FUTURE PROOFING YOUR BUSINESS: THE ROLE OF ABERDEEN BUSINESS SCHOOL
FUTURE PROOFING YOUR BUSINESS The role of Aberdeen Business School
FUTURE PROOFING YOUR BUSINESS: THE ROLE OF ABERDEEN BUSINESS SCHOOL
BUSINESS CONNECTIVITY IS CENTRAL TO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO AT ABERDEEN BUSINESS SCHOOL AS DEMONSTRATED BY OUR MISSION WHICH IS TO: Develop and enthuse professional thinkers and innovative contributors through our business connected learning, teaching and impactful research.
Aberdeen Business School is justifiably
At Aberdeen Business School we have
proud of its enviable links to local and global
the knowledge and the expertise to help
business. Without doubt this has served the
businesses future proof their activities by
School well as we are now ranked as one of
addressing these challenges. We have
the top global business schools who have
therefore identified three areas of activity
successfully achieved AMBA and AACSB
within the Business School where we can
accreditation.
make a difference to business not only in the local community but further afield. • Enhancing your workforce • Upskilling and reskilling • Providing solutions to business problems
However, whilst we are very keen to demonstrate how the business community supports Aberdeen Business School to deliver a world class business education we often do not articulate what we can do for businesses to enhance and upskill the workforce and provide solutions to pertinent problems within the local business
If we can be of any assistance to you or your business or you would like more information about any of our activities then please contact us at the following address ABS_Enquiries@rgu.ac.uk Let us help you future proof your business.
community and beyond.
Professor Elizabeth Gammie
In this transformative age where there are likely to be seismic shifts in how we live, work and play, businesses will need to ensure that they employ a workforce equipped with the appropriate skills and knowledge in order to survive and thrive. Equipping the workforce of the future with the requisite advanced cognitive capabilities and new skills will be achieved through the recruitment of appropriately educated graduates, upskilling and in some instances reskilling the existing workforce. Businesses who successfully undertake this transition will make the disruptive technologies work to achieve competitive advantage.
Head of Aberdeen Business School
FUTURE PROOFING YOUR BUSINESS: THE ROLE OF ABERDEEN BUSINESS SCHOOL
Aberdeen Business School accredited by
ABS PROVIDES SOLUTIONS TO PERTINENT BUSINESS PROBLEMS
FUTURE PROOFING YOUR BUSINESS: THE ROLE OF ABERDEEN BUSINESS SCHOOL
Enhancing your workforce GRADUATES ABS has an extensive pool of fresh talent graduating each year. Whilst the majority of our undergraduates complete their courses in May each year, postgraduate students traditionally finish in October and March. With courses ranging from generic business and management through to more specialised areas such as project management, accounting, health and safety there is a wide choice of graduates to recruit from. Irrespective of the chosen degree route, all our graduates will have developed their
RGU’s focus on embedding key sustainability practices and CSR principles throughout all areas of the course has enabled me to naturally recall, consider and apply such daily. I am proud of my degree from Robert Gordon and what it represents in the international context. RGU have a respected reputation, particularly amongst the graduate recruitment team for their ability to develop students with strong academic talent combined with valuable work experience. I look forward to seeing future RGU alumni here at BP.
intellectual, critical thinking and problem
Lauren Reid - ABS Graduate 2017 and Global
solving capabilities whilst enhancing their
Business Development Lead at BP
communication, innovation and digital skills. Our graduates are highly sought after by employers as evidenced by our impressive employability statistics. We would be delighted to advertise any graduate opportunities that you may have to through our careers service and social media channels. During my time at RGU I have been fortunate enough to learn and develop my skills both inside the classroom and further afield. Having the chance to experience the wonderful Erasmus programme in Finland and spend a year in an industry placement has given me invaluable experience that I am sure I could not have gained anywhere else. Coupled with excellent, real world based learning, RGU has equipped me with the skills that are in demand in today’s dynamic working world, and as a result I have been able to secure a respected graduate role which I am highly excited about starting upon graduation. Alastair Ferrier – ABS Graduate 2019 and Trainee Recruitment Consultant Hays PLC
ANNUALISED EARNINGS FIVE YEARS AFTER GRADUATION ARE 8.3% HIGHER THAN NATIONAL STATISTICS FOR BUSINESS SCHOOL GRADUATES (LEO 2018)
FUTURE PROOFING YOUR BUSINESS: THE ROLE OF ABERDEEN BUSINESS SCHOOL
98.3% OF OUR GRADUATES ARE IN WORK OR FURTHER STUDY 6 MONTHS AFTER GRADUATING (DHLE 2018)
FUTURE PROOFING YOUR BUSINESS: THE ROLE OF ABERDEEN BUSINESS SCHOOL
Enhancing your workforce TWELVE MONTH PLACEMENTS
CONNECT-TO-BUSINESS
All of our undergraduate courses offer
An alternative to the 12 month paid placement
students the opportunity to spend the 3rd year
for Management students is the opportunity
of their course on placement. Whilst there are
to spend 2 days per week for a Semester
clearly benefits for the students, employers
(12 week period) working for an SME or 3rd
return to us year on year to recruit placement
Sector organisation. These shorter term work
students who make up a valuable part of their
placements are generally not remunerated so
workforce. Many of these students return
they provide organisations with an additional
to their placement employer to take up a
resource which can be very beneficial for
graduate post on completion of their degree.
