Tue, 23 June, 2020
After completing her maternity leave, Natalia decided to apply to TWI Certification Ltd (TWI CL) as she was excited by how interesting the role and work being advertised was. Joining as a junior certification officer in September 2017, Natalia quickly progressed and became a full certification officer in November of the same year. Such a meteoric rise is a testament to Natalia’s skill and willingness to take on more responsibility. Within her new role, Natalia is kept busy with a variety of tasks, ranging from conducting documentary reviews of candidates’ paperwork, to issuing their certificates if they are successful, as well as answering emails and phone calls and everything else in-between!
Being busy though does not deter Natalia; in fact, it is what she likes most about working for TWI CL. She tells us, “You are always busy and never bored.” The constant review of CSWIP schemes, means that there are always new updates or new schemes that Natalia must stay abreast of in order to continue providing a reliable service to certificate holders.
Working as a certification officer is not always plain sailing, as CSWIP has over 50,000 certificate holders from across the world, which can prove challenging at times. However, Natalia still faces these challenges head on with a smile and a ‘can do’ attitude as she tells us that each one is a “good lesson” and an opportunity to gain more knowledge that she can then use to help other certificate holders.
Her co-workers also help in making her difficult days easier, as CSWIP has a “really good team and it is a pleasure to work with [people that are] nice and helpful.” This helpfulness extends beyond their certificate holders, as Natalia’s most memorable moment in her time at TWI CL is when the team dressed up for Halloween to raise money for the Cambridge Blue Cross, a charity dedicated to finding happy homes for abandoned or unwanted pets.
Always seeking to provide an exemplary customer service experience, Natalia tries to help certificate holders as much as she can within the rules outlined by the scheme documents. For those contemplating gaining a CSWIP or BGAS-CSWIP certification, Natalia says, “Just get it.” As CSWIP and BGAS-CSWIP certifications are recognised worldwide and are required certifications by many employers, Natalia believes that it could help you to “get a good [and maybe even a] dream job.”
What about some words of wisdom for those who already have a certification through CSWIP? Natalia advises people to renew their certificate before it expires. You can renew your certificate up to 6 months before it is due to expire. It is possible to renew your certificate after its expiry date, but this requires special permissions and may incur a late payment fee. On top of this, any work you undertake while your certificate is expired will not be covered or be considered as having been conducted by certified personnel.
One thing that Natalia asks from certificate holders? Patience. The CSWIP Team does its best to issue your certificate as soon as possible and in a strict date order to ensure everyone is treated equally and fairly, hence why it is so important you submit your certificate for renewal as early as possible, so that you are not left without certification.
So what does Natalia do when she is not busy at work? She is busy at home! Running around after an energetic four year old, and ensuring that her daughter has as many opportunities as Natalia does to learn.