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Why Companies Choose Digital Certificate and Executive Master’s Programs for Their Employees

The skills gap is not only real, but it’s expensive. According to Business News Daily, the majority of companies spend upwards of $800,000 every year looking for the most qualified employees. And even with these costly efforts underway, a shortfall of talent can directly interfere with the ability to compete on the international scene. One strategy many companies are taking to tackle this problem? Investing in digital certificate and executive master’s programs for their employees. Here’s a closer look at these increasingly popular initiatives, along with one particular business school that’s appealing to today’s multinational companies.

Mar 5, 2021
  • Education
Why Companies Choose Digital Certificate and Executive Master’s Programs for Their Employees

Changing dynamics, changing demands

As recent events have more than made clear, the business world is anything but static. In fact, it’s in a constant state of change. The takeaway is clear for today’s businesses: When survival depends on keeping up with the latest trends, the right leadership can make all the difference.

Unfortunately, attracting and retaining the best and brightest talent can be a significant challenge. In some cases, job candidates check only some of the boxes to begin with. In other cases, the required skills change with the changing market.

Many people immediately think of STEM fields when they hear the words “skills gap” And with good reason: In an editorial for The Hill, alliantgroup CEO Dhaval Jadav goes so far as to declare the growing STEM skills gap a “crisis”. However, many “knowledge-intensive industries” -- including financial and business services, technology, media and telecommunications, and manufacturing -- will be facing monumental talent shortages by the year 2030, according to LinkedIn Talent Blog.

Managers, in particular, are in great demand. “Companies are struggling with a critical problem — finding managers with the right skills to lead their organizations. This problem not only has damaging downstream effects for businesses, but it’s also hurting the global economy,” writes Marc Zao-Sanders for MITSloan Management Review.

Invest in your employees, invest in your company

While hiring for these positions is time-consuming and expensive with no guarantees, educating existing employees by covering the cost of digital certificates and executive master’s degree programs has many benefits -- not the least of which being that more knowledgeable companies are more competitive.

And then there’s the ROI potential. "No matter what industry you work in, having expert certified employees can give your sales team one more pitch to help close a deal, or even charge a little more for your service, resulting in a revenue boost to offset the one-time cost of certification," ReputationManagement.com marketing director Jonas Sickler tells Business News Daily.

Furthermore, participating in digital certificate and executive master’s degree programs opens the door to invaluable networking opportunities with the potential to expand your company’s network too.

Lastly, at a time when employee retention is everything, providing professional development opportunities can go a long way toward boosting loyalty and reducing turnover.

The ESCP advantage

ESCP Business School offers eight professional certificates covering all business management and skills development areas and the Executive Master in International Business (EMIB).

There are many reasons ESCP is an outstanding choice for multinational enterprises looking to train their employees in the latest trends. To begin with, ESCP Business School is one of the world’s best management business schools. According to Financial Times rankings, its Master in Finance is second in the world, its Master in Management is sixth in the world, and its Executive MBA is seventh in the world.

And then there’s the fact that the certificate programs and master’s degree share access to the same renowned international faculty from six European campuses.

A major selling point of ESCP’s Executive Master in International Business (EMIB), Advanced Certificate in International Business, and other digital certificates is the 100 percent online delivery method that utilises the latest digital technology to maximize learning while simultaneously facilitating comfort with manoeuvering in the digital world. With the post-COVID world expected to remain largely remote, digital expertise is more important now than ever.

EMIB alumnus Roberto Castañeda of El Salvador, senior manager of global customer operations at EXPEDIA Group, says, “I chose this program because of the strength of the curricula, the flexibility and because of the amount of applicability. [...] In spite of being an online program, the level of interaction is very high and the level of feedback is extremely customized and personalized. What I really love is the fact that you get plenty of feedback about each assignment and that allows you also to see the applicability of what you do into your day to day job. Not only will you learn a lot from the professors but you also learn a lot from the participation, from the different classmates, all of the different debates and the calls for participation that the professors do.”

ESCP also offers special pricing based on the number of participants, making it a wise choice for companies. In fact, many companies are now incorporating ESCP’s digital certificate and Executive Master program into their managers’ training, which has prompted the school to develop a partnership model with special pricing. These custom-blended programmes can be adapted to the target audience through everything from targeted case studies to industry-specific seminars on the topic or topics of their choice. Customization is an especially attractive aspect of ESCP as it empowers businesses to optimize employee training to fit their precise needs.

At the same time, entrepreneurs looking to gain a critical inside edge are also turning to ESCP to gain the skills and experience they need to hit the ground running while getting their businesses off the ground.

“All professionals can benefit from employee development, but many employers don’t realize how these programs can help them make a powerful investment in their company’s future success,” argues Execu|Search Group Founder and CEO Edward Fleischman for Forbes. ESCP’s digital certificate and executive master’s programs offer an especially beneficial option for companies looking to reap the benefits of upskilling their employees.

Article written in association with ESCP Business School.

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Joanna Hughes

Author

Joanna worked in higher education administration for many years at a leading research institution before becoming a full-time freelance writer. She lives in the beautiful White Mountains region of New Hampshire with her family.