into civvy HR speak - employers do not readily understand Chif Clk, SNCO Man Servs, PDs etc Look at the skill sets for the various levels in HR and tailor your cv to suit.

Look at a Masters qual - in HR or some other relevant area. Although to be honest most employers arent too fussed what you have your Masters in as many adverts have 'educated to Masters level'.

Make sure you do the Equality and Diversity course at Shrivenham, and also the Harassment investigators course and the mediators course. The first one, you can elect to do a Masters level essay to get credits towards MBA and CIPD (amongst others) - employers love the above courses as they have real credence and become a talking point in any interview.

CMI can be useful only though if you have Chartered status (which can be a bit of a ball ache) or if you are invited to be a Fellow. The current default for MCMI is WO (having done all trade and service courses ie JSWOC etc been a Chf Clk and a WO PSF (or other relevant meaty WO position) and Sqn Ldr having attended the new ICSC(AIR) and 5 years managerial experience. MCMI is just a token and is seen as much by a good employer.

Lastly if you do not wish to specialise in HR then do an MBA - whilst a bit dated now it still has credence and is also you Masters qual. It will keep a few more doors open for you. Also if you blag it and have done some of the above and all of your relevant service courses you could well get the first year off - another alternative is to do a full time 1 year MBA when you leave - if you time it right with leave etc and start of course you could actually only be 6 months as unemployed.

Good luck
 
I was thinking of doing the Certificate in HR Practice (formerly Certificate in Personel Practice).

Does anyone know if this is a good qual to get? Is it ok for a AIP?

Can you then do further Certificates to enhance your CIPD status?

Thanks
 
Effinhell,
The Certificate in HR practice is the entry level certificate, you can build upon it to enhance your CIPD membership. The CIPD membership levels are changing, I believe this course will give you Licentiate membership of CIPD. This fills the working towards Graduate membership box when applying for jobs. If you've been out of education for a while, it's a good first step. However completing a number of certificates to give you graduate membership of CIPD can be expensive in comparison to just doing a 2 or 3 year part-time graduate CIPD course. My 2 year course cost £3600, the RAF paid 2K of it! If you haven't got a degree, a MA or PG Dip in HR will give you that and Grad CIPD membership. Lots of employers expect a degree these days.

Check out the recruitment websites to see what quals employers are looking for, the more you want to earn the higher the qualification required.

CIPD membership www.cipd.co.uk
Recruitment www.totaljobs.com

Regards

Vinny
 
Thanks Vinny.

I haven't got a degree only 20 years of experience but need something before I leave in a few years time.....

However, without a degree will I be able to get on a Grad CIPD Course?

Did you enjoy it/find it difficult ?

If it is a 2 year course can you not claim 2 hits of your ELC?

Cheers
 
effinhell said:
Thanks Vinny.

I haven't got a degree only 20 years of experience but need something before I leave in a few years time.....

However, without a degree will I be able to get on a Grad CIPD Course?

Did you enjoy it/find it difficult ?

If it is a 2 year course can you not claim 2 hits of your ELC?

Cheers
Click to expand...

Eff I'm almost at the end of Yr 2 of the same. Although I have a degree there are civies on my course who do not and were accepted on the basis of their professional competence - given they are aged between 20 - 25 I would assume with 20 years experience you should be more than capable; however proof of recent study may add to your case.

Personally I think the course is not difficult academically, what is difficult is trying to combine it with a full time time job. To date my ELC has paid 80% of the course fees and I have paid around £800.

Am happy to help if you decide to take it up.
 
Some great advice here, thanks all.

I am also looking for something in the HR world and as most say CIPD seems the way ahead if you want a decent job in civvi street.

I fancy doing it distance learning - anyone done it this way and if so have info on best places etc (I only ask coz I will be going OOA back end of this year)

Ta
 
Thanks Vinny.

As I want to use my ELC do you / anyone happen to know one who is registered? I will have a look through the website of providers but was interested in hearing from anyone who has done a PG Dip in HR Mgt via distance learning using an ELC.

Ta
 
Ou

Ou

raflad67 said:
Thanks Vinny.

As I want to use my ELC do you / anyone happen to know one who is registered? I will have a look through the website of providers but was interested in hearing from anyone who has done a PG Dip in HR Mgt via distance learning using an ELC.

Ta
Click to expand...

The OU are ELCAS registered and I think ICS are too.
 
Still looking around for a course as no real rush but to be honest I didn't realise a Post Grad Diploma in HR costs around £6.5K aaarggghhh

Is this what other people have paid/found?

ELC here we come....!
 
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