BAE Systems in Barrow and the University of Cumbria are collaborating to offer an MBA/Senior Leader Master’s Degree Apprenticeship programme.
A range of employees drawn from across the business and including engineering, IT and quality are taking part in the course, internationally considered the gold standard of business degrees. The qualification is being taught at the Submarine Academy in Barrow as well as the Ambleside campus of the university.
Among those embarking on the 24-month long programme of study is Continuous Improvement Manager Mark Hughes who says the course is already proving thought-provoking: “I love it. It’s brought me into contact with people from across the business who I can now look forward to collaborating with, not just on the course but in daily work too.”
Mark added: “We’ve been encouraged to explore contemporary business and management principles and learn how to apply them to genuine situations, using real-world case studies.”
Dr David Murphy, Senior Lecturer in Strategic Management and Collaboration, has invited contributors to speak to students including Carlisle City Council Partnership Manager Emma Dixon and BAE Systems’ Barrow Corporate Social Responsibility manager Neil Doherty.
Dr Murphy said: “Collaboration and an awareness of the environment in which businesses operate are vital areas to consider. There is so much to be gained by considering how even small changes by individual employees, their departments or even a whole business can bring widescale benefits. A company like BAE Systems which operates within a close-knit community like Barrow can have a real impact and the chance to discuss this offers up a whole new area to consider.”
Debbie Wilson, BAE Systems Learning and Development advisor, said: “This course is an ideal opportunity for colleagues to step away from the day job and enjoy time to reflect on how they and their colleagues work. Gaining an insight into how businesses such as BAE Systems are perceived may well encourage them to think more about the way they and their teams work. We look forward to hearing how the course has been received.”
MBA/Senior Leader Master’s Degree Apprenticeship Programme leader Dr Steve Gibbs added: “So much of our work across the region is embedded in a deepening relationship with employers. We are ensuring that management and leadership learning is understood from a local context.”
