The Rady School of Management is home to San Diego’s number one MBA program, as well as top-ranked Master of Finance and Master of Science in Business Analytics programs. But not everyone aims to pursue a degree – some are interested in building specific skills, such as public speaking, leadership and finance. Enter the Center for Executive Development.
Housed in the Rady School of Management at UC San Diego, the center is home to a variety of courses covering topics from Social Media Marketing to Microsoft Excel to Compassion in the Workplace. Designed with professionals in mind, these foundational courses set the stage for participants to develop skills to help them succeed in the workplace.
If you are looking to take your skills to the next level, a certificate program is right up your alley. Executive Education is currently home to eight certificate programs designed to provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of skills, such as leadership to marketing strategy. In order to obtain a certificate, participants are able to choose from an approved list of courses to satisfy the number of hours required for the course.
The most popular certificate programs include Mindful Leadership – which covers skills and practices to develop more empathetic and compassionate leaders – and the Leadership certificate – a program with an emphasis on coaching, mentorship and time management. So far, 15 of these certificates have been granted to participants in these programs this year.
“We are finding that the Certificate Program has been a great incentive for those who want to develop their professional skills,” said Jeannie Campanella, who heads business development for Executive Education. “Once participants have a few classes under their belt, they seem to have the motivation and desire to go for a certificate since it is a quick way to update their resume with the most relevant and current information.”
Emily Hart, the marketing manager at Dudek, felt the need to get back in the classroom to sharpen her skills and develop her leadership capabilities. She decided to take the Mindfulness in the Workplace course to get a better understanding of how to create and foster a cohesive and compassionate environment at work. One course quickly turned into two certificates.
“I started researching programs that would fit my needs and my company’s culture,” Hart said. “The Executive Education program at the Rady School of Management offered the most applicable selection of coursework balancing communication, process, and execution for specific and sometimes overlooked or difficult topics.”
The initial class inspired Hart to continue to take courses with Executive Education. With two certificates under her belt, Hart is adamant that her time with the Rady Center for Executive Development Executive Education has benefitted her career trajectory.
“In my career, I have been able to use the techniques I learned and share them with others to create a similar ‘safe’ space for solving problems in a respectful and efficient manner,” she said. “The cumulative impact of the coursework has been a shift in my approach to be more curious, more of a coach, and to self-correct when bad habits sneak into my behavior.”
Hart, who holds certificates in both Leadership and Mindful Leadership, believes that entry-level employees to chief executive officers can benefit from the programs at Executive Education.
”Even an executive with decades of experience will benefit by unpacking communication tools in the current and incoming workforce climate.”