Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship students get strategic

The apprentices of Solent’s Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship (CMDA) were set their first assessment today which involved, Nigel Esdale, Senior Vice President – Revenue and Deployment, Carnival UK, visiting our CMDA apprentices to launch the Real World Learning simulation, as part of their Strategic Management unit.

The simulation runs for three days, with Nigel leading a comprehensive discussion around the company’s history and the current and future strategies.  This provided the catalysis for the apprentices to complete their assessment where by day three, they must submit a report that summarises the company’s strategic position, as well as making recommendations around future strategies that may be considered.

The assignment is a 5,000-word report that makes up 60% of the Strategic Management unit. Similar simulations have been completed with other organisations, such as Paultons Park and Marwell Zoo. Course Leader, Stephen Brown, said “we’re trying to really marry up the text-book material with real life, and there’s value in it for both parties. In previous years, students came up with ideas that were taken on and developed by Marwell. They get an insight into real life that they can take forward. It’s great to be working with a large international company that’s so important to Southampton’s economy”.

Giving feedback to the Course Leader after the talk, Nigel outlined that he enjoyed talking to the students and that they asked some good questions. He was very pleased to be able to come along to Solent and input to the assessment in this way.