Case Study

Magda’s new goal

18 Feb. 2026

There’s always something new to learn in life, and for Magda, CiC Wellbeing’s Critical Incident and Trauma Manager, that life has already packed quite a punch. She has lived and worked in four different countries, speaks three languages fluently, and holds two Masters’ degrees. She’s mum to a teenage son, an avid reader of all things psychology, and a lover of outdoor activities. Adding another new string to her bow meant looking in a totally new direction: a management apprenticeship. 

Magda’s colourful life has seen her live in Poland, Germany and South Africa, as well as the UK. Working as a church pastor 25 years ago, supporting refugee communities in London, spiked her interest in counselling and drove years of professional studies in all aspects of psychotherapy. She joined CiC Wellbeing, part of Ingeus, in 2023 and co-manages the Global Specialist Services team, often responding to complex and harrowing incidents affecting staff at international organisations and UK businesses oversees. Magda passionately believes her team’s work is a life-changer in helping people exposed to traumatic incidents. 

Despite her high-stakes, often unpredictable role, Magda recalls feeling privileged when her manager suggested she undertook a fully funded Level 5 Leadership and Management Diploma. The equivalent of a degree, the apprenticeship programme develops strategic planning, people management, budgeting, and project management skills, studied at work and aligned to your role. Taking 14 months to complete, Magda graduated with a distinction in 2025. 

“It’s the only apprenticeship I’ve undertaken and I really enjoyed it,” says Magda, who is currently learning Spanish to complement her English, Polish and German language skills. “Learning something non-clinical and involving lots of different topics was quite humbling but I like diving headfirst into new things and developing my skills.” 

Despite her raft of higher qualifications, those new skills also included Magda undertaking an English GCSE to qualify for the apprenticeship scheme. 

“My early education wasn’t considered a match,” explains Magda, who grew up in Poland. “My work life is all about facing what’s in front of you, so I just got on with it. You may not be able to change events, but you can change how it impacts you. They’ve since changed the regulations, but I guess it was useful to brush up on some English grammar skills too,” she smiles. 

“I had to put my newly learned prioritisation skills to play as it’s difficult to know what my days will hold. I was given the flexibility to study and based my dissertation on a subject close to my heart: critical incident service improvement. We’re implementing some of my recommendations now.” 

Finding time to diffuse with outdoor hobbies including hiking, diving, and tennis, Magda also values the CiC Wellbeing colleagues who support her busy working life. “Our services are very specialised and I work with a great team,” Magda adds. “I feel protected and empowered at CiC Wellbeing. We have the opportunity to make positive things happen and see the resulting impact – just like undertaking this apprenticeship.”