Aspiring leaders and managers can now gain specialist qualifications to develop their leadership and management capabilities through the GTA University Centre (GTA).
The Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM), which is the UK’s top management qualifications specialist, has awarded the GTA approved centre status. This enables the GTA to deliver ILM qualifications aimed at those making the transition from working in a team to leading a team and those with junior management responsibilities but no formal training.
The Level 2 ‘Leadership and Team Skills’ and Level 3 ‘Leadership and Management’ qualifications will be delivered by local tutor Jill Clark. Ms. Clark is a highly skilled business professional with 25 years of experience specialising in retail customer service.
Ms. Clark says: “Good leadership skills are incredibly important in all industries and can benefit all job roles. The ILM qualifications deliver the practical skills, knowledge and experience needed to do a job in the real world and support career progression.
“They are designed to develop managers at all levels across all sectors – whether you’re just starting out as a team leader in retail or have a long history in senior management roles in the finance sector the qualifications range from Level 2 to 7, so are suitable for all management experience.
“The first two ILM qualifications we’ll be offering focus on managerial skills, leading teams and effective communication for supervisors and junior management. We hope they will support aspiring managers and new leadersto gain important leadership skills so they can be the best that they can be.”
The Level 2 ‘Leadership and Team Skills’qualification covers core management skills including workplace communication and planning and monitoring workloads. The communication module focuses on recognising different communication styles and overcoming communication barriers, while the leadership module covers the differences between managing and leading and different leadership styles.
The Level 3 ‘Principles of Leadership and Management’ qualification is particularly suited to practicing team leaders seeking to move up to the next level of management, and managers who need to lead people through organisational change. The topics taught includehow to motivate people to improve performance, negotiation, networking and building relationships.
Programmes manager at the GTA, Aly Keeling, says: “Being an ILM-approved centre is an exciting step for the GTA, enabling us to further support the development of key management and leadership skills in the island’s workforce, helping them to make a real difference to the organisations they work for and the island more widely.
“The GTA’s aim is to facilitate professional learning and development across all business sectors, providing people with the right skills and knowledge so they can succeed. These leadership development qualifications from ILMare a great addition to the diverse range of courses we offer on-island and we hope to expand the courses available in the future to provide more levels of management and leadership qualifications.”
ILM’s quality and compliance manager, Charlotte Rigden, says: “Welcoming the GTA as an ILM Centre is a great opportunity for Guernsey and will have a hugely positive impact on the island.”
The ILM qualifications will start in September 2018.
