Answer extracted from the Inspiring Industry Podcast — listen to the full episode below.
How does CIPP support apprenticeships in payroll?
CIPP functions as an awarding organization and endpoint assessor that reviews, moderates, and assesses apprenticeships across the payroll industry. The organization's education services team provides certification and practical support throughout the apprenticeship journey, with their awarding arm within IPP Education receiving strong recognition for how well apprentices feel supported.
The Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals takes a structured, hands-on approach to apprenticeship delivery. Rather than standing apart from the process, CIPP actively validates the quality of training and assessment at every stage. This dual role—as both the standard-setter and the evaluator—ensures consistency across the profession.
As Jason Davenport explains in the episode, the organization recognizes that apprenticeships are a critical pathway into the payroll sector. This support system reflects CIPP's commitment to developing trained, qualified professionals who will enter an industry handling over £378 billion in taxes annually across the UK.
The education services team doesn't simply rubber-stamp assessments; they provide active guidance and mentorship to apprentices and their employers throughout the program. This support structure is designed to address the real complexity of payroll work—where accuracy and compliance requirements demand thorough preparation.
What makes this model distinctive is the emphasis on apprentice experience. The strong feedback and positive accolades CIPP's awarding body receives from apprentices themselves suggests that the support framework is genuinely felt and valued, rather than appearing as a bureaucratic overlay on training delivery.
"Payroll professionals should be celebrated every day. Is your payroll team trained and qualified and are they supported properly?"
Jason Davenport — CEO, Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals. Davenport spent 10 years in construction delivering payroll before transitioning to business process outsourcing at CMG, where he rose to director and oversaw payroll delivery across up to 127 countries. He served as non-executive director and board member of CIPP from 2012 to 2021, ran his own consultancy, and joined CIPP as CEO. He is also a mentor in the UK government's Be the Business scheme supporting SME productivity.
The broader context here is important: over 100,000 payroll professionals work across the UK, yet only around 6,500 hold membership in the Chartered Institute. This gap underscores why CIPP's apprenticeship support matters. The podcast explores how apprenticeships serve as a bridge to build a more credentialed, recognized workforce in a field many still overlook.
Key takeaways
- CIPP operates as both awarding organization and endpoint assessor, ensuring consistent quality control in payroll apprenticeships.
- Education services teams provide active certification, guidance, and mentorship—not just final assessment.
- Apprentices report high satisfaction with CIPP's support model, signaling genuine engagement throughout their training.
- Apprenticeships address a skills gap in an industry where thousands of professionals lack formal recognized credentials.
See also
What educational initiatives is CIPP developing to improve financial literacy among young people?
CIPP is developing online programs to support 16- to 18-year-olds starting with understanding their pay slip and what deductions mean. These programs aim to build foundational financial literacy in payroll education.
What is the significance of payroll management in business operations?
Payroll is key to every business and to the UK economy. For businesses, labor cost represents a huge part of most operations, making accuracy critical.
How many payroll professionals are employed across the UK?
There are over 100,000 people involved in payroll across the UK. However, the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals has approximately 6,500 members.