Richard Capp- MCIPS studied from CIPS Level 4 Diploma through to Level 6 Professional Diploma and MCIPS. He talks to Nicky Hingston from APA about his learning journey with us, and how achieving the CIPS qualifications has positively affected his career.
NH: “At what level did you start your journey with APA and what was your job role at the time?”
“In September 2018 I started studying with APA and began the Level 4 CIPS Diploma. I was working in local government managing a Community Team, one of my key responsibilities was the procurement of services such as Domestic Violence and Abuse Services, Hate Crime Services, Modern Slavery Training and CCTV.”
NH: “What was your previous experience of education? And to what level did you study previously?”
“I never attended University and the highest- level qualification that I had was a CMI Level 5 Diploma in Management. This was an assignment- based qualification, I hadn’t sat any exams since 2012 when I completed PRINCE2.”
NH: “How did studying for the various CIPS qualifications fit in with your day to day working and home life? Do you think you would have found the courses more difficult if you had gone down the self-study route?”
“There is no doubt that without the support of APA I would have not been in a position to pass my exams first time. The sessions and the notes that accompanied their sessions where extremely comprehensive and made the qualification accessible for me. My personal circumstances are busy to say the least, I am married and my partner whilst I was] doing the studies became disabled, I worked in the public sector where my job was reluctant to release me for study, the team I managed were heavily involved in the response to Covid and my work was very busy during my studies, plus I am a father to 3 children all under 11! Without the support of Ian and the team at APA, the flexible approach to study, the opportunity to submit practice exam questions, the constructive and helpful feedback, there is no way that I would have had the drive and energy to pass had I done this by myself.”
NH: “Procurement has seen a lot of change in the time that you were studying towards MCIPS with Brexit, COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine, did the training at APA benefit you in adapting to these situations within your role?”
“There has been a great deal of change in recent years. APA always ensured that the input in sessions was relevant and could be applied in real terms. Some of the disadvantages to just studying from the books is that they are a snap- shot in time, whereas what APA offer is dynamic and changing. This is especially helpful when doing exams as you can draw on real world events that are relevant and have been explored in class. Another of the benefits of doing this qualification through APA is the opportunity to network. You hear about other professionals’ experiences which differ from your own. There is a good mix of public and private sector pupils, each from differing backgrounds. The amount of unintended learning through hearing about others’ experiences, how Covid, Brexit and Ukraine have impacted on their practice was invaluable.”
NH: “How has your CIPS training benefitted the organisation/s that you have worked for would you say?”
“I currently work in Central Government and having MCIPS was a prerequisite for me working at the level that I do. The benefit it brings to an organisation is the comfort that they know that staff have a level of ability and awareness to critical areas such as strategic ethical leadership, global supply chain risk, equality and best practice.”
NH: “Now that you are fully MCIPS qualified how has it positively affected your career?”
“Since I started studying towards MCIPS I have changed roles twice and my pay has increased by 70%. I am now working as a strategic procurement professional in the Public Sector.”
NH: “How did you find the training at APA, and would you recommend us to others looking to embark on the MCIPS journey?”
“I feel lucky to have discovered APA back in 2018, I wanted to start my MCIPS journey but didn’t want to do it through self-study having heard of other peoples’ experiences of trying to do it by themselves and struggling.
I found Anne who I studied level 4 with, then latterly Ian 5&6 to be excellent tutors. The sessions they ran were engaging and the notes provided were comprehensive and made the books easier to digest. I would often find reading the course notes superbly complemented the textbooks and helped me grasp some of the more complex learning outcomes. The exam revision sessions they provided were invaluable and were critical in my exam preparation.”
“I would highly recommend APA to others who want to study towards MCIPS!”