Top Achiever

We love to be able to share the success stories of our qualification candidates and we recently heard from Lindsay Taylor at IQ-IAM Training Centre Your Excellency Limited about one of their recent candidates. We asked Chelsea Langston-Lloyd, Executive Administrator at Wilmott Dixon why she wanted to complete the IQ/IAM Level 4 Certificate in Office & Administration Management and her career so far. 

What made you decide to undertake the IQ/IAM Level 4 Certificate in Office & Administration Management?

I wanted to expand my knowledge in administration management and I am very lucky to work for a company who encourages personal development. 

How did you find the qualification? 

It was great to learn new knowledge and practical skills that I can put into practice in the workplace. I enjoyed interacting with other people in similar roles from different companies as we were able to share experiences and have discussions around the various topics using our real life experiences. We were provided with workbooks that we could make notes in and sent the PowerPoint presentation after the training session which was useful. The training sessions were small, relaxed and informative, Lindsay provided great support throughout the training and assignments. 

Did you encounter any challenges? How did you overcome these?

The biggest challenge I found when completing this qualification was getting back into writing assignments again and also referencing. After I completed the first of the three assignments I felt more confident in my writing ability. Being able to submit one draft outline assignment before the final one was helpful as I was able to get feedback from Lindsay and advice on areas of improvement. 

What was your favourite unit and why?

I enjoyed the ‘Effective Office Management” unit the most which covered topics such as project management, delegation, planning and prioritising work, and also stress in the workplace. These topics are all very relevant in my day-to-day work and I was able to learn new skills that I could implement immediately. 

What is your opinion on having formal qualifications within the profession and would you encourage others to look at completing further qualifications?

I believe that administration staff should be given the opportunity to undertake formal qualifications. I would encourage others to look into completing further qualifications as they provide new skills and opportunities, and can also enhance confidence. Undertaking a qualification gives the individual something to work towards and can make them feel recognised for the contribution they give to a business. 

Has achieving the Level 4 Certificate impacted your role/career success? In what way? 

I have learnt new skills especially around prioritising workload and management of teams. I am still developing these skills but feel I now have the tools to improve. I believe this qualification has provided me with knowledge that can be transferred into other roles as I progress in my career. 

Whist it is widely acknowledged that CPD has a lot of benefit for both an employer and employee, there can be a disconnect between employers acknowledging that CPD is both beneficial and putting plans in place to offer CPD. Lindsay Taylor comments “one of my favorite comments from a learner on the IQ/IAM Level 4 was ‘There is a trademarked, copyrighted theory associated with that?’ But we’re already putting this into practice!”. This learner’s realisation legitimised her working practices and gave her the confidence that there was a theoretical tried and tested basis to what she was doing”.

Want to share your stories? We’d love to hear from you, get in touch at marketing@instam.org