Mini-MBA grads bolster their business acumen without leaving the job

Posted on December 05, 2017
Mini-MBA grads bolster their business acumen without leaving the job

Achieving certification to advance your career means more these days than ever before, but finding the time to add new skills to your resume can be a challenge. Participants in the Schulich Mini-MBA program are finding it a great solution, said graduates from the latest cohort.

“It’s short but there’s lots of value added in this course,” said one participant. “I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is short on time but still wants to learn a great deal.”

The Mini-MBA, which comprises key elements of the full Schulich MBA taught by Schulich faculty members, runs just nine days but adds additional online components that further contribute to solving the time-crunch issue. The combination of in-class and on-line learning struck just the right balance for most of the participants.

“The pace of the program content moves forward at a steady but increasing rate, allowing me to absorb and comprehend at my own speed,” said one graduate. “I certainly appreciate the level of instruction. Each day, I am amazed at my ability to learn and comprehend at a new level.”

The Schulich Mini-MBA was specifically designed for talented working people who want to advance their careers without spending a great amount of time away from their jobs and still receive quality instruction.

Mini-MBA students such as Adrian Jess has taken Schulich ExecEd programs throughout his career ascent at the company he started with as a junior in the shipping department.

Students in the program said they also appreciated the broad experience of their instructors and the wide range of the material they are exposed to along with their peers from other fields. “This is a highly informative program that could be taken by people at various levels in business,” said one participant on the post-program survey. “The content is very well thought out and highly relevant,” added another.

All of the graduates said the program would definitely help propel their careers. “My understanding of marketing and finance has significantly improved and will help me with my own business strategy, and it will definitely give me an edge over the competition,” said another student in the survey.

Perhaps the most comprehensive feedback about the program came from Allen Charles, Manager, Information Technology at Northland Power Inc. “[The program was a] great experience and a great atmosphere conducive to a higher level of learning and professional networking,” Charles said. “Terrific group of teammates and instructors, who added real life examples throughout the presentations, aiding in the absorption of the material. The Mini-MBA program and material provided throughout the program is indispensable to both my personal growth and career development moving forward.”

Also of interest: “The Mini-MBA: Can it pack a big career punch?”, a feature story on graduate Adrian Jess.

The Schulich Mini-MBA: Essentials of Management is scheduled to run again in February 2018.