Progress your career in HR with these CIPD HR qualifications

Aspiring HR professionals and existing talent looking to progress their careers should always seek ways to continuously learn and evolve with the industry. With organisations across a broad spectrum of sectors recognising the value of HR talent, competition for HR jobs rises, meaning individuals within the space must find ways to make themselves more employable. One way to do this is by enrolling on the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) HR qualifications.

In this guide, we’ll explore who the CIPD is and the benefits of enrolling in their HR certifications, from the potential of achieving higher earnings, broader career opportunities, and heightened skills and industry knowledge. We’ll also highlight the different types of CIPD HR qualifications, from foundation, associate and advanced courses. 

By the end of this guide, you'll have added knowledge of how enrolling in CIPD HR certifications can help you progress in your HR career.

• What is the CIPD?
• What are the benefits of enrolling in CIPD HR qualifications?
• What are the different types of CIPD HR qualifications?
  • Level 3 Foundation Certificate in People Practice
  • Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management
  • Level 7 Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management

What is the CIPD?

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) is widely renowned within the HR industry as a professional body focused on HR and people development. Founded in 1913, with its headquarters in the UK, the institute is recognised globally as an authoritative voice for setting behavioural and best practice standards, and offering advice for talent seeking to advance their career in HR.

With a diverse community of over 160,000 members worldwide, the CIPD represents and supports professionals in HR, learning and development, and organisational development. The CIPD is a thought leader in HR, providing its members with valuable advice, industry research, and insights. While supporting HR professionals, the CIPD also helps companies across various sectors understand the importance of their people and provides guidance on how to get the most out of them.

Regarding the talent looking to advance their careers with the market's top HR jobs, the CIPD offers a broad range of HR qualifications. These courses cater to professionals at all stages of their careers. Whether you're a graduate seeking to kickstart your journey into the industry or a senior specialist looking to progress to the next level in your HR career, the CIPD is here to help you reach your targets in the people profession. We'll outline these specific HR certifications later in this piece. 

The CIPD can be summarised as the leading authoritative figure in people development and HR. They are committed to improving work and the working lives of HR professionals worldwide and do so through their dedicated support and extensive range of educational services. 

As the CIPD's Chief Executive, Peter Cheese, says: "People are at the centre of it all. If we want the best performance from our organisations, we have to look after our people."

What are the benefits of enrolling in CIPD HR qualifications?

There are several reasons professionals seeking the latest HR jobs to progress their careers should invest their time in enrolling in CIPD HR qualifications. Obtaining these HR certifications brings with them the benefits of higher earning potential and opens the doors to broader opportunities to advance their career in HR. Let’s explore the core benefits of enrolling in CIPD HR qualifications.

• Higher earning potential

Completing CIPD HR qualifications from levels 3, 5, and 7 can provide HR talent with higher earning potential. According to the CIPD, people pursuing a career in HR who enrol on a CIPD HR certification could earn 12% more than those who don’t. Due to the credibility of these certifications, the CIPD states that HR jobs requesting a CIPD qualification offer an earning potential of £4,400 more, with admin-level roles paying up to £5,600 more. 

• Broader HR career opportunities

A CIPD qualification enables you to showcase your specialist knowledge and dedication to HR. These certifications can help get your HR CV noticed by employers, many of whom will be reviewing applications for evidence of these accomplishments. 

Obtaining a CIPD certification is widely regarded as a key indicator of a candidate's willingness to progress in an HR career. It’s a staple of credibility, placing existing and future HR professionals in a community of like-minded people, which opens the doors to networking opportunities and broader career development in the world of HR. 

• Heightened skill set and industry knowledge

CIPD qualifications allow HR talent of all levels to hone the skills needed for a successful and long-term career in HR. Through a combination of insights and practical assignments, professionals can develop their industry knowledge and ability to work on real-world scenarios, such as performance and people management, talent relations, and strategic HR planning. 

As the HR industry evolves, so do the CIPD certifications. They incorporate the latest laws and industry regulations and stay updated with the latest developments within the business world. Therefore, by becoming a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and enrolling on their HR qualifications, professionals can remain up-to-date with all aspects of HR.

Overall, enrolling in CIPD HR qualifications can be vital to your professional development. They can open the doors to higher earning potentials and career opportunities while heightening your skill set and industry knowledge. Consider these HR certifications as valuable assets to boost your credibility and employability in the industry while giving you the insights that enable you to progress in your HR career. 

Now that we've covered the benefits of these HR certifications, let's explore the different types of CIPD HR qualifications.

What are the different types of CIPD HR qualifications?

As mentioned, CIPD HR qualifications cater to professionals of all levels. Whether you’re a graduate seeking your first opportunity, a professional looking to become an HR Manager, or an individual hoping to transition from an HR Generalist to an HR Specialist, there will be something tailored to your needs.

