As I’m sure you are aware, the CIPFA Student Learning Centre went live on 1 February, with all professional level modules available online as planned, ready for students to start studying. We’re already getting positive feedback from students, particularly open learning only students who are finding the online study guides a significant improvement on the old open learning material.
However, IT implementations rarely go smoothly, and this one too caused our students some, generally brief but still regrettable, inconvenience. This stemmed from the later than planned finalisation of elements of the registration process, which affected some students logging on for the first time. The knock on effect was an unexpectedly high number of calls and emails to the ETIS helpline, and frustration for those students we couldn’t get to as quickly as we would have wished, for which we sincerely apologise.
The registration process is now running smoothly and we hope you are finding this, and the new invoicing procedures, to be an improvement on the old system. Certainly the time from registration to when students are able to commence their studies has been reduced.
There is still work to do on ensuring the Student Learning Centre meets the expectations of employers and students alike and to this end we are in daily contact with our partners. Results to date are:
- All employers who have asked to be invoiced have now received their unique employers’ code. Please email etis@cipfa.org if you require one for your trainees, adding ‘employer code’ to the subject heading.
- Improved printable options are now available
- Passcards can be downloaded, as well as being sent to students in hardcopy
- We have moved to a new server to improve speed and stability issues
- Issues with firewalls that some organisations experienced have now been resolved (if this is not the case in your organisation, please contact elizabeth.harris@cipfa.org)
Since the launch 3,200 students have registered on the Student Learning Centre and 400-500 are logging on every evening to study from the interactive study guides. We are communicating regularly with students to keep them apprised of enhancements as they become available and are inviting students, through an online survey, to comment on the launch of the Student Learning Centre and their early experience of using the online study content. If you would like to add your comments to these, please email them to rebecca.bazeley@cipfa.org
We have completely revamped the ‘Trainee Vacancies’ section of the CIPFA website, to provide prospective students with comprehensive information on current training vacancies around the UK. We are also circulating this information to the thousands of prospective trainees attending careers fairs around the country, generating interest in your organisation.
The Society of London Treasurers has had over 1,000 students registering interest in their schemes, illustrating the popularity of our site. So, if you’ve had difficulty in filling vacancies in the past or would just like some extra publicity, drop us an email to traineejobs@cipfa.org
Alternatively, if you’ve not had any CIPFA Trainees, now might be the time to take some on! To find out more about the CIPFA qualification and for any support in setting up a training scheme, please email faisal.khan@cipfa.org
To attract prospective students to your vacancies, we also need to keep raising our profile in the market. We’ve got some great material for our new marketing campaign, which spotlights opportunities available to potential students who are ready to put that little bit extra into their careers and their communities.
The new marketing campaign will be unveiled shortly and officially launched at the CIPFA Annual Conference in June. If you would like some of the new brochures and posters, please email rebecca.bazeley@cipfa.org
Of course, you as employers must be confident that there is substance behind the marketing and that your new CPFAs are equipped to take on the complexities and challenges of today’s public services.
Work on future proofing the professional qualification is now underway and focuses initially on the Final Test Of Professional Competence (FTPC). This is the biggest review of the qualification and statement of expertise since 2003/4.
Your input is vital to ensuring the CIPFA qualification continues to be fit for purpose and we will be seeking your views via an e-survey. Look out for this in April!
Many employers offer IPDS support for their trainees, for example by working with them to identify workplace experience opportunities and linking IPDS to their own workplace schemes. Some employers also invite CIPFA in to give IPDS workshops or allow students time out of the office to attend IPDS events run by student societies and the National Student Forum. We have, in the past, held IPDS workshops for employers keen to offer IPDS support to their trainees. The employer IPDS workshops have been very well received
This support is invaluable and it’s great that employers see how IPDS benefits their organisation. An important aspect of IPDS is reflection and learning through that reflection, which means each IPDS portfolio will be personal to each trainee. Reflection can feel a bit ‘uncomfortable’, especially in the working environment. But this personalisation of the workplace experience facilitates the trainee’s professional development as well as preparing them for effective continuing professional development throughout their careers. It’s important, therefore, that even where trainees essentially undertake very similar IPDS activities, they are encouraged to write their reflective statements from their unique perspective. Not always easy! But generally trainees are getting to grips with writing reflectively.
We plan to hold a couple more IPDS workshops for employers later in the year and if this is something you might be interested please email rebecca.bazeley@cipfa.org
...to Bracknell Forest Borough Council who have been accredited as a Best Practice CIPFA employer and also to HM Treasury who have been accredited as Registered CIPFA employers.
The aims of the employer accreditation are to:
- Act as a means of recognising good practice amongst our employers
- Improve the services CIPFA offers our employers
- Establish minimum and best practice standards for the level of support employers offer their CIPFA members and student members.
You can find out more about becoming an accredited CIPFA employer here
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