| When starting a career in any sector of business, | | | | qualification, and study content, will be an asset. You |
| whether it be the private, public, or non-profit making | | | | will have experience to offer from your time in other |
| sector, or an entrepreneurial business, it is essential | | | | areas, but your qualification will be relevant to the |
| to have a strong foundation of business and | | | | new one. |
| management knowledge. The purpose is not to give | | | | Case Study: Higher National Certificate and Diploma. In |
| you a specialist level of expertise, for example in | | | | the UK the most respected foundation qualification is |
| Human Resources, Finance, or Quality Management. | | | | the Higher National, comprising the Higher National |
| Rather it is to provide you with a sound, all-round | | | | Certificate HNC and the Higher National Diploma HND, |
| understanding of the key areas of business and | | | | both accredited by Edexcel BTEC, a prestigious |
| management. | | | | validation body. I will use these qualifications to |
| Two outcomes should be the result of studying this | | | | illustrate how your decision on study options is so |
| type of course. Firstly, you will have sufficient | | | | critical. The HNC is the introductory course, providing |
| knowledge and awareness of a range of disciplines, | | | | the student with basic, but essential, knowledge of |
| so that you can make effective operational | | | | critical business functions. There are many "specialist" |
| contributions to activities and discussions in these | | | | titles to choose from, for example "E-Business |
| areas. Secondly, you will have enough information to | | | | Strategy", "Information Technology", "Law", and |
| make a decision about which area to specialise in, or | | | | "Marketing". However, I strongly argue that for most |
| if you decide to remain a generalist, which areas to | | | | students, starting out in the world of work, the best |
| take further studies in. | | | | option, by far, is the HNC Business and Management. |
| For those just starting, or in the first few years of | | | | Whilst esoteric titles may sound attractive, they are |
| work, selecting a first, introductory, foundation level | | | | worse than useless in terms of adding to the |
| course of study is a critical step. If the selected | | | | attractiveness of the student to employers, and in |
| course, and qualification, is not the most appropriate | | | | some cases will be a huge disappointment because |
| one, this can have an highly negative impact on the | | | | the content is irrelevant and out of date. The options |
| early stages of the student's career development. | | | | to consider should be those that add further |
| Despite the apparent attractiveness of the more | | | | foundation knowledge of key business and |
| glamorous and "cutting edge" titles, such as "E | | | | management areas, such as "Business Decision |
| Business", "Network Technology", "Systems Analysis" | | | | Making", "Business Strategy", and "Quality |
| and "Website Design", gaining a qualification with any | | | | Management". The student is then armed with a |
| of these as the main title, or one of your main study | | | | strong portfolio of knowledge and understanding of |
| options, will in reality be damaging in most cases. | | | | the areas of activity that all managers are involved in |
| Potential employers, and current ones, will not be | | | | every day. The same argument applies to the HND |
| impressed by such qualification titles. Even in niche | | | | Higher National Diploma, which is recognised as |
| business sectors, such as internet or design related | | | | equivalent to the first two years of a Bachelor |
| ones, employers will be more impressed with young | | | | Degree. This can be taken as a stand-alone course, |
| applicants who have a solid, all-round, broad | | | | or as a progression from the HNC. In either case, the |
| understanding of the key functional areas of business. | | | | best option is to take the HND Business |
| Experience, talent, specific skills, in the technical areas | | | | (Management). Again, the options selected should be |
| are, of course, highly valuable, but most employers | | | | those in the mainstream areas, for example in Quality |
| will be looking for people who are able to contribute | | | | Management, Project Management, or Finance. |
| to all the main operational activities. Take for | | | | Although it is tempting to take a course that includes |
| example, website design. Unless you plan to, and are | | | | what appear to be exciting and current study |
| 100% certain, that this is where your career path will | | | | options, or a qualification that has a glamorous focus |
| take you, taking this as a study option is a complete | | | | in the title, it is not the best choice for most people |
| waste of time. Learn Dreamweaver, yes. Take | | | | in need of a foundation business qualification. |
| website design as an area of study in your | | | | Specialist knowledge can be, should be, gained a little |
| foundation business course? No. | | | | later, but the first step should be to gain a |
| Equally important in this argument is that of job and | | | | qualification that shows you understand and can |
| career changes. In today's business world it is now | | | | contribute effectively to the essential, core, areas. |
| accepted that most younger people will, during their | | | | This first qualification will stay with you throughout |
| lifetime at work, change jobs many times, and | | | | the early stages of your professional development, |
| change careers, or business sectors, at least four | | | | and be visible to all who are evaluating your potential. |
| times. With so many changes of direction in mind, it | | | | It therefore needs to be one that demonstrates that |
| can only be good sense, for those seeking their first, | | | | when you decided on that course of study you were |
| foundation level qualification, to study and qualify in | | | | making a conscious decision to learn the essentials of |
| the core areas of business activity. Then, when | | | | business, and to give yourself the strongest possible |
| moving into a new role, or applying for a position in a | | | | foundation of knowledge on which to start your life |
| different business sector, the broad based | | | | in the business world. |