“I have developed mental agility and have improved my performance at work”
Sonia Hedegaard is Health Visiting Programme Manager Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust and is undertaking a two year MBA course at Kent Business School, graduating this year.
“I work as part of the senior management team for the Kent Health Visiting Service as a Health Visiting Programme manager. The service delivers the Healthy Child Programme in accordance with national and local strategies and guidance. I work with the Head of Operational Services and District Managers to ensure the development of a modernised Health Visiting service in response to the current national and local policy.
The apprenticeship course was advertised at work. I could see the benefits for my personal and professional development and felt I could deepen my knowledge and apply what I learned to my working life
The course is stimulating, challenging and I can map my growth. I have developed mental agility and it has enhanced my performance at work in so many ways. This includes being an independent thinker, increased quality and depth to projects that I lead on and improved ability in my application to task.
The module on Leadership and Change was my favourite, it covered leadership traits, change management and what makes a leader. This is of course, such a big topic but a valuable subject to explore.
I decided to concentrate my assignment on emotional intelligence as being the most important leadership trait for a leader. Researching this topic gave me an awareness of some values for staff with a leader who has emotional intelligence.
The hardest element of the MBA is working full time and studying. I think it is important to be determined, organised, and driven. Time management is vital and concentrating on the task or assignment due and then methodically moving to the next deadline.
I know that my course will enhance career opportunities for the future and offers personal and professional development, networking opportunities and develops to my employer that I have resilience, determination and commitment to deliver.”
“The Innovation modules have really changed the way I think”
Seetharam Krishnamurthy is Deputy General Manager Acute Medicine and Geriatrics at Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells Hospital Trust. He is currently studying a two-year MBA at Kent Business School.
“Having worked as an occupational therapist, furthering my education was important to grow into leadership roles in the non-clinical side of the NHS. My current job involves managing the operational elements for emergency and medicine, acute stroke and geriatrics and adult care.
The MBA at Kent Business School appealed to me because they offered a greater amount of face-to-face study and the modules looked varied and interesting. The campus at Kent is wonderful and as I thrive on social interaction, I wanted to ensure I could physically study there.
Balancing studying and a busy full-time job (and, like me, young children too!) is not an easy thing, but the application of the learning within your working role is so beneficial. I have gained so much – the modules on Finance enable me to understand financial reports and meant I can collaborate with the finance departments; management and operational modules have helped mould me into a responsible leader and have really aided the way I deal with employee wellbeing, imperative during a global pandemic and a time of crisis in the NHS.
The Innovation modules of the MBA were by far my favourite and have really changed the way I think and view my profession. The final business proposal that I am submitting for the MBA course is based on augmented reality in clinical training – an exciting area that I really want to explore.
As well as the academic experience, the MBA cohort comes from far and wide in all corners of business. I have made lifelong friends and contacts.”
AMBA-accredited, Kent Business School’s MBA is underpinned by our high-quality research and informed by the global outlook of our international community. It builds on your current experience to transform you into a responsible business leader.
The University of Kent has delivered higher apprenticeships since 2011, working with industry-leading employers across a variety of industry sectors and public organisations. For more information, visit http://www.kent.ac.uk/apprenticeships