special projects.
Acting as a 12 month interview, employers benefit from an excellent resource of capable
Resource can be an issue for us especially
young talent.
around peak times when we are involved in
I spent my 3rd year placement with Deloitte in
In recent years RGU connect-to-business
Aberdeen where I was able to put into practice
students have been worth their weight in gold
my newly acquired technical knowledge. After
to us. As well as helping spread the workload
returning to Deloitte on completion of my
they bring energy, enthusiasm and a fresh
4th year I have now passed all my Chartered
perspective to the team which we value.
Accountancy examinations and was 2nd
Obviously it’s important to find students with
in the order of merit for the final admitting
the right attitude and interests to join the
examination which I sat less than 2 years
charity and where we have done that, we
after graduating. No other degree in Scotland
have consistently been impressed with their
offers this fast track opportunity. My degree
application and appetite to learn. We are
from ABS was the perfect start to my career.
proud to play a part in helping prepare the
Scott Gammie - ABS Graduate 2016 and Assistant Manager at Deloitte
delivering events, appeals and campaigns.
next generation of business leaders. Richard Stewart - Head of Marketing and Fundraising, Befriend A Child  
FUTURE PROOFING YOUR BUSINESS: THE ROLE OF ABERDEEN BUSINESS SCHOOL
“We have worked with RGU students in many capacities: Connect to Business, Placements, Graduates and we are about to embark on a Graduate Apprenticeship. The thing that sets RGU students apart is the practical skills they obtain in addition to their academic credentials. RGU work hard to ensure that students are prepared for the world of work which results in dynamic individuals who can add value to their roles from the start. This is a unique skill set and one that we are keen to embrace.� Claire Clark - Business Development Manager, Hutcheon Mearns
FUTURE PROOFING YOUR BUSINESS: THE ROLE OF ABERDEEN BUSINESS SCHOOL
Upskilling and reskilling OUR UNDERGRADUATE WORK-BASED COURSES
OBTAIN A DEGREE IN A YEAR
At undergraduate level we lead the way for business school provision in Scotland
We also offer a distance learning courses
with three Graduate Apprenticeship (GA)
in Management and recognise prior work
frameworks in Management and Accounting.
experience to gain advanced entry thus
These GAs recognise the learning that takes
enabling individuals, with three years’ work
place in the workplace and enable students to
experience including one at managerial
undertake a four year degree whilst remaining
level, to obtain a degree in a year and thus
in the workplace. Accounting students
accelerate their career quickly.
continue for a fifth year to complete their professional accounting qualification with
“Studying Business Management at RGU
either ACCA or ICAS.
has impacted me and my career in so many
“The ability for our employees to gain a
Administrator without any formal higher
degree level qualification whilst working
education, now I am an HR Manager with
in their chosen function within Hydrasun
responsibility for a team working together
is both great for the employee’s personal
with business leaders to create strategies and
development and for the company’s
digitalise processes”.
succession planning. Graduate Apprenticeships are a key element in our overall employee development programs at Hydrasun”. Carole Small - Group HR Manager, Hydrasun
WE LEAD THE WAY FOR WORK-BASED DEGREES IN SCOTLAND
ways. When I began my studies I was an
I was lucky enough to be sponsored by my company through the degree which greatly helped me to align my development goals at work with the curriculum at university. Tom Heavens - HR Manager, Aker Solutions
“The online course content and structure was excellent allowing me to study whilst working full time. This has improved my personal development and supported further career progression within my company. Learning with RGU has provided the opportunity to grow creatively and personally as an individual”. Kevin Kin - Head of Central Operations City Facilities Management Holdings (UK) Ltd
FUTURE PROOFING YOUR BUSINESS: THE ROLE OF ABERDEEN BUSINESS SCHOOL
OUR POST-GRADUATE MASTERS QUALIFICATIONS We offer a wide variety of Management and
This MSc will enable me to gain a deeper
more specialist professionally accredited
insight into procurement and the supply
Masters degrees most of which can be
chain and at the same time gaining a CIPS
undertaken on a part-time, distance learning
qualification” Sandra Adedapo MSc Supply
basis so that students can fit in their studies
Chain Management
around their work and family commitments.
