Masterclass aims to bridge gap between academia and real world
A three-month coaching course in Ghent wants to give first-time job seekers valuable experience and mentoring
Mind the skills gap
It’s a scenario backed up by research. At the end of last year, the independent firm High Fliers Research concluded that one in three entry-level positions in the UK was expected to be filled by graduates who had already worked with that organisation, through a holiday job or an internship.
The importance of work experience cannot be underestimated. Unfortunately, gaining that work experience is not always easy. Even when graduates have taken the first step on the career ladder, the gap between academia and the “real world” can seem huge.
This is the challenge being addressed by the Mono Masterclass, a full-time, three-month coaching course starting in Ghent next month. It’s open to anyone over 18, whether they’ve completed their studies or not.
The objective is to immerse students in various practical facets of business, such as marketing, financial management, leadership and organisation. The course is based on real-life case studies from industry and is given by experts from local companies such as Securex and Decupere & Partners, think-tank Think with People and the Start-it @KBC incubator.
Entrepreneurial attitude
The course takes place at the Communicatie Campus Gent and will involve regular field trips into the business world, primarily visiting sites belonging to the partners involved in the course. After completion, students will have the opportunity to follow up with refresher courses.
“Each participant will be coached by a Mono partner to grow both personally and professionally,” says An Boone, one of the organisers. “Mono means the start of a new life for participants: stepping out of their comfort zone, developing an entrepreneurial attitude, and growing a network that will last the rest of their lives.”
It enables the student to gain experiences and acquire skills that aren’t possible through conventional education
The course is limited to 15 students to enable customised coaching, with mentors working on the personal and professional growth of each participant. Applicants will be interviewed and selected on the basis of their enthusiasm, motivation, educational background, interests and the areas in which they wish to develop.
The course starts with an analysis of what a person enjoys doing, and aims to build on their strengths. One feature is an absence of formal textbooks. Instead, the focus is on exchanging experiences with the 15 professional coaches, various gurus for specific topics, the students’ individual mentor and fellow participants.
It also seeks to build a person’s network, claiming that at the end of the course each participant can connect with more than 35,000 professionals. Obviously, there can be no assurance that a student will end up with their dream job, although that’s the ultimate goal.
“We strongly believe that the Masterclass will increase their chances of recruitment, because it enables the student to gain experiences and acquire skills that aren’t possible through conventional education,” Boone says.
The €3,000 course fee covers everything: registration, in-company training, networking, customised coaching by a personal mentor, talent development and lessons from industry gurus. An information day takes place on 8 September.
Photo: Ingimage