CIPD certifications are taught by external study centres across the UK and are divided into three levels: Foundation Certificate, Associate Diploma, and Advanced Diploma. In this section, we’ll explore these different levels and the types of CIPD HR qualifications:

• Level 3 Foundation Certificate in People Practice
• Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management
• Level 7 Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management

Level 3 Foundation Certificate in People Practice

For people looking to embark on a career in HR, the Level 3 Foundation Certificate in People Practice is the ideal HR certification to pursue. This CIPD qualification is perfect for graduates and entry-level talent seeking the latest HR jobs.

When you enrol in this CIPD certification, you'll learn about business, culture, and change. This insight examines how external influences and digital and commercial environments impact a brand's behaviour and organisational culture. You'll also explore the principles of analytics, where you'll see how to utilise diverse analytics to rationalise situations and make simple and complex decisions.  

Additionally, you'll learn about the core behaviours of HR professionals, which focuses on ethical practices and how consistent ways of thinking can impact inclusivity and well-being in a business. You'll explore the essentials of people practice and address the fundamentals of HR, including the employee lifecycle, laws, regulations and policies. This section also covers areas such as employee management, learning and development, reward and recruitment. 

Typically, the CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate in People Practice takes applicants between 8-12 months to complete. The cost of these HR qualifications varies depending on the location and study centre you attend. According to the CIPD, certification fees range from £1,300 to £2,300 in the UK.

Completing this foundation HR certification provides you with the fundamental necessities of HR. This HR qualification is an excellent education to prepare you for real-world and common scenarios, equipping you with the skills and insight to kickstart your career in HR and confidently progress in the field.

Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management

Candidates seeking to progress their HR career and move into more managerial and senior-level roles should consider enrolling in the CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management. This HR qualification helps professionals develop their industry knowledge through a combination of core, specialist, and optional units. These units enable talent to focus on the HR and people management aspects that motivate them the most.

The core units of this HR certification include organisational performance and culture in practice, evidence-based practice, professional behaviours, and valuing people. Specialist units of this CIPD qualification involve employment relationship management, talent management, workforce planning, and reward for performance and contribution.

This specific HR qualification allows talent to embark on optional units tailored to their interests and career aspirations. These include modules on employment law, diversity and inclusion, digital learning and development, leadership and management, well-being in the workplace, and international people management. As you work through the course, you’ll be given the opportunity to select one of these optional units.

HR professionals considering the CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management can expect to complete the course in 12-16 months. Similar to level 3 HR qualifications, the cost of this HR certification varies. However, this CIPD qualification typically ranges from £1,600 to £3,600 in the UK.

Enrolling on this diploma can expand your knowledge and enhance your skill set. Completing this HR qualification is the ideal preparation to advance your career in HR and enable you to embark on more senior-level people management jobs in HR.

Level 7 Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management

Talent in the HR industry who aspire to be strategic leaders and experts in the industry and become mainstays in their organisation should pursue the CIPD Level 7 Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management. This more advanced HR qualification can bolster your people management skills to successfully lead your business to its specific goals and objectives.

Like the level 5 course, this HR qualification combines core, specialist, and optional units. Starting with the core units, learners will explore people management and development strategies for performance, work, and working lives in an evolving business environment, as well as personal effectiveness, ethics, business acumen, and business research in people practice.

HR talent will then embark on three distinct specialist units. These specialist units include strategic employment relations, resourcing, talent management to sustain success, and strategic reward management.

You’ll then be able to choose one optional unit from a selection of modules best suited to your personal and professional preferences. These optional units include advanced employment law in practice, advanced diversity and inclusion, technology-enhanced learning, organisational design and development, well-being at work, learning and development practice, and managing people internationally. 

Generally, the CIPD Level 7 Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management takes HR professionals between 16-24 months to complete. Again, depending on where and how you study, the cost of this HR qualification varies. In the UK, you can expect the fees of this certification to range from £3,000 to £7,000.

It’s worth investing in these advanced CIPD HR qualifications if you’re serious about progressing into more leadership and management-type HR jobs. With this HR certification, you’ll have the expertise and insight to drive strategic improvements and deliver effective people management for any employer.

Key takeaways of CIPD HR qualifications

In summary, the CIPD HR qualifications discussed in this guide offer great value to talent at various stages of their HR careers. As a leading body within the industry, the CIPD and its HR certifications provide excellent benefits to those enrolling in their courses. These benefits range from adding credibility to a professional's credentials and enhancing an individual's skill set and knowledge to opening the doors to boosted earning potential and broader opportunities regarding jobs in HR. 

By investing in CIPD HR certifications at the foundation, associate, and advanced levels, HR talent can progress in their careers and drive strategic results for their employer. 

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Specialists in HR recruitment 

If you've recently completed an HR qualification or are considering enrolling in one, we can provide additional support to help you achieve your career goals. Since 2002, our market-leading HR recruitment services have supported candidates of all levels, from entry-level talent to senior specialists. Our experienced consultants understand the industry and lend their expertise to connect passionate professionals with the market's top HR jobs.

Contact us today or register as a candidate, and let us connect you to HR jobs where you can truly make a difference and progress in your career.