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According to a survey of the CIPD Good Work Index 2023 published on 13 Jun 2023 shows that people are now less productive and more stressed due to a lack of motivation for work. This survey reports claimed that 6 to 9 million people are not satisfied with their work quality and there have been no significant betterments regarding this in the last 4 years.
But, CPID is improving itself and is awarded a bronze prize with top marks 85% by the “Investors in the Environment” in 2023 due to its excellent performance. With the help of CIPD, you can grow your organisation and manage your employees well by taking great care of them.
Do you want to know about CIPD in detail and how you can benefit from it? Whether you are looking to adapt to HR, OD, or L&D career by doing a CIPD Level 3 course or to enhance your knowledge, this helpful guide is for you!
But first, you must know about CIPD, which stands for Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. CIPD is a human resource organisation that helps people to learn and improves their businesses. It provides training, tools and necessary information to advance the employee's abilities. When it comes to having a good working environment, CIPD helps companies to establish a positive workplace.
Being a member of CIPD is something to be proud of. Within the HR and L&D world, it has great significance because it shapes your portfolio and profile and highlights your aptitude. It can be quite beneficial to your career, particularly in terms of prospects for advancement and job search.
“Getting this professional accreditation definitely makes me stand out in the market right now.”
Anandita Srivastava, Chartered MCIPD
Here we will discuss the CIPD Level 3 qualification, its equivalence, importance, features and scope and also explore its Profession Map.
What is CIPD level 3 Equivalent to?
CIPD level 3 is equivalent to the A levels of education but offers more insightful learning about professionalism. Do you want to know more about CIPD qualification level 3? Well, it's a foundation-level course best for brand-new people who want to start their HR or L&D careers. It is specially designed for people approaching this field for the very first time with zero knowledge and no work experience. It is just like a learning course to teach people about how different companies work and how to manage employees effectively.
If you are already pursuing your career as an HR but don't have specific qualifications and learning, CIPD level 3 can still assist you. It will help you to learn everything that you need and train you to stand out from the crowd.
As it is a starting and basic course so, you'll learn the fundamentals of human resources there. It includes learning about staff selection and support systems, dealing with problems and treating everyone fairly at work. If you are interested in an HR position or people management, take a start from this course.
Marta Zemite, a student at Burton and South Derbyshire College (BSDC), won the CIPD Student of the Year award, according to a report of CIPD published on 16 June 2023. She is pursuing a CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate in People Practise course to advance her knowledge of human resources.
What Marta says about this:
“The CIPD course has helped me to view things from different perspectives, as well as helpful discussions with my classmates which have covered a range of different situations and advice. It has been nice to go back and learn something new, and I don’t intend to stop there! My future goal is to achieve the CIPD People Practice Level 5 and proceed with different roles where I can help organisations and employees, as well as make a difference.”
CIPD Course or Qualifications
There are 3 different types of courses in CIPD qualifications, and you just have to pick the best qualification course for you. You can learn these qualifications from external centres offering CIPD learnings, and after its completion, you'll get your degree or certificate from CIPD. These 3 levels are the following:
1. CIPD Level 3 (Foundation)
Want to start your professional career in human resources and get the role of HR or L&D? This course is for you! Here you'll learn everything about recruitment, employee lifecycle and CIPD employment law. You can jumpstart it anytime without any degree or experience.
Specially designed for: People who want to start their career as an HR and L&D.
Duration: 8 to 12 months
Equivalent to: A-levels
2. CIPD Level 5 (Associate)
Want to grow more in your HR or L&D field? Take this course which is associate diplomas. It will help you to learn about professional behaviours in more detail and teach you organisational skills. This course is further divided into two options to choose from:
- Associate Diploma in People Management
- Associate Diploma in Organisational Learning and Development
Specially designed for: People that are already pursuing their careers as professional HR and L&D but want to enhance their skills.
Duration: 12 to 16 months
Equivalent to: Undergraduate programme
3. CIPD Level 7 (Advanced)
Looking for how to excel in your profession to maximally use your expertise? Get help from this course. It differs from the basic CIPD Level 3 course due to the advancement of knowledge in it. As a lifelong learner, this advanced diploma course will advance your skills to be successful in your organisation.
Here, you have two options to choose from:
- Advanced Diploma in Strategic People Management
- Advanced Diploma in Strategic Learning and Development
Specially designed for: Those HR and L&D professionals that want to excel in their fields and develop leadership qualities
Duration: 16 to 24 months
Equivalent to: Postgraduate degree
CIPD approves the University of Birmingham Dubai as a programme provider. Students who join the University's MSc in Human Resource Management program will be qualified for CIPD membership once they have earned the degree.
What is Meant by Assoc CIPD?
When you get a certificate or complete your course in CIPD as an Associate Member, you can add Assoc. CIPD after your name. Such as:
- After completing CIPD Level 3 course, you'll become CIPD Foundation Member or called a Foundation CIPD.
- If you get a certificate by doing Level 5, you'll become CIPD Associate Member, which we know as Assoc CIPD.
- The third and last course is about Advanced Diplomas Level 7 and their members called MCIPD or FCIPD.
Gaining a CIPD certification can raise one's employability, HR knowledge, and earning potential.
How Much Does it Cost to Pursue a CIPD Qualification?