The MSc Project Management course has
My reason for choosing the degree was
been transformational. Having worked in
that my role as Quality Lead is a training
Projects for 18 years I was somewhat skeptical
position which requires that I study a quality
about the value that the course could add.
management qualification. I am very
However, the range of knowledge gained,
fortunate that work are funding my studies
and in turn capability to understand Projects
(even more pressure to do well!) and with
in a much broader context, has been of
achievement of the degree I will be eligible
huge benefit. Having completed year 2 I can
to apply to the quality manager role which
confidently say that the course has added
carries with it a higher salary.
value well beyond my expectations and has
Hayley Bennett – MSc Quality Management
I am able to balance my demanding work life (overseas oil and gas sector in the middle east) family life (including 2 children one of who is 5 months old) and study on a daily basis during the semesters. The reason I can do this, is solely down to the way RGU structure the course material, as well as the tutors being on hand to help via email virtually any time of day. The manner in which information is given by the tutors makes distance learning feel like ‘on campus’ due to the continual support and regular dialog. Kyle McGillivray – MSc Health, Safety and Risk Management
provided me with a platform from which I can continue to develop and grow. Andrew Doherty - MSc Project Management
OUR RELEVANCE IS DEMONSTRATED BY OUR PROFESSIONAL ACCREDITATIONS
FUTURE PROOFING YOUR BUSINESS: THE ROLE OF ABERDEEN BUSINESS SCHOOL
Upskilling and reskilling OUR EXECUTIVE MBAS
•
RGU. I think it’s constantly evolving, I love
We also offer two highly acclaimed AMBA
that they’re always looking for feedback
accredited executive level MBAs, targeted
from students and using that to improve
at those individuals who are ready to
the programme, I also love the fact that
accelerate their career and add value to their
they are accredited by organisations such
organisation. These are also offered on a
as the ‘Association of MBAs’ bringing both
variety of study modes. •
skyrocketed!” Michelle Binnie - MBA Oil and Gas Management alumnus •
credibility and national standards to the
“I’ve had two promotions since completing my MBA - my career has
“..enrolling in the MBA triggered a chain of events that eventually made me realize a way into M&A. The contacts I made on the course also helped me secure this fantastic new opportunity!” Reema Harfoushi - MBA Oil and Gas Management alumnus
“I’d absolutely recommend the MBA at
programme”
Jenna Ross - MBA alumnus
FUTURE PROOFING YOUR BUSINESS: THE ROLE OF ABERDEEN BUSINESS SCHOOL
OPEN SHORT COURSES In response to industry demand we offer courses that meet a particular need in the business community and are open to delegates from a variety of organisations. Recent examples of this are: The award winning Protect and Prepare:
The Fit4Energy programme was designed for businesses in the oil, gas and energy sector. Developed with industry for industry, it equips participants with knowledge, insights and best practice examples to successfully plan for and implement growth. It supports organisations and their ability to scale up, innovate and internationalise.
Securing Your Business which is delivered in
“When developing the new business scale-
partnership with Police Scotland and provides
up training programme Fit4Energy and
training in continuity planning
looking for partners, I turned to the Aberdeen
•
•
Finalist in the 2014 cHeRries Awards the Training and Development category Commended in the Counter Terror Project Category at the 2018 Counter Terror Security Awards
Business School, knowing that they are committed to developing programmes that blend the best of academic and industry expertise, ideally suiting the needs of businesses with a growth ambition.” Start Broadley - Chief Executive Officer EIC
“The course was extremely interesting and a
Participating in Fit4Energy has helped us
lot of useful information to take away. Every
to be more structured in our approach to
aspect was delivered clearly and in an easy to
strategy development and implementation
understand way.”
which we expect to result in a more
Emergency Response Coordinator Oil &
predictable growth outcome. In addition
Gas sector
the involvement of a number of team members is spreading the learning across
“I thoroughly enjoyed and took so much
our organisation and helping us to engage
away from the course. All the presenters
with staff at all levels and from all disciplines.
were passionate and informative which really
This engagement will be key as we grow our
enhanced the course. It made me question a
business in the next few years.
lot of things within my own organisation that I
Katie Gifford - Chief Executive Officer, Aubin
hadn’t thought of.”
