Concerned with advancing your profession in HR or L&D? CIPD may very well be the right fit…
Not only will it improve your knowledge and skills in the whole lot from employment law to talent management, it could also assist you achieve a much higher salary than your peers in personnel.
We’ve already covered how CIPD could change your profession, but to ensure that you understand which qualification is correct for you, here’s a rundown of the various CIPD levels:
What’s the CIPD?
The CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) is an independent organisation that goals to enhance working life for everybody in employment.
Founded over a century ago, it’s completely non-profit, and even incorporated under a Royal Charter.
Additionally they offer a variety of qualifications that are the industry standard for HR and aim to advertise world-class people management practices.
What number of CIPD levels are there?
CIPD provides three distinct qualification levels to suit people at different points of their profession: Level 3, Level 5, and Level 7.
Completion of Level 7, which is akin to a postgraduate degree, can lead towards becoming a Chartered Member.
CIPD Level 3
What’s it?
The CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate in People Practice provides a solid grounding in HR and L&D for those with little or no HR experience. It’s roughly equivalent in difficulty to an A-level.
At Level 3, you possibly can select the pathway that applies to your chosen career in HR or L&D. Core modules for each pathways include:
- Essentials of People Practice
- Core Behaviours for People Professionals
- Business, Culture and Change in Context
- Principles of Analytics
When you qualify with a Level 3 Certificate, you’ll change into a Foundation member of the CIPD.
Who’s it for?
CIPD Level 3 is right for many who are only starting their HR or L&D careers, or who’re brand latest to the industry – making it the right alternative for anyone searching for an entry-level role.
How long will it last?
Qualifications could be studied on a full or part-time basis, at dedicated CIPD training centres or online.
On average, a CIPD Level 3 qualification will take between seven and nine months to finish.
What jobs could you qualify for?
When you’ve accomplished the CIPD Level 3 qualification, you’ll be certified to pursue the next positions:
- HR Assistant
- HR Administrator
- HR Officer
- HR Coordinator
- Trainer
- L&D Assistant
- Training/L&D Coordinator
- Training/L&D Officer
- L&D Practitioner
What could you earn?
The typical annual salary for those qualified to the equivalent of the CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate within the private sector is £30,000.
CIPD Level 3 courses
CIPD Level 5
What’s it?
CIPD Associate Diploma qualifications are classed as Level 5 qualifications, meaning they’re roughly equivalent in difficulty to a foundation degree.
There are two CIPD qualifications at this level, one in HR and one in L&D:
They’re designed to present you the abilities you have to tackle mid-level managerial or advisory HR/L&D roles.
When you qualify with a Level 5 Diploma, you’ll change into an Associate Member of the CIPD and have the opportunity so as to add Assoc. CIPD after your name.
Who’s it for?
CIPD Level 5 is designed for those with some level of HR experience (and/or have accomplished the CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate) who need to progress in HR and L&D and apply for management roles.
It also suits individuals who don’t have any prior HR experience, but who’ve previously studied at degree level.
How long will it last?
A CIPD Associate Diploma will take around 12 to fifteen months to finish, with the identical study options available as for Foundation Level training.
What jobs could you qualify for?
When you’ve accomplished the CIPD Level 5 qualification, you’ll be certified to pursue the next positions:
- HR Manager
- HR Advisor
- People & Culture Manager
- People Advisor
- Training/L&D Officer
- Training/L&D Manager
- Training/L&D Advisor
What could you earn?
When you secure a typical job at this level, your average annual salary could be within the region of £45,000.
CIPD Level 5 courses
CIPD Level 7
What’s it?
CIPD Advanced qualifications are classed at Level 7, meaning they’re equivalent in difficulty to postgraduate/Master’s degree qualifications.
CIPD Level 7 qualifications offer you the high-level strategic knowledge you wish for senior strategic HR or L&D roles.
There are two CIPD qualifications at this level, one in HR and one in L&D:
Only the CIPD Level 7 Diploma will make you eligible to use to change into a Chartered Member of the CIPD.
Who’s it for?
Advanced Level qualifications are ideal if you could have significant HR experience and need to progress to strategic senior managerial roles.
It’s also an excellent next step for those with an HR degree and/or a CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma.
Individuals who join for a Level 7 qualification will learn the way to develop and deploy cutting-edge HR tactics – helping them hone their strategic skills and gain specialist knowledge.
How long will it last?
A Level 7 Diploma will typically last around 18-24 months, although this may vary in keeping with how you select to check and where you receive your training.
What jobs could you qualify for?
When you’ve accomplished the CIPD Level 7 qualification, you’ll be certified to pursue the next positions:
- HR Business Partner
- HR Consultant
- Head of HR
- Head of People and Culture
- HR Director
- Training/L&D Director
- Head of Training/L&D
- L&D Consultant
What could you earn?
The typical annual salary for certainly one of these senior roles is roughly £60,000 to £80,000, but can vary dramatically depending on the seniority of your role.
CIPD Level 7 courses
Advantages of CIPD Qualifications
The CIPD is recognised globally and has over 160,000 members worldwide.
Once CIPD qualified, you’ll have the opportunity to immediately show your HR or L&D credentials to employers in your CV – helping you to validate your skills and stand out from other applicants.
You’ll even have the potential to earn extra money. Entry-level salaries for CIPD Level 3 certified HR professionals, for instance, start between £20,000 and £25,000 which is not less than £5,000 to £10,000 more in earnings than those starting with out a CIPD qualification.
And with most fully-certified HR Managers and Directors earning a salary of £60,000 and above, getting CIPD qualified may very well be the important thing to a highly lucrative HR profession.
Why study with ICS Learn?
ICS Learn is the UK’s most trusted provider of CIPD courses*.
They provide the total suite of CIPD qualifications through flexible, 100% online study, and have helped 1000’s of individuals in 100+ countries to advance their careers.
Discover more
Need to learn more about CIPD? Get in contact with ICS Learn today.
* based on an Excellent Trustpilot rating of 4.7 from 9,800+ reviews
ICS Learn is the world’s most experienced distance learning organisation. Whether you’re searching for profession advancement, a promotion, the next salary or a brand new direction, ICS Learn’s flexible online courses are your first step towards success.