Qualifications Case Study: Peter Coulson
Peter Coulson works for RSA Insurance Group, an FTSE 100 company providing general insurance across personal and commercial marketplaces, both in the UK and worldwide. They have a busy outsourcing team in India and Cape Town, which has contact centres and 600 staff split between the two countries. Peter's role is focused on having a clear strategy for the business.
I initially decided to do this qualification for self-fulfilment. In terms of what to do workwise, I got to the point where to do different things I needed to develop, challenge my thinking, and have an interest in something. So, I got a bursary from my employer, and it led me to look at CMI.
Most of his co-workers had technical skills, but Peter knew he wanted to do something different that could be transferable outside of the insurance industry. After researching different qualifications, Peter decided that PNE's - CMI Level 6 Diploma in Professional Management and Leadership Practice qualification was the fit for him and the industry that he's in. He chose to do the qualification with PNE as he felt they took the time to understand what he wanted and deeply cared about the educational and qualification requirements he needed.
PNE was receptive and informative to my initial enquiry, this is why I chose them.
Peter first received the course brief and attended a meeting with his assessor to pick his first assignment, which he thought would suit him. However, he did not enjoy the assignment he took, so after an honest conversation with his assessor, it was agreed to change it to one that would suit him and his work.
He looked at the modules and checked which ones suited him and were beneficial for his work. He mentioned that one of the modules (Organisational Strategy) was very useful for his job, as while he was in the process of completing this specific assignment, he also developed an outsourcing strategy at work using the Pugh Matrix concept that he learned.
Completing the qualification allowed Peter to do two things: one was to take what he learned and apply it to the projects he had at work, and the second was to reference work changes on his assignment as they occurred. The fact that he was able to apply the concepts and theories to his place of work in real time due to the reflective practice was very beneficial.
Initially, Peter wanted to do the qualification for his benefit, which was to sharpen and develop. He was given a promotion due to the skills he gained, and this allowed him to take on more strategic roles in the company. It was a positive outcome, as he was halfway through completing the course and he already saw the results and what it meant to do a Level 6 Diploma in Professional Management and Leadership Practice qualification.
Peter would recommend the qualification to others as the modular approach to learning was very flexible, the support and mentoring he received from his assessor was first class, and it enhanced his knowledge throughout the qualification. The intangible benefits he gained boosted his career progression and succession planning at the end of the course.
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