“Don’t let having a family stop you following your dream!”

Meet Charlotte Wise, an AVADO CIPD Graduate, Business Owner, Homepreneur of the Year Finalist and supermum to baby Alfie.

After finding out she was expecting, Charlotte made a bold decision to change her career by enrolling on a HR course with AVADO. She not only studied whilst pregnant and graduated with a new-born baby in tow, she has now started her own successful business, thanks to the skills and confidence her CIPD Certificate gave her. She shared her inspirational story with us:

“I chose to study the CIPD Level 3 Certificate because I realised that a career change was needed and HR has always been a vocation I have wanted to pursue. So when I found out I was pregnant and expected to go on maternity leave, I seized the opportunity to enrol with AVADO.

Before enrolling, the student services team were absolutely fantastic, helping me understand what to expect. We also worked out a manageable payment plan too.

The support I received from the tutors at AVADO was brilliant. The final unit of the CIPD course required submitting video evidence and when I first discovered I had to do this, I’ll be honest, I panicked! Not only am I a bit of a technophobe but I wasn’t sure how I would be able to do this with a small baby. However, after fantastic support from my tutors, I managed to submit my final assignment via video with my 6 month old son on my lap! I subsequently passed the unit and last year celebrated having gained a new qualification whilst on maternity leave.

Gaining the CIPD qualification has given me a wealth of skills and experience that has since helped me take the plunge and set up my own business so that I can work around my son. I am now the proud owner of Bippity Boppity Shopity, a baby and children’s gift shop and I also blog about my experiences too. Having valuable HR knowledge has provided a fantastic platform for me to build my business.

In less than a year since having the business and gaining my CIPD qualification, I was a finalist for Homepreneur of the Year 2016 and I have also spoken at business workshops helping mums get back into work. My new career has opened so many windows of opportunity and I would like to thank AVADO for giving me the confidence and skills to help me on this journey.

Alfie is now almost 16 months old and has just discovered walking! We celebrated for 5 minutes before we realised he can now get everywhere! But he is such a loving little boy and without him, I wouldn’t be where I am today. He’s definitely my little inspiration.

If you are a mum or mum-to-be and want to further your career or better yourself by doing this course or any other, don’t let having a family stop you following your dream!  The sense of achievement when you finish will mean so much more because you’ve juggled that little bit extra.”

If you have been inspired by Charlotte’s story and are keen to explore a CIPD qualification, check out our range of courses here.