Qualifications are important!

Is it just me or do others find it surprising that the magazine of the CIPD recently devoted three pages to the career and opinions of someone whose greatest strength is “not being an HR person”, who “never planned to pursue a career in HR” and has “only ever had very senior HR roles” (interview with Lucy Adams, BBC director of people, 28 January)?

While such openness makes interesting reading, how useful is it in promoting the importance of basic formal qualifications and training?