The Executive Education and Professional Training Programme (PGCert)

Duration – 5 days. Multiple locations, virtual classroom and in house delivery available

Overview

The Executive Education and Professional Training Programme has been uniquely designed for professionals aiming to be industry leaders in teaching and training professional and executive adult learners.

An approved academic partner of University of Chester, this course sets an industry benchmark for trainers, facilitators and tutors delivering training to a professional audience. Designed around industry best practice and latest leading research the course will differentiate between training and education and enable participants to do both effectively, drawing upon current thought leadership, and our own unique research into the field of professional education. The 5-day accelerator programme will focus on three core areas of professional education and training:

Understanding current theory relating to how people learn.
Confidence in delivery using a range of teaching, coaching, and facilitation techniques to support knowledge transfer.
Action research and application of innovation in adult training and education.

The Executive Education and Professional Training Programme has been developed using current pedagogy and draws upon up-to-date neuroscience and psychological research relating to our understanding of how people learn. Designed for evidence-based practitioners, and engaging genuine thought leadership, the course will include the latest real-world industry research. With detailed interviews and assessments of the best and most highly regarded executive trainers in the UK, our research digs deep to truly understand their methods, techniques and approaches. The course uses this research and evidence base to underpin and develop a unique model to support best in class training and facilitation of senior executive groups.

Who is this course for?

The program will be beneficial to anybody who has an interest in teaching and training experienced adult groups. Potential participants for the course include:

Learning and development professionals
Professional tutors, facilitators and trainers
Change leaders
Executive education professionals
Individuals exploring a career change into adult education
Organisational and workforce development professionals
Leaders and managers for whom teaching and developing others form part of their role.

Upcoming courses

Course Date

Location

Price

Book today

Nov 30th, 2020 - Dec 4th, 2020 4 places remaining

Virtual Classroom

£2,450 +VAT

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Mar 8th, 2021 - Mar 12th, 2021 6 places remaining

Virtual Classroom

£2,450 +VAT

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All Courses

Learning objectives

Through interactive presentations and open discussion, the facilitators will deliver thought-provoking sessions. In a collaborative and supportive environment, the Executive Education and Professional Training Programme will blend tutor led session with delegate led ‘micro-teach’ inputs that will enable delegates to gain professional practice and detailed feedback.

Participants will be able to:

Design, develop and deliver best in industry, high impact and engaging training and development programmes for professionals
Successfully transfer professional knowledge from oneself to a professional audience, and confirm learning has taken place.
Utilise technology to enable virtual and blended facilitation for large audiences, or remote learners.
Demonstrate confidence in the training and facilitation of experienced executive groups, in own area of professional knowledge.
Utilise current best practice approaches to coaching, mentoring and facilitation with professional groups.
Examine current theory relating to how people learn, and engage this to inform own teaching approach.
Research and apply current innovations in adult education through Action Research.
Use an evidence-based approach to design training to meet a specific knowledge gap or requirement with a professional audience.
Evaluate training using an industry model (such as the Kirkpatrick 4 Levels).

Agenda

The programme is highly interactive and practice based. On days 3-5, delegates will be required to deliver and receive constructive feedback on short ‘micro-teach’ sessions. These will be integrated, flexibly, into the programme.

Day 1: An Introduction to Educational Theory

An introduction to the aims of the programme, the Post Graduate Certificate qualification, and the requirements to complete it.
Core concepts in teaching and learning; an analysis of teaching methods, experiential learning, and the role of reflective practice.
Understanding how people learn: A review of the key concepts in psychology and education, including Social Learning Theory, Constructivism and Schema Theory.
Emergent research from the most exciting leaders in the field.

Day 2: Engaging the Executive Audience

Engaging with the ‘Big 5’ personality types, and individual difference, in the training environment.
An introduction to coaching within the context of teaching, and using coaching skills with groups.
Facilitation skills, and a practical introduction to a variety of methods to support effective facilitation.

Day 3: Learning and Development in a 2020 Context

An introduction to Training Needs Analysis.
Methods to measure and evaluate the effectiveness of training, and validate knowledge transfer.
Planning and designing your educational and training interventions; aims and objectives in teaching.
Reviewing your own teaching practice, and the impact of programmes on the organisation.

Day 4: Engaging with Innovation in Teaching

An introduction to Action Research in educational practice.
An exploration of creativity and innovation in professional practice; mindset and skillset.
Case studies of the most innovative approaches to teaching and learning currently being practiced.
Identify innovations relevant to teaching your own area of professional practice
A delegate led analysis of current use of technology and other innovations to augment training and education with professional groups.

