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Employee development and training

The Open University Business School works with thousands of organisations, expanding professional and management skills that deliver real-world business results. With our range of business, management and vocational courses and renowned flexible learning methods, we’re ideally placed to suit your corporate learning and development or personal training needs.

Our partners in employee development and training include global players such as Rolls-Royce, Pfizer, DHL, HBOS, IKEA and KPMG, but our courses are just as relevant for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), who often find it more difficult to release staff for training. We also have a strong track record of working with public and not-for-profit organisations such as the UK National Health Service, the UK Ministry of Defence, police and prison services, the European Commission, and several major international charities.

Which of your staff can benefit?

Without the need to leave the workplace, our standard or customised courses can improve the functional performance and career horizons of most professional and managerial staff whether they are:

  • Junior or aspiring managers
  • Functional or technical staff building or refreshing skills
  • Technical experts moving to management
  • Middle to senior managers who want to build capability
  • Employees who are seeking pathways to professional qualifications. 

Our employee development and training is ideal for employees who move around, or for groups of employees who are geographically dispersed.

Practice-based management and leadership training

Our renowned brand of practice-based learning removes the boundaries between education and the workplace, enabling staff to continue working and apply their learning to their own work situation while they study.

Continuing professional development

In addition to our business and management qualifications, we offer a wide range of courses for continuing professional development (CPD), focusing on professional skills. Options for supporting staff range from sponsoring individuals to company-wide training and bespoke programmes, designed to develop key capabilities and meet specific development needs.

Staff development that benefits your organisation

Because our courses are intellectually stimulating and require disciplined application, they encourage skills critical for your business growth. Our students:

  • demonstrate commitment and enthusiasm
  • communicate well
  • think logically and critically
  • work effectively in teams and independently.

Customised training

Our Centre for Professional Learning and Development responds flexibly and quickly in developing products to meet the training demands of corporate clients and professional associations. Customisation can mean anything from adding sector specific case studies to a standard course to creating completely new learning and development programs.

Our skill is in blending materials, resources and learning delivery styles to match your requirements cost effectively.

Further details

To find out more about the benefits of training your staff with us, follow the links below or talk to our Corporate Development Team: tel +44 (0) 845 366 6053 or email do-business@open.ac.uk.

For further information:

In today’s challenging times, your business needs up-to-date knowledge, skills and fresh ideas to stay ahead. The OU is perfectly positioned to help. We support key workforce development through lifelong learning relating to work, industry and service improvement. More than 50,000 employers, including 75% of FTSE top 100 companies as well as leading public bodies, have already seen the benefits to their organisation by sponsoring their staff to study with The Open University.

Martin Bean, Vice Chancellor