How we support business growth through our business adviser training
If you’re working in the field of business and enterprise support and looking to gain a fresh edge that could take your career to new heights, then targeted training might be right for you.
Successful business advisers are always looking for ways to enhance their capabilities and improve their skillsets, enabling them to deliver high impact interventions – and that’s where the SFEDI Diploma in Business Advice and Support comes in.
You’re also assured of being in experienced hands with the Academy of Leadership & Management who have been successfully delivering the ‘Premier Adviser’ programme for a number of years now, which leads to the award of the diploma for successful participants.
Furthermore, the Academy of Leadership & Management team – which is made up of dedicated practitioners and entrepreneurs – all have a strong business advising background which has allowed them to create this SFEDI accredited learning solution that’s streamlined to produce the best possible results.
In essence, their flexible, considered approach has been designed specifically around the needs of busy, time-poor business advisers with a focus on online and action learning, coaching and personal development activities. A combination of practical, relevant assignments and observations provide the tools for meaningful skills enhancement at a measured pace to suit individual needs.
Tangible career benefits
The Academy of Leadership & Management believes that this method continues to realise excellent results for a wide spectrum of business and enterprise support specialists who are seeking tangible career benefits.
We spoke to two participants who undertook the Premier Adviser programme and gave a candid account of their experience.
Kirstie McLaughlin said: “I joined Elevator UK and Business Gateway two-and-a-half years ago. I was on a graduate programme at an oil and gas company and after completing it I decided that the industry and the job weren’t for me, that’s when I joined Elevator UK and Business Gateway, I wanted to help and support entrepreneurs and new start-up businesses.”
“Normally I work in isolation, but with the ‘Premier Adviser’ programme I got to meet people from other Business Gateway contracts, from other regions. It was nice to understand their own challenges and experiences, which helped to expand my own knowledge.
“It was also very practical, which in turn gave me more confidence in what I was doing. It was an opportunity to reflect on what I knew and what I didn’t know, and to then concentrate on those gaps.
“I really enjoyed the flexibility – you could go through the online content in your own time and it wasn’t a massive time commitment.”
Business support officer Pat Cairney also recommends the programme’s benefits, and said: “I enjoyed the challenge of it. I’m in the latter part of my career, so I had to have an open mind to it. Honestly, I didn’t think there would be many obvious benefits to it, but I got a lot from it.
“My contact with clients is almost always by phone, and I tend to engage with new ones a one-to-many basis.
“I think the key thing is that the programme has enabled me to articulate myself better. I’ve since been able to routinely draw on what it has taught me – building trust and then finding the client buying into what I’m suggesting more.
“I had a series of seminar workshops, and was then given direction to online resources.
“I would never have dreamt of going down a collaborative route with this kind of thing but I really enjoyed drawing on the knowledge of my colleagues who were also doing the programme at the same time.
“Colleagues have since encouraged me to become a mentor with the Prince’s Trust.”
For further information on the programme or to make an application, please contact 0845 890 2549 or email info@academylm.co.uk