“The ability to upskill or reskill while continuing to work full-time is a major benefit.”
Graham Bell, Director of Digital Education at Cranfield, leads the team that has created the university’s portfolio of digital stackable programmes for the business and management sector.
Cranfield University has built a reputation for transformative personal and professional development, working with clients that range from the business that wants to upskill its team or a department, through to individuals looking at building on and formalising their own qualifications.
The digital stackable programmes’ modules build into an accessible package that allows people to learn at their own pace and to the level that suits them best, and Graham is keen to discuss the options with local business owners who are looking to develop their staff.
Described as micro-credentials, the courses comprise small, manageable learning units that can be combined to create accredited qualifications, through a range of certification levels all the way up to a Masters degree. This format allows people to learn at their own pace, on demand, and in a way that fits around their professional and personal commitments.
The ability to upskill or reskill while continuing to work full-time is a major benefit. With Cranfield’s online offerings, there’s no need to take a career break to further ones’ education. This enables a practical, hands-on approach to executive development, making the learning experience far more relevant and immediately applicable, and allowing people to apply what they learn in real time to the challenges they face at work.
Graham explained: “It works for people because they are in control, depending on their needs. So, if you take leadership as an example, it might be that someone undertakes the four-hour package on leadership and then decide that’s enough. Other people might decide at that stage that they want to carry on and build further sections into accredited programmes, right up to a Masters degree.
“It’s accessible and affordable, so for individuals, or small organisations that want to develop their people, have them acquire some management qualifications or certifications, it’s ideal. There’s no barrier to entry, they don’t need any previous degree or educational achievements, and if it’s someone who, for instance, doesn’t have English as a first language, they can take as much time as they need, under no pressure.
“We’ve created high-quality learning assets that offer an experience-led programme rather than a tick box exercise and the more you put in the more you are going to get out, and we’d love the opportunity to bring this style of learning to more small and owner-managed businesses.”
Cranfield’s Online Programmes are built around the philosophy that knowledge must be actionable, that it is not enough to simply learn the theory; leaders must be able to put that theory into practice in their own role so that they see demonstrable benefits.
Each module within the programme is designed to be applied directly to the learner’s professional context. They should be able to use their own company as a case study throughout the course, applying the strategies they learn to their real-world problems.
The courses cover a wide range of critical business and management topics, including leadership, finance, organisation design, and strategy. This ensures that learners can focus on the areas most relevant to their current roles, while also gaining a broader understanding of the challenges they may face as their careers progress.
“Online learning means that those looking to further their education and gain qualifications don’t have to take a break from their careers, or take time away from the workplace, to complete a course,” said Graham. “We tried to design the programmes knowing people don’t have a lot of time and they are probably squeezing learning into their personal time, juggling work and family, and that is never easy. They offer flexibility and it’s possible to study in way that works in and around your personal situation.
“Then for those who benefit from being part of a group, we have live online sessions where they can meet tutors along with others who are doing the same course and discuss what they are learning, picking up on a range of experiences and different viewpoints. Groups tend to be relatively small so there’s good engagement and a chance to talk about real issues and challenges. It’s especially helpful when there are people from large and small businesses – the issues are often the same but the approach might be different and they can learn from one another.”
For organisations of all sizes, the programmes’ flexibility helps reduce disruption to the business while still ensuring that staff are developing the skills needed to meet evolving challenges. The modules vary from the traditional academic to something more game-like or simulations, so there’s something to suit all styles of learning, from those who are very comfortable with technology to those who need a more hands-on approach.
Because there are no set time limits to courses, should a business or individual find that it’s necessary to walk away or take an extended break at some point, the modules they have already completed are accredited and can be saved so that they could be built on at some point in the future when circumstances change.
Graham added: “That the modules are accessible is key. It might be that someone has an issue they haven’t dealt with before – supply chain, for example – so they can build their skills up pretty quickly and affordably, but in way that is structured and accredited.
“It’s very easy these days to turn to Google or ChatGPT to find the information you think you need, but our programmes recognise your efforts, from a digital certificate you can immediately post online to show you have completed a certain area of training, right up to a Masters degree. It’s a structured learning journey that gives you the outcomes you want.”
Discover more about Cranfield Online digital stackable programmes.
This article was first published in All Things Business | UK Business News Publication