Day 5: Psychology in Education, and Leading a Learning Culture

An overview of key psychological theories that support teaching and learning, including Flow theory, Grit, Growth Mindset, and the Zone of Proximal Development.
Teaching as a leadership capability, and the role of teaching in developing an effective organisational culture.
The role of learning and development in supporting the flow of information, and knowledge management, in organisations.
Reflective practice; reviewing own performance as an educator, using established reflective processes, such as Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle.
Action planning and tutorial scheduling.

Tutor

Alex Firmin -

Alex is a qualified occupational psychologist and specialises in leadership development. He is also a highly experienced educational consultant and executive coach. Alex is the Associate Director for Programmes at INPD, and routinely teaches on MBA programmes for York, Chester, and Robert Gordon Universities.

For 12 years, Alex was an army officer (Major) and undertook several tours of Afghanistan. He supported the development and delivery of the Army’s Global Security, Leadership and Strategy programme at Sandhurst. Alex's hard work led to him successfully establishing the first Afghan officer training academy, in Kabul.

Alex has over 20 years’ experience of designing and delivering strategic training programmes as well as being a business consultant and manager. Making him an accomplished Leadership Consultant with cross-cultural experience and the ability to succeed in the most challenging environments. He has become well respected for delivering high impact, strategic Leadership and Management training for large scale commercial corporations. He uses proven techniques combined with innovation to provide creative and successful solutions for businesses

Benefits of learning with in>pd

The Executive Education and Professional Training Programme will elevate participants in their ability to design, develop and deliver executive education and training programmes to the very highest of standards.

After successfully completing this accredited programme, participants will gain recognition and a qualification that sets the benchmark for exemplary standards and quality in the provision of professional training and development programmes.

By attending this unique and innovative programme, participants will:

Be more competitive and in higher demand from potential learners and new clients
Achieve a highly regarded, independent qualification and recognition for their expertise in the delivery of training and development programmes
Be able to set themselves apart from other trainers and facilitators in the industry by demonstrating their competence and expertise in the field.
Clearly define current understanding as to how people learn, and how to engage with different personality types in a training environment.
Demonstrate confidence in the delivery of education and training to senior audiences.
Use evidence-based models to design, structure, deliver and evaluate training.
Confidently engage with innovation, and experiment in the development of own style of delivery
Use reflective practice methods to ensure own method continuously improves.
Be able to teach, train, coach and facilitate senior groups in any context, utilising the latest techniques, theories and ideas.

Accreditation

There are two levels of accreditation for this programme:

Certified Professional Practitioner

To become a Certified trainer, participants will need to:

1. Deliver a 15 minute micro-teach session to fellow participants on the programme, applying core teaching theory from the course:

Set an Aim and Objectives
Deliver an engaging session relating to own area of expertise
Confirm Aim and Objectives have been met

2. Write a 250-400 word reflective statement, identifying and discussing how they will apply the key concepts, techniques and theories into their professional practice. The reflective statement needs to demonstrate a clear understanding of concepts taught and application of learning.

Successful participants will be awarded a badge of Professional Competence and Completion Certificate.

Qualified Professional Practitioner (PGCert)

To become a Qualified Professional Practitioner participants will need to successfully complete a Postgraduate Certificate in Executive Education is validated by University of Chester and delegates who successfully complete the programme will be eligible for a University of Chester award.

Assessment requirement: You will be required to undertake 3 work based assignments of notionally 4000-5000 words (weighting 100% coursework). These 3 assignments will be work-based (applied to the delegates individual workplace practice) and submitted as part of a critically reflective portfolio. Illustrative examples include an essay, report, oral assessment, portfolio - or a combination - as individually negotiated between student and tutor.

The assessments will be submitted on the following themes, or on a more specific subject for yourself (to be agreed with your designated tutor):

Assignment 1: Educational theory. Demonstrate an understanding of the educational theory that underpins professional education and training delivery.
Assignment 2: Professional practice. Provide a portfolio of lesson plans and reflections on 20 hours of teaching.
Assignment 3: Action research paper. Research, apply, and reflect on the application of a current innovation in adult education.

This will be discussed in more detail throughout the programme.

All learners aiming to become a Qualified Professional Practitioner will be provided with:

One-to-one telephone tutorial opportunities (as many as the student requires; typically, this would involve 3 one-hour tutorials)
Group tutorials through conference calls
Monthly webinar events

The Qualified Professional Practitioner PGCert option has an additional cost of £2,500+vat. This includes your enrolment with the university, additional learning support, access to supporting materials and a dedicated personal supervisor that will support you with your assignment completion and submissions.

We encourage learners to engage with as many tutorials and learning opportunities as possible. The blended learning method has been shown to provide flexible, student centred delivery and a high pass rate.

You can read move about the available qualification on our qualifications page.

Become an industry leader in teaching and training professional and executive adult learners
Understand current theory relating to how people learn
Build confidence in your delivery using a range of teaching, coaching, and facilitation techniques
Design, develop and deliver best in industry, high impact and engaging training and development programmes