The diploma will cover several key topics, including:
Employee relations
Learning how to communicate with your team, employees in other departments and managers of other departments is an important skill; one that is vital to the success of a manager in the workplace. If employees feel disrespected or undervalued, then you’ll see that you have a high turnover rate and a less-than-loyal group of employees.
You also need to understand your manager role in relation with other departments. Speaking to employees in other departments and asking them to complete certain tasks has to be done through certain channels. You don’t get to order employees around from other departments. Understanding your overall role in a company will help you foster positive relationships in and around your department.
Strategic planning
Running a department means that you have to be able to plan for successes as well as failures. A good manager is involved with every project that’s going on in the department - even if it means just reading reports. Managers know when these projects will begin, when they’ll end, what their overhead costs are going to be, and what the expected outcome is.
With good strategic planning skills, managers are rarely, if ever, caught off guard by new developments, and even if they are, they know how to spring back and still come out on top.
Business planning
No matter what background you specialise in, you still need to have those vital business planning skills that all managers in every department of a business must master. Great business planning skills includes the ability to devise a strong budget, adjust the budget as the month goes on and make the most out of the resources given.
Risk management
Every strong department manager needs to have strong risk management skills. These skills are vital when it comes to making big-budget decisions within the department. The best managers know how to minimise their risks as much as possible, and they know how to evaluate more intensive risks to leverage the best chance of a positive outcome.
Along with risk management skills comes the ability to be fair and balanced when judging risks. Some of those risks may impact employees directly, and managers need to be able to justify their decisions and show employees why the risk was necessary and what the potential gain will be.
Organisational development
In any department, organisation is key. Managers need to be able to delegate tasks, organise projects and keep their departments running smoothly throughout all operations. Departments that are poorly organised and lack proper communication tend to bring down the productivity and morale of the department.
Where do I go after I get my diploma?
Upon graduation, you have two options: you can either return to the workforce and take on a managerial position within a marketing or human resources department or you can go on to receive your bachelor’s degree.
If you decide to go part time to earn your diploma, then you may become eligible for promotions within your company. If you quit your job to complete your course full time, then you will be ready to re-enter the workforce and apply for higher-ranking positions within other businesses.
If you decide to continue your studies and earn a bachelor’s degree, your options include:
- Bachelor of Accounting
- Bachelor of Business (HRM)
- Bachelor of Business (Marketing)
- Bachelor of Economics
- Bachelor of Finance
Your diploma will count towards university credits for any of these degrees, and many others. Speak with a career counsellor at Kangan Institute if you’re interested in pursuing this path.