Chamber Patrons
Partnership to launch manufacturing MBA
The industry-leading Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) near Coventry is teaming up with Aston University to launch a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in manufacturing management. The 30-month course is aimed at
providing high level management skills in UK manufacturing. Run in partnership with Aston
Business School, one of the original pioneers of degree apprenticeships, the course is targeted at senior leaders and managers in manufacturing companies and is fully-funded with the host company’s apprenticeship levy. It is understood to be the UK’s
first levy-funded MBA tailored specifically for the manufacturing sector, which has been affected more than most by rising skills shortages. The course will have intakes in
January and April, with up to 15 students admitted in each cohort.
‘Management and leadership skills are not a gift that people are just born with’
Applicants will be required to
have a UK honours degree, a degree level professional qualification, or extensive experience in a manufacturing company. The course includes four
weekend residential workshops at Aston Business School, along with online learning support and interactive learning sets. Students will have access to the
world-leading advanced manufacturing facilities at the MTC, and visiting lecturers on the course will include MTC’s experts. Simon Finley, associate dean for
MBA, Apprenticeship and Online Programmes at Aston Business School, said: “Management and leadership skills are not a gift that people are just born with.
“It requires nurturing and
development, and this new MBA provides the applied, experiential learning that is required to be a successful senior leader. “The evidence shows that management ability is strongly linked to business productivity, yet only one in five managers have benefitted from a formal qualification or training. Paid for via the apprenticeship levy, our new partnership with the MTC gives manufacturers access to one of the world’s highest ranked MBA programmes and the best advanced manufacturing facilities the UK has to offer.” Aston University was one of the
first universities in the country to run degree apprenticeship programmes. It now offers several Level 6 and 7 programmes.
Anyone interested in applying for the MTC MBA should contact
apprenticeships@aston.ac.uk
Carolyn Brown of RSM
The benefits of flexible working
More than two-thirds of middle market businesses in the Midlands and East Anglia are considering new flexible working options for their employees – but many worry about management implications. That’s according to a new
survey commissioned by RSM. The survey of middle
market businesses, carried out by YouGov, found that over the next five years, more than two-thirds of respondents in the region are considering introducing flexible terms of employment. Broadly, employers appear
to recognise the benefits of greater flexibility, with the region’s businesses saying it had a positive effect on efficiency (64 per cent), worker engagement (63 per cent) and productivity (63 per cent). However, some businesses
STEM scholarship is now open Star: 2018 scholarship winner Ryan Dowell (centre), with BCU’s Simon Hadley and Judith Armstrong of Millennium Point
Applications are now open for The Millennium Point Trust Scholarship (formerly known as the Young Innovator Prize), offering an undergraduate a fully paid-for degree, from a choice of courses at the faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment at Birmingham City University (BCU). The scholarship, which is open to
West Midlands-based applicants who will be aged 18+ and ready to start their degree by 1 September, 2019, reinforces Millennium Point Charitable Trust’s objectives of supporting science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) projects, organisations and
initiatives across the West Midlands. It provides the opportunity for a young person to take their first steps in their career in STEM. The scholarship also aims to
address the current UK shortfall of 173,000 skilled workers in STEM
industries, by encouraging young people to consider further education in STEM on a regional level. Now in its fifth year, the
scholarship is the flagship initiative from the Millennium Point Charitable Trust, and is fully funded by the charity, which over the last five years has invested more than £4m in STEM-related organisations, projects and initiatives, based in the West Midlands.
For further details about Millennium Point Trust Scholarship, entry requirements and the application process please visit
www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/schol arship To register an interest or in attending the live event as a business or professional individual contact
mat.lovell@
millenniumpoint.org.uk
Key dates: • Applications closing date – 1 January 2019
• Shortlist announced – 16 February 2019
• Live final – 27 March 2019 November 2018 CHAMBERLINK 29
expressed reservations about introducing more flexible working arrangements. Respondents identified barriers to flexibility such as the type of work on offer (31 per cent) and a lack of technology (26 per cent). They also expressed concerns around employees exploiting the system (26 per cent). Carolyn Brown, employment
lawyer and head of RSM Client Legal Services said: “Employers are becoming much more enlightened about the beneficial impact that flexible working arrangements can have. “However, the successful
introduction of more flexible working options is not a given. Employers need to ensure they deal with flexible working requests in a prompt and reasonable manner, ensuring consistency in decisions, as it’s important to mitigate any risk of a claim being brought for discrimination.”
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