BGU completes Pilot of Skills Bootcamp for aspiring leaders

We are thrilled to announce the successful completion of our Skills Bootcamp pilot program for aspiring leaders and managers.

The intensive 60-hour program, which ran from January to March 2025, featured nine comprehensive workshops designed to equip participants with essential leadership and productivity skills.

Participants attended from a variety of departments across the organisation including, accommodation, academic partnerships, security and community engagement.

The workshops covered a wide range of topics, including self-awareness as a leader, fundamental productivity concepts, and overcoming personal productivity barriers.

Participants also delved into coaching and mentoring techniques to enhance team collaboration and individual performance, the handling of difficult conversations, understanding financial principles, and effectively utilising data and artificial intelligence.

One of the standout sessions focused on tools and strategies for streamlining workflows, understanding BGU's data policies, and boosting daily productivity. The final workshops emphasised innovation and measuring impact, with delegates using the mission model to plan innovative projects addressing current workplace challenges.

Additionally, participants engaged in a highly interactive public speaking workshop led by Contention, Quality and Student Engagement Officer, Connor Short.

Reflecting on the program, participants highlighted their key takeaways, including increased confidence, new knowledge, and skills related to BGU systems and tools such as Scribe, MS Planner, and Copilot – with a palpable excitement about the potential of AI to enhance productivity. Many delegates expressed their eagerness to share their newfound skills with colleagues and felt empowered to motivate and inspire others within the BGU community.

Carla Evans, Senior Sports and Senior Fitness Instructor, said: “I found the skills boot camp incredibly rewarding. The wide range of topics taught, along with different practical projects and learning about various Microsoft software has helped me gain confidence and several new valuable skills.

“The collaborative atmosphere allowed me to connect with colleagues and build valuable partnerships. By the end, I felt ready and excited for new opportunities.”

The Skills Bootcamp has not only equipped participants with valuable skills but also fostered a sense of enthusiasm and readiness to make a positive impact on themselves and the wider BGU community.

Tom Dannatt, Deputy Vice Chancellor, said: "It was a great pleasure to present our Skills Bootcamp participants with their certificates.

“The program, that involved nine workshops over a period of nine weeks, covered subjects as diverse as public speaking, the application of AI and business finance (to name a few).

“Not only did the program promote the development of new skill sets, it also presented a great networking opportunity for ten aspirational leaders across the university.”