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Executive Development Centre opens its doors to business leaders

09 February 2017

 

The relaunch of a successful leadership programme is helping to mark a change of direction for Teesside University’s Darlington campus.

The Centre for Professional and Executive Development at Teesside University's Darlington campus.
The Centre for Professional and Executive Development at Teesside University's Darlington campus.

A new cohort of senior executives has joined the University’s prestigious Leading Growth programme, adding to the ranks of North East business alumni whose companies have already seen measurable performance and financial benefits from taking part.

The relaunch of Leading Growth comes as the University’s Darlington campus is newly designated as the Centre for Professional and Executive Development (CPED), reinforcing its role in meeting workforce development needs with research-led programmes. The newly named Centre will focus exclusively on working with businesses to develop high-level workforce talent, knowledge and skills.

Leading Growth is one of a portfolio of professional development programmes to be offered from the Centre, which is also a major professional development facility for the regional health sector.

A wide range of health courses delivered from CPED includes the Health Assistant Practitioner Higher Apprenticeship and masterclasses in specific aspects of healthcare. From spring, the Centre will also be host to a new health programme, when over 90 new recruits from across the region begin their Nursing Associate training.

Leadership and health provision will be followed later in the spring by a clutch of technical, social media and multidisciplinary creative programmes for professionals.

Pro-Vice Chancellor (Enterprise and Business Engagement) Professor Jane Turner said: 'As a catalyst for economic growth in the region, Teesside University has a key role to play in supporting professional development and developing corporate learning partnerships.

'The substantial programmes we deliver for our partners in the health sector demonstrate the value of working in close consultation with employers. It means we can clearly understand and respond to the development needs of employers’ key asset, their people, while ensuring that our research-led provision is highly relevant, effective and based on advances in knowledge and understanding.

In designating our Darlington campus as the Centre for Professional and Executive Development we are clearly stating our high level of commitment and engagement to developing the relevant skills and knowledge required to build regional growth and economic prosperity.

Pro-Vice Chancellor (Enterprise and Business Engagement) Professor Jane Turner

'Leading Growth is another fantastic example of this approach, and we are delighted to be welcoming a new cohort of business leaders from across the region to this innovative programme of interactive and peer-supported learning.

'In designating our Darlington campus as the Centre for Professional and Executive Development we are clearly stating our high level of commitment and engagement to developing the relevant skills and knowledge required to build regional growth and economic prosperity.'

The new Leading Growth programme is running until July 2017. It has been specifically designed for SMEs to help people in a leadership role build their management and communication skills, improve confidence and take a more strategic approach to business development and operations.

The course offers a mixture of formal and practical learning, as well as peer-to-peer learning between cohort members.

It also includes an overnight residential stay, site visits and think tanks with expert facilitators.

Mike Baum, Sales Director at Harrison Packaging, is an alumnus of Leading Growth. He said: 'The activities and exercises forced me to stop and challenge my current ways of working. This has had a big impact personally, allowing me to step back and look at the bigger picture, finding the key areas on which to focus and dealing with them decisively.

'We are now engaging more with the whole team and are much more vocal about the needs of the business.

'From a business perspective, we have seen increases in productivity and quality performance as a result of cultural and process improvements.'


 
 
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