Starting Your CIPD Journey

A career in HR or L&D is an exciting prospect, but if you’re aspiring to get your foot in the door or looking to get your existing career off the ground, you might not know how to achieve these goals while managing both your personal and working lives.
That’s where a CIPD qualification comes in.

If you’re interested in becoming a practicing HR or L&D professional but you’re not into the idea of going back to university for a time-consuming (and often inflexible) industry-related degree, then it makes sense that your next step would be to enrol on a professional CIPD qualification.
These globally recognised qualifications are the benchmark for success in the industry and are sure to get you to where you want to be in the people profession.

What is the people profession?

Over the decade or so, HR has evolved tremendously. Where once HR was considered to be heavily admin-focused (i.e. maintaining records and implementing regulations within lawful compliance), these days forward-thinking HR departments spend more of their time improving employee engagement and strengthening workplace culture.

This is mainly due to the incredible technological advancements that have made their way into the working world over the last decade or so. With systems now created to automate payroll and streamline onboarding processes, talent management, and employee training, HR has now shifted away from its administrative approach to one that is more people-centric and advocates for better work and working lives.

Along with this shift, however, comes the realisation that the high level of knowledge and skill required to successfully run and develop an organisation and its employees goes far beyond HR on its own. This knowledge stems from other areas as well, including:

- Learning and Development (L&D)
- Organisational Change and Design
- Talent Acquisition
- Organisational Development, and
- Payroll and Employee Benefits

These disciplines, in conjunction with HR and its systems, bring together an abundance of specialist knowledge, enabling the effective management and development of employees and essential people practices.

The people profession is, after all, all about the people - and that’s why we call it as such.

How do you get started with a CIPD qualification?

If you’re ready to get moving on your CIPD journey but you’re unsure of where to start, not to worry, we’ve got you covered!
The CIPD recently introduced a range of five new and globally accredited qualifications in alignment with the new CIPD Profession Map, offering qualifications to those at any stage in their HR or L&D career at Levels 3, 5, and 7.

If you’re just beginning your HR or L&D career, however, we recommend starting with the CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate in People Practice. This programme is ideal if you have no previous experience or if you’re looking to formalise your existing skills and knowledge. 

You’ll gain valuable insight into the essential areas of HR and L&D including, core behaviours for people professionals, essentials of people practice, and principles of analytics. In other words, you’ll become equipped with everything you need to know to accelerate your career with confidence.

Alternatively, if you already have some experience in an HR or related entry-level role and aspire to progress to a mid-level position, the CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management or Organisational Learning & Development might instead be the first step to starting your CIPD journey.

These Level 5 CIPD Diplomas will give you a more comprehensive view of HR or L&D subjects, enabling you to develop and master your analytical and problem-solving skills so you can develop your management skills as a people professional.

CIPD Membership

When you enrol on a CIPD Level 3 Certificate, you’ll become a Foundation Member of the CIPD, joining a community of over 150,000 people professionals across the world.

Along with access to a range of networking opportunities, you’ll also gain access to a broad scope of insights, resources, and advice from industry experts - a truly priceless advantage when you’re just starting your CIPD journey.

Another great thing about becoming a CIPD member is that as you progress in your studies and your career, your level of membership will progress too - offering you added credibility and the option to upgrade to prestigious Chartered Membership once you have the required experience.

The Benefits to Studying CIPD with DPG

When you choose to enrol on a CIPD qualification with us, we enable you to study in a way that entirely suits you -  with the option to either study online or through one of our blended programmes.

With our online courses, you have the flexibility to study anytime, anywhere - allowing you to fit your qualification around your lifestyle. You’ll also benefit from 24/7 access to our e-learning platform, tons of useful resources, and live online webinars for additional support.

If you choose to study through one of our blended programmes, on the other hand, you’ll experience a mix of interactive workshops, webinars, and community collaboration incorporated with online learning.  

Both options offer low deposits, interest-free payment plans, and monthly installments, meaning it’s never been more affordable to upgrade yourself and your career.


These days there’s a high demand for HR professionals and L&D practitioners alike, so there’s really no better time than right now to start your CIPD journey and go after the career of your dreams.

Learn more about how you can kickstart your career with DPG today, 100% online.