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It’s a new year, which means it’s a great time to reevaluate your professional goals. Whether you are a new manager or have been in a management role for many years, there is always room to learn and grow to become an effective leader at your organization. One of the most common New Year's goals for managers is to identify and support employees who are poised for career advancement—after all, leaders create leaders.
First, you need to evaluate your organization’s needs and identify growth opportunities. A common realization is creating a new position to fulfill an efficiency gap and promoting from within your organization. Management who make a point to invest in their current workforce often benefit from increased productivity and boosted morale. It is important to set your employees up for success by providing them with the necessary tools and resources to do so. But how do you determine the ROI from workforce training opportunities to upskill or tuition reimbursement programs to finish a degree? A recent Lumina Foundation study of Discover’s tuition reimbursement program found a 144% ROI for the company. This is only one example of how investing in your employees pays off.
Now that you’ve decided to make it a priority to invest in your employees, how do you determine the right program to meet their needs? Often managers turn to continuing education options through online credentials, certificates, or degrees. Furthermore, you must identify a quality program with options—online, on-campus, or on-site—so that time and funds are best utilized. A key role of LSU Digital & Continuing Education is to be the service and support arm for on-campus faculty to bring their programs online. One of the first departments to take advantage of this service is the LSU Bert S. Turner Department of Construction Management. Because of its early adoption, the department is the first to offer a fully stackable pathway with an online program option at every level from a micro-credential, or MicroCred®, all the way to a graduate degree:
To maximize each credit earned in this pathway, The credits earned from one program are valuable in that they can “stack” or transfer to the next program. That means the 3-credit courses you take in the Introduction to Construction Management MicroCred can be applied to a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management degree and offer a jump start to a degree.
“Our Introduction to Construction Management MicroCred has been organized for those with or without a college degree who would like to see an overview of the profession along with an understanding of construction materials and methods and how these relate to reading a set of construction drawings,” said Charles Berryman, professor and chair of the LSU Bert S. Turner Department of Construction Management. “It’s a great introductory option for individuals who may not be ready to pursue a full degree, but it also provides a pathway toward a degree in construction management.”
Additionally, individuals with construction management work experience, but without a formal education, may qualify for Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) credits, which will substitute for required college credit courses. This option provides an opportunity to save both time and money, as there will be fewer courses to complete to earn a full degree.
For managers who already have a bachelor’s degree but desire a broader master’s program, LSU recently announced a shorter online Master of Business Administration program called the Focused MBA. This program offers the same rigor and standards as the former MBA program; however, its new condensed format now requires only 36 credit hours for completion. The shorter format is ideal for full-time professionals who want to take advantage of a quality program from a flagship university.
Those who are interested in learning a new skill or sharpening their current skill sets with shorter self-paced options can take advantage of LSU’s business and professional online MicroCreds. These programs are developed and taught by subject matter experts chose for their experience in the field. Each program is unique, with different learning objectives and outcomes by topic. You can expect to become more proficient in the subject matter with an emphasis on real-world applications. For each MicroCred, completing the required courses earns you a badge to showcase your resulting expertise.
Explore our current business and professional MicroCred offerings:
- Accounting - Advanced Topics
- Accounting - Fundamentals
- Auditing
- Business Project Management
- Business Project Management with Agile
- Learning Experience Design
- Management & Leadership Series
- Marketing Fundamentals
- Technical Writing
“Our team is consistently delivering on the university’s mission to provide learners an option at any education level here at LSU,” said Sasha Thackaberry, vice president of Digital & Continuing Education. “We do this by working with deans, faculty and industry leaders to develop workforce-relevant programs to close the skills gap to train and retain employees. The support from leadership and the community is critical, and we would not be where we are without it.”
Still unsure where to begin? LSU Online has a team of dedicated concierges who are ready to help you choose a program that meets your needs. Learn more about LSU’s online programs here.