Group
Middle Management Oil & Gas sector The Fit4Energy course was something that we (Optimus) undertook in a bid to understand what we could do to raise our game to meet new competition as well as adding to our current (highly skilled) capability. Gillian Passmanm - Lead Process Engineer Optimus Aberdeen Ltd
FUTURE PROOFING YOUR BUSINESS: THE ROLE OF ABERDEEN BUSINESS SCHOOL
Upskilling and reskilling BESPOKE COURSES TAILORED TO YOUR SPECIFIC TRAINING NEEDS We also deliver bespoke courses tailored to your specific training needs and recent examples of corporate delivery have included CMI recognised leadership and management training for QAPCO and Springfield Group, and logistics and procurement training for Chevron.
WE WOULD BE DELIGHTED TO DISCUSS WITH YOU WHAT TRAINING REQUIREMENTS YOU MAY HAVE AND TO DESIGN BESPOKE PROGRAMMES TO MEET YOUR NEEDS.
FUTURE PROOFING YOUR BUSINESS: THE ROLE OF ABERDEEN BUSINESS SCHOOL
FUTURE PROOFING YOUR BUSINESS: THE ROLE OF ABERDEEN BUSINESS SCHOOL
Providing solutions to business problems Aberdeen Business School offers different
-
A workforce survey which involved 1,500
mechanisms to solve your business issues
workers conducted for a local oil and gas
and these can either be staff or student
organisation to examine work rotations,
led dependent on the problem that needs
safety, wellbeing and sustainability. The
addressed.
final report gave the organisation a wide range of information on key areas
STAFF LED
of interest with regard to employee
Staff from the Business School, often
perceptions on their wellbeing.
supported by colleagues from elsewhere in the University, are available to undertake
-
The Montrose Port Authority have tasked
funded consultancy and research projects.
Aberdeen Business School to perform an
Recent examples of work undertaken include;
independent review and assessment of the perception of the port amongst their
-
A survey was commissioned by the
key customer base to better understand
Offshore Contractors Association (OCA)
their reputation.
to examine the impact of the 3/3 rotation on the workforce from both employers
-
The Oil and Gas Technology Centre
and unions. The survey focus was an
(OGTC) have funded a research project to
analysis of workforce perceptions with
examine the role of psychological factors
regard to health, safety, wellbeing and
in the adoption of new technologies in the
work-life balance.
offshore oil and gas industry.
ABS CAN HELP YOUR BUSINESS SURVIVE AND THRIVE
FUTURE PROOFING YOUR BUSINESS: THE ROLE OF ABERDEEN BUSINESS SCHOOL
STUDENT LED BUSINESS CONSULTANCY PROJECTS
Our students have brought new, creative and fundamental marketing ideas to life, allowing
Problem solving is a key component of our
us to create established practices we can
education at Aberdeen Business School
put in place for the long-term. The students
and undergraduate, postgraduate and
from RGU all come along with such a can-do
executive MBA students are available to
attitude, and employers should realise how
investigate a business issue within your
capable these students are and provide them
organisation and provide your business with
with rich challenges to benefit both parties.”
recommendations. Working either individually
Derek Emslie - Business Sales Executive,
or in teams students will visit your organisation
Glencraft Mattresses
to understand the problem, collect data and report back on their findings. “Brilliant presentation today and the best I I just wanted to drop you a quick note to thank
have seen from any team of students. Not
you for all the work the students put into the
once did they refer to the slides or pause on
project. I have shared their work with the rest
hand overs from one to the other. To say that I
of our leadership team and everyone was
was impressed would be the understatement
extremely impressed – they are a credit to the
of the year. Thank you for including us in your
University and yourself.
programme”.
Chris Rae - Marketing and Communication
Stuart McBride - Chief Executive Officer,
Manager, Scarf and Brand Awareness project
Trinity International Ltd
sponsor
FUTURE PROOFING YOUR BUSINESS: THE ROLE OF ABERDEEN BUSINESS SCHOOL
If we can be of any assistance to you or your business or you would like more information about any of our activities then please contact us at the following address ABS_Enquiries@rgu.ac.uk