FAQs

Transformational Leadership Programme

A structured, immersive and highly experiential leadership and management programme that empowers learners with the human and interpersonal skills as well as an agile mindset that they’ll need to thrive in the changing world of work. There are two versions: the Level 3 Team Leader/Supervisor programme, and the Level 5 Operations/Departmental Manager programme. It can either be funded via the Apprenticeship Levy in the UK, or an Enterprise version is available that can be funded commercially for global cohorts of employees.

The Level 3 Team Leader/Supervisor programme is aimed at new entrants, graduates, aimed at graduates and first-time managers who have recently started managing a small team or who are aspiring to do so in the near future. You will need to either be able to find opportunities to manage people at various points over the course of the programme, or simulate this on short term projects for example.

The Level 5 Operations/Departmental Manager programme is aimed at aimed at existing managers with a little more experience who have recently started managing a team. You will need to already have line management responsibility. 

The Level 3 Team Leader/Supervisor apprenticeship programme typically takes 14 months (with a final end point assessment period of around 8 weeks). The Level 5 Operations/Departmental Manager version typically takes 16 months (with a final end point assessment period of around 12 weeks). Final timings will depend on the learner’s own ability and speed.

Think of it like a mini-MBA (but without the air miles). The programme covers a similar syllabus, with a particular focus on developing your soft skills and by focusing on things like agility and collaboration, and improving your emotional Intelligence (EQ). The topics for Level 3 and Level 5 are very similar but the focus of Level 3 is more on knowledge, while Level 5 is more about applying that knowledge. They are designed so that you can progress from Level 3 to Level 5 to develop a deeper mastery of the skills, mindset and behaviours needed to become a transformational leader (although you can start at Level 5 if your experience and role are appropriate).

The Transformational Leadership Programme focuses on the following development topics: Transforming Self (modules: Self Awareness, Management of Self), Transforming Relationships (modules: Communication, Building Relationships, Management & Leadership), and Transforming Business (modules: Decision Making, Project Management and Business Transformation).

Programmes typically start in March, June and October for both Levels 3 & 5, with both Apprenticeship Levy funded learners and Enterprise/Commercially funded learners.

Who can apply and what are the eligibility requirements?

  1. You must EITHER
    1. be a citizen of the UK or of a country within the EEA (European Economic Area) and you must have been ordinarily resident in the EEA for at least the previous three years on the first day of the apprenticeship. 
    2. OR, you must be a non-EEA citizen who has permission from the UK government to live in the UK (not for educational purposes) and have been ordinarily resident in the UK for at least the previous three years before the start of the apprenticeship. 

  2. You must spend at least 50% of your working time in England throughout the course of the apprenticeship. 

  3. You must have Level 2 (GCSE equivalent) Functional Skills in Maths and English. If you have your GCSE certificates for Maths and English, that will be sufficient. Specific international equivalent qualifications will also be acceptable (we can provide an additional information sheet about this to assist you). If you have an international qualification which is not on our sheet, you can obtain evidence from the National Academic Recognition Information Centre (NARIC) via a certificate/statement of comparability which confirms the qualification is an equivalent of GCSE English and Maths (A* to C). Please note that you are responsible for contacting NARIC and arranging comparison information.

  4. You must be able to dedicate 20% of your contracted working hours to complete all apprenticeship related learning.

  5. For both programmes, you