Building leadership capability from within

Cambridge University Press and Assessment is building its leadership talent pipeline through The Open University’s (OU) Senior Leader Apprenticeship qualification. It is enabling leaders to learn and improve core leadership skills over a 21-month long period through taking the apprenticeship.

Mary Rogers, Business Development Manager at the OU, says it has been a very collaborative process with Cambridge University Press and Assessment. “We understand their needs and where the challenges are within leadership skills.”

The design of the apprenticeship enables the learners to learn new leadership skills, theories and techniques, put them into practice and reflect on the outcomes as the programme progresses. They can also discuss their experiences and challenges with peers learning alongside them.

Angelique Johnstone, Lecturer and Student Experience Manager in the Faculty of Business Law and Qualification Lead for the Senior Leader Apprenticeship Programme, says the programme has been hugely successful, for individuals and for the organisation as a whole. “At the end of the programme, the leaders are confident, they’re strategic thinkers, they’re innovative in their ideas and they also foster high-performing teams.”

The Open University Business School

The triple-accredited OU Business School has been operating for over 40 years, creating practical programmes based on academic and work-based modules. All learners have ready access to academic tutors, subject-specific business professionals who help the apprentices through their academic modules. They also have a practice tutor who supports them throughout their apprenticeship journey.

Learner perspectives

Liane Grainger is a product manager at Cambridge University Press and Assessment. Having previously worked in a publishing role, she seized the opportunity to broaden her horizons and strategic thinking through the apprenticeship. It also suits her personal needs. “An apprenticeship is a really good fit for me because I’m a full-time worker and a parent and I need to be able to study part-time and flexibly in order to fit it in.”

In her tutorial sessions, Liane has met apprentices from a range of different sectors and has enjoyed learning about their experiences and perspectives. Since embarking on the apprenticeship, she has gained a lot of new skills and knowledge, deepening her understanding of leadership and management issues. “I’m really looking forward to the next module, which is on strategy,” she says. “That’s going to be a great fit with my role because we’re in the business planning stage of our financial year, so it’ll be a great time to develop some new ideas and I’ll have the opportunity to implement them straight away.”

One of the other apprentices studying for the qualification is Roxanna Everson, Professional Development Manager in the International Education Department at Cambridge University Press and Assessment. Like Liane, she has a young family. “The flexibility of OU learning is really important for me because I’m balancing family life and a job.”

Roxanne wants to move into a leadership role within the next couple of years, so she wanted to get this new qualification under her belt to help her on her way. She is also a strong advocate of lifelong learning. “You never really stop learning and it’s always good to look at things from a different angle and have different opportunities. I really believe in the power of education.”

Find out more about the Senior Leader Apprenticeship