How an Executive Education Program Can Be Beneficial for You

There isn’t one specific reason for why you should do an executive education program. The great part about it is that there are many reasons to do it. Many professionals are often unsure or confused about when the right time is to take up an executive education program.

Also read: Executive Education Trends 2023

They allow you to expand your professional vocabulary and thrive in your industry. Executive education programs enable you with the tools and the know-how to achieve your professional goals.

Here are some reasons why you should.

Change your mindset

If there ever was a time to cross over to the side of technology and embrace it, this is it. Your mindset is the first thing that needs to be reevaluated. Because it is a huge change. If your company was not already going through a digital transformation then this might be harder than you would like, but necessary. Whether you consider your customers or your employees, digital is the way to survive through the pandemic’s devastating effects. So really reevaluate what might be hindering your mindset to truly transform into a company that is relevant today and will be in the future.

Applying for a promotion or a job

Executive education programs can help prepare you for a more demanding role. It can train you and give you the tools you need to take on more responsibility. An executive education program also allows potential employers or your own seniors to see that you are invested in your own professional growth. It also allows them to recognize your new skills.

Nikhil Gupta is a senior advisor, strategic business development at Dell Technologies. His expertise lies in business strategy, analytics consulting, corporate strategy, management consulting, consumer electronics, e-commerce, retail, startups, circular economy, equity, and debt investments. He attended UCLA PGP PRO in 2018-19 and while he was doing the program he started receiving offers from companies that wanted to hire him. Find out more about his journey through executive education here.

Filling in skill or knowledge gaps

Every professional comes to a point in their career where their expertise alone is not enough. They begin to feel the need to expand their knowledge and understanding of other verticals and functional roles within their industry or organization. This is when an executive education program can be immensely beneficial. Not only can it widen your knowledge to understand other functional areas, but it can also allow you the opportunity to interact and learn from the professional experiences of your peer group. This makes for a unique learning experience.

Anand Menon is currently working at Nike, Inc. as an Engineer – GSM. He has over 11 years of experience in manufacturing and sourcing in the sportswear, FMCG, and automotive sectors. His expertise extends to production, engineering, operations management, vendor development and sourcing, process excellence and optimization, quality, etc. He attended UCLA PGP PRO in 2018 when he realized he didn’t have all the tools he needed to be the kind of mentor and leader he wanted to be, having just moved into a managerial role from a functional role. Through the program he was able to broaden his perspectives and practically apply what he learned in the program to real work scenarios. He was also able to learn strategy, problem-solving, and better operations management, all of which he was able to apply at his workplace and receive great results. Read more about how he made his choice here.

Expand your leadership options

Executive education programs can train and ready you for advanced leadership roles. After being a leader in your area of expertise for a number of years, you might want to explore and expand to being a leader that can scale different verticals. If your career goals include expanding your leadership skills then an executive education program can help you reach that goal.

Parag Bhagat is the global supply chain COE finance manager at GE Healthcare. His expertise lies in finance, finance systems, product costing and variance analysis, measurement, analytics, and inventory valuation. He attended UCLA PGPX because his career had brought him to a point where he found himself increasingly engaging with leaders from other verticals and he wanted to be more well-versed with the demands of his role. You can hear more about his reasons to join this program here.

Pursue studies while still working

Executive education programs designed for the working professional. For most professionals, it is near impossible to leave a job to pursue further studies. And executive education programs are the perfect choice for this. No matter the duration of the program, they have been structured to take into account the schedules and commitments of working professionals. So you can upgrade your professional profile while still fulfilling your existing commitments. This allows you to grow exponentially in your career.

Pritha Mukherjee handles manager relocations at Crown Worldwide Group. She has around 8 years of experience in varied service industries. She attended UCLA PGP PRO so that she could elevate her career while still keeping her job. Find out more about her journey through executive education here.

Improving organizational performance

Another prime reason to participate in an executive education program is to assist in bettering your organization’s performance. If your organization is looking to improve a certain area of business, an executive education program can help you bring that value to your company. Maybe your company is planning to expand and needs more insight into what business strategies to employ in a new market, or your company is planning to reach a certain goal and needs the tools to achieve that goal. An executive education program can give you those tools and skills to help your company achieve those goals.

Eduardo Santos is partner and the head of sales planning at Stone Pagamentos. His expertise lies in strategic planning and OEE. He attended Chicago Booth ADP for just this purpose. His company believes that revenue grows faster than talent. So to make sure he is also growing, he decided to do this program. His company needed him to grow and expand his knowledge to be able to keep up with the industry and to bring value to a fast-growing company. Find out more about his experience here.

Growing a network

An important aspect of an executive education program is expanding your network. The peer group from your own program will consist of accomplished professionals that are now part of your network. Many programs also consider you a part of the alumni, which will expand your network even further. Being connected with so many accomplished professionals is a huge advantage. This network can prove to be a support system, or also give you a partner, client, or investor. It is an important aspect considered by current or future employers.

Stuty Sarkar is the head of operations at Antly. She is a process-improvement enthusiast with in-depth experience in IT operations and digital transformation across several functions. These functions include supply chain management, product development, spend and budget analysis, people management, strategic sourcing, process improvement, change management, and overall organizational management. She attended Chicago Booth ADP in 2018-19 to gain a deeper understanding of functional areas that were not her expertise. But through the program she also gained a wide network of professionals. She recognized that this network has allowed her to expand her opportunities. Listen to what she has to say about her experience here.

Whether it is a new job or a new role, the need to upgrade your knowledge, growing your network, or looking to facilitate a specific goal or strategy at your organization, they are all common reasons for professionals to take up an executive education program.

Summary

Q. How does an executive education program help to fill in skill or knowledge gaps?
A. An executive education program can widen your knowledge to understand other functional areas. It can also give you the opportunity to interact and learn from the professional experiences of your peer group.

Q. How does an executive education program help grow your professional network?
A. The peer group from your own program will consist of accomplished professionals that are now part of your network. And, many programs also consider you a part of the alumni, which will expand your network even further.