The cost of a degree varies based on the study centre you select. This is so because study centres, not the CIPD, determine fees. So, inquire about charges with your selected study centre before getting their products or services.
A CIPD qualification often costs:
- CIPD Level 3 Price (Foundation Certificate): £1,300 to £2,300
- CIPD Level 5 Price (Associate Degree): £1,600 to £3,600
- CIPD Level 7 Price (Advanced Degree): £3,000 to £7,000
Free CIPD Course: Is there any CIPD Level 3 Free Course Available?
CIPD courses are mostly paid, with costs ranging from £1,300 to £2,300, and you can get them from various external centres. Some platforms provide free introductory online CIPD courses as well. For those who want to experience a CIPD course before committing to the full qualification, some centres provide a Free CIPD Taster Session.
How much is CIPD Membership Fees?
CIPD membership runs from the 1st of July to 3oth of June. But you can get its membership anytime, which depends upon the payment that you will pay.
The total cost of membership = joining charge + membership fee + cost to become a member.
Compared to our Associate membership prices, student membership gets a discount and costs 40% less.
Here is a chart of CIPD membership fees according to CIPD's official website:
How to Get CIPD Jobs?
You can check all of their jobs at the career portal and directly apply for the role you want. It will help you to find a perfect job according to your niche in people management PM. They also have a job alert section that will keep you updated about new job postings. If you are a beginner, you can start with CIPD Level 3 course and get an international job accordingly.
CIPD Profession Map
A new profession map, introduced by CIPD in 2018, is an international standard that allows professionals the assurance and capability to direct their decisions, activities, and behaviours. For those seeking employment in human resources (HR) or people management, the CIPD Professional Map functions as a manual or road map.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) developed this tool to illustrate the many competencies required for a prosperous HR career. It's broken down into other categories, like Working in Partnership, Organisation Design, and more. The map enables HR professionals to comprehend the abilities they must acquire in order to do their duties effectively and advance in their careers.
CIPD provides fresh data by reviewing its profession map 2 times a year. It helps them to offer their CIPD courses and map with the latest information. They get professional feedback and tend to improve their services further.
How to Use the CIPD Profession Map?
CIPD Profession Map is a structured representation of the entire profession and works great for all people professionals. It provides practical information to help professionals to excel in their skills and careers. It helps organisations to develop and grow and keep them up to date.
The CIPD professional map is for the people professionals of all levels, like CIPD Level 3, 5 or 7, and other members outside of CIPD can also benefit from it. It doesn't matter whether you are employed or not, CIPD member or not; this professional map works for everyone. It works on the 4 basic principles, such as:
- Professional Values & Purpose
- Core Knowledge
- Core Behaviours
- Specialist Knowledge
Let's explore them in detail here.
1. Professional Values & Purpose
The CIPD Profession Map's Purpose concept lays the groundwork for the goals of HR and L&D professionals. It outlines the broad aims and targets that professionals want to achieve. This principle shows the importance of aligning HR and L&D practises to their organisational objectives.
Principal Elements of Purpose
- Contributing to Business Success: By connecting their strategies to business results, HR and L&D professionals must actively contribute to the success of the organisation.
- Adding Values: By offering creative ideas that have a beneficial effect on the organisation, professionals should continually work to improve the value of the organisation.
- Ethical Practice: It is crucial to uphold moral principles and take accurate decisions. It encourages justice and honesty in all judgements and deeds.
- Professional Courage: It is important to show courage to take on some challenges and bring about positive change.
2. Core Knowledge
It has the fundamental theoretical knowledge that HR and L&D professionals must have to get success in their jobs. This principle emphasises the fundamental ideas that form the basis of successful HR and L&D practices.
Principal Elements of Core Knowledge
- Deep understanding of the structure, objectives, culture, and market dynamics to guide L&D and HR strategies.
- Gaining a thorough understanding of HR and L&D ideas, theories, models, and practises is essential to understand the profession.
- Understanding the external elements, such as economic trends, frameworks, and societal changes, impact on the organisation and the HR landscape.
3. Core Behaviours
Core behaviours include the attitudes, abilities, and conduct that HR and L&D professionals must demonstrate in an organization. They do so to carry out their responsibilities successfully and contribute to the success of the organisation. It impacts your organisation directly whether you have done a CIPD Level 3, Level 5 or Level 7 course.
Principal Elements of Core Behaviours
- It shows curious behaviour to actively seek out knowledge, analyse data, and learn new things.
- Helps in making informed decisions that are well-thought-out and supported by data and analysis.
- It influences working with stakeholders by using effective communication and interpersonal skills.
- It involves establishing trust by acting with honesty, integrity, and professionalism at all times.
4. Specialist Knowledge
Specialist Knowledge highlights the degree of knowledge required for HR and L&D professionals to succeed in their particular fields of work. It recognises professionals' knowledge and expertise and provides advice on the particular expertise needed for those roles.
Principal Elements of Specialised Knowledge
- Each profession has a collection of specialised knowledge areas that cover particular abilities and information related to that field.
- Experts should use their specialised expertise to promote innovation and best practices in their particular fields.
Conclusion
Want to know everything about CIPD and its CIPD Level 3 qualification? We have discussed all the essentials related to CIPD courses here that will help you to get your desired HR role or any other in human resource management. Different levels of CIPD and its Profession Map offer insightful information related to people professionals that help you to succeed in the job market.
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