Chantelle Grant

I chose to do the course because at the time I just got a promotion in work and I felt like I just needed that bit of extra grounding to help me in my new role in leadership. The course also came very highly recommended by a past cohort.

Lectures here at ATU helped support me through that journey, allowing extra time where needed and extra support where needed also. So, it was a challenge, but it was a challenge that I thoroughly enjoyed. The MBS was two blocks, two day blocks, which I found challenging because you were away from the course and then you had to come back again the following month.

There was a lot of pressure on yourself to keep on top of your work and everything, but the two days. blended in easily with work, so it didn't really affect my working commitments. It also then gave you the chance to reflect back on your own journey and, you know, how you implement your, your learning into your business as such.

Work was highly supportive. I can't thank my employer Mark enough. Only for him I wouldn't have actually been on the program, so he gave me that added punch to go and jump on the program and give it a word because I wouldn't have actually been one for academic. But I'd rather get my hands dirty and stuck in.

Balancing it all can definitely be a challenge. You know, I work in the hospitality industry, so it's always madness. We're always extremely busy. No two days are ever the same. But I think that if you have a goal you're working towards and you find an area that you're interested in, it doesn't really feel like studying.

And then I was able to implement what I was learning back into my organisation, which again helped me understand the information easier. So again, it didn't really feel like I was studying as such. It impacted my career in that it gave me a lot more confidence in my own ability. You know, the different modules within the course in terms of leadership and managing people and, and change.

Like when I started the course, we were in the middle of the COVID 19 pandemic. So we were going through changes in our external environment, but also internally in the company. So it really, really helped me have confidence in my own ability to lead the team that I'd just been put in charge of. So by understanding both my strengths and weaknesses and bringing that back into work.

So the biggest gain for me was definitely self confidence and my own ability. Probably the most favourite module would have been one that we'd done with Petra in terms of emotional intelligence. She'd done a workshop with us called Meeting with Presence. And that kind of really brought the whole programme together for me.

You know, we talk about having to lead other people, but we have to lead ourselves first. And how if we don't look after ourselves, how that affects others. So that really just cemented the whole program and left me really content that I was in the right place at the right time. I had a lot of support from the ATU team.

From both, head of business, to my lecturers, to my dissertation supervisor, Maeve. To Donald in the office, to Karen in, you know, helping with, uh, referencing and stuff like that. I really did use a lot of the support there and what I would say to anybody is, you know, you start the program today in one situation.

By the time you have the programme finished, you could be going through so many different change. Don't be afraid to reach out and ask for the help. Without the help of all those people, and I didn't even name them all, I definitely wouldn't have finished the program in my life. First left school, I jumped on the Business and Sports Development and Coaching degree because I've always been into sports.

Then from there I started working with my current employer, Century Complex, and got the chance to progress on the leadership, so I'd done a certificate here at ATU in Managing and Mentoring People. From there then I went on to the part time Lifelong Learning Business degree.  Which is a level eight. And then after that I had graduated in October and I started the MBS and innovation leadership in February. 

Probably the bit of advice I'd give is that if you have a thought at all of doing the program, just go for it. I'm not the person for education. I'd rather get my hands dirty and get stuck in, but this course allows you to blend both of those together. And I really do think that, you know, it would be the best decision to ever make because I know that my learning isn't finished.

The programme's finished, but I will be referring to the knowledge that I've gained from that program and the resources we've been given for years and years to come within my career, both professionally and personally. So if you're thinking about it, stop thinking, just do it. 

Learn more about the Masters in Business (MBS) in Innovation & Leadership here.