Tees Business Tees Business Issue 21 | Page 43

S KI LLS Richard Weeks, general manager at Hunley Hall Hotel. “Delegates really value them for the way they have helped with business growth and strategy.” Dr Noel Dennis, MBA course leader at Teesside University Business School, added: “Leading Growth is an excellent programme that brings together like-minded business professionals and encourages them to reflect on their professional practice. “The programme is an excellent bridge to our MBA course that has entrepreneurial leadership at its heart and is aimed at those leaders who want to develop their personal agility to enhance organisational performance in all respects.” Sarah Collinson and Allen Brindle, from Darlington digital design agency Edward Robertson, took part in the Management Catalyst course. The company is now working with the university to develop a bespoke training course to improve its teams. Sarah said: “I can’t recommend the course enough. Since completing it we’ve changed lots of processes. We’ve introduced a new company hierarchy, appraisals and pay-band structures. “I’ve made friends on the course who I regularly contact if I have a problem and that’s been really useful.” Richard Weeks, general manager at Hunley Hall Hotel at Brotton, has embarked on an MBA with Teesside University Business School since completing the Leading Growth programme. He said: “The Leading Growth course has made me look at myself a bit more and how I operate at work. It’s meant we’ve worked better as a team and much tighter as a group. “It’s been 15 years since I undertook any formal study and this was a great way of getting back into education, as there wasn’t any work outside of the course. “After completing Leading Growth I wanted to go on further and have begun the MBA, which is a fantastic extension of everything I have learned on the course.” Connecting curriculum with industry Teesside University is joining forces with Siemens to bring industry and academia together in a programme that integrates technology into the curriculum. The university’s School of Computing, Engineering & Digital Technologies has joined the Siemens Connected Curriculum, which will deliver digital skills across all engineering degree programmes. Siemens Connected Curriculum introduces advanced industrial tools, data and approaches to create a collaborative place where students can learn and prepare for the future. It includes industry-leading Internet of Things (IoT) software, simulation environments, case studies and real-life problem-solving tutorials. The partnership builds on the School of Computing, Engineering & Digital Technologies expertise and reputation for innovation, academic excellence, world-class research and industrial experience, with many academics themselves leading experts and practitioners in their fields. The school works closely with employers from a range of sectors, with many involved in ensuring courses are relevant to industry and meet the needs of employers. The programme will digitally integrate facilities from the school’s engineering laboratories, including designated areas for aerospace engineering, civil engineering and the built environment and electrical engineering, with specialist pilot plant facilities for chemical and mechanical engineering. Dr Andrew Bingham, associate dean for learning and teaching in the School of Computing, Engineering & Digital Technologies, said: “The partnership underpins a full review of how we prepare our students to be future-ready. It offers an incredible opportunity for our students to be equipped for a digitally connected world. “With the Siemens Connected Curriculum, Teesside graduates will make a significant contribution to the UK engineering sector in the area of emerging digital tools.” Siemens Connected Curriculum lead Steve Jones said: “We are delighted to have Teesside University join the Connected Curriculum initiative. As a university with a strong industrial focus, we look forward to working with them to deliver benefit for their learners, employers and wider stakeholders.” Siobhan Fenton, associate dean for enterprise and business engagement, added: “The university has an established research relationship with Siemens, which this partnership underpins and will undoubtedly strengthen, while also helping to develop both our graduates and digitalisation across the region.” A Leading Growth Alumni masterclass being delivered at the Centre for Professional and Executive Development. For more information on how Teesside University can support your business visit tees.ac.uk/business. The voice of business in the Tees region | 43