Work and Working Lives in a Changing Business Environment (7CO01)
ASSOCIATE QUALIFICATIONS 2021

Core Knowledge | Core Behaviour | Specialist Knowledge
This unit is suitable for persons who:
- are aspiring to, or embarking on, a career in HR/L&D
- are working in the field of HR/L&D in a support role and wish to develop their knowledge and skills
- have responsibility for HR/L&D activities and decisions within an organisation without a specialist function
- are wishing to develop the knowledge, skills and capabilities required to meet good practice and legal obligations relating to people at work.
Purpose and aim of unit
Managing the employment relationship effectively is a key part of the role of the human resources (HR) practitioner. This unit aims to introduce a number of aspects of this task and to provide an introduction to employment law within the context of employee relations. It starts with an explanation of the employment relationship and the key parties that are involved within it. It then focuses on different aspects of HR activity, looking at good practice and legal requirements within each activity. It is recognised that learners need to have a basic understanding of employment law to enable them to operate effectively, but given this is a broad and complex area, it is acknowledged that this unit only aims to provide learners with the basic knowledge and assumes no prior understanding of employment law.
Learning outcomes
On completion of this unit, learners will:
- Understand the impact of employment law at the start of the employment relationship.
- Understand the main individual rights that the employee has during the employment relationship.
- Understand the issues to address at the termination of the employment relationship.
How is This Course Assessed?
These are not traditionally taught qualifications but focus more on specific personal or organisational objectives rather than solely academic theory. Units are assessed by reviewing written work based narrative, supported by evidence. Evidence takes many forms and is compiled in a portfolio that is assessed by Watson Martin experts and verified by CIPD external verifiers before awarding the qualification. There are no exams or research projects at this level.
NEW CIPD ASSOCIATE QUALIFICATIONS 2021
Associate Level
A short video introducing the new CIPD qualifications
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New Associate Unit FAQs
We have compiled the following commonly asked questions about the advanced unit, click to expand on them below. Do get in touch if you can not find the answer you need.
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Choosing the right qualification can be challenging when there are so many factors to consider. Rest assured we will help you to make the right choice with CIPD expert advisers on hand to talk you through the best qualification to suit your circumstances. You can talk directly to a tutor and ask any question that you like!
Prior to enrolling we’ll talk you through the options and consider your current circumstances, experience and career goals. We’ll give you an insight into what each programme involves and let you know what to expect with regards to assessments, time commitment and the subjects covered.
If you would like to speak to someone, please get in touch here.
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You can enrol immediately! We process candidate start-ups on a weekly basis. As soon as you enrol, we will allocate you to your personal CIPD expert adviser who will support you throughout your learning journey, and if you are enrolled onto a new qualification, you will start with induction activities in March 2021.
Enrolment is quick and easy. You can enrol using our CIPD Course Booking Form and we’ll take it from there! If you want to speak with us first, give us a call as we’d love to hear from you and answer any questions you may have.
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This will depend on the programme you are currently studying, your choice of modules/ units so far and how close you are to finishing your study. Foundation units do not map across but there are options to use existing units if you are studying Intermediate or Advanced qualifications. In any case, do get in touch with us to discuss your individual circumstances further and to help you decide the best way forward.
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Whichever way you choose to study with us, you will be well supported.
We pride ourselves on the level of support we give our candidates; first and foremost you will work directly with one of our advisers who will develop a study plan with you and guide you through your programme through 1:1s. Your adviser will be easily contactable and available to answer any questions that you have.
Our advisers are all Chartered Members or Fellows of the CIPD and without question the support our advisers provide will add the most value, as shown in our excellent Coursecheck reviews.
You will also interact with our centre management team, available daily who are able to provide technical support, information on workshops and webinars and general advice about any aspect of a programme.
Our extensive library of learning materials is available 24/7 via the VLE will be made available to you with online resources for the programme and each unit including webinar recordings, articles and workbooks that our advisers have written for you.
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Absolutely. We recognise that being able to access support and guidance 24/7 is important to our candidates We have developed a range of support webinars available on our VLE covering topics from critical writing to referencing that you can access and watch at a time to suit you.
Our workbooks provide you with structured learning tasks and are designed to help you complete your assessments with ease. If you are able to study on our workshop programme you will be able to speak with other HR practitioners and share you experience and ideas with them. Outside of this you can access other candidates via our VLE forums.
It is also worth noting that your experience adviser regularly provides advice and guidance for those returning to study and so is well placed to alleviate any concerns you may have. Watson Martin helps you draw upon your existing skills and experience to help answer assessments and your ability to apply what you have learnt to the workplace is key.
Each unit is assessed via written work that you will submit to your adviser and will be moderated by the CIPD. Watson Martin will provide guidance and feedback before you submit your final piece for marking. The feedback we will give you will be thorough, and you will have clear guidance on where any improvements are needed.
If you are apprehensive about studying again, please be reassured that we give you all the tools necessary to complete your qualification to the best of your ability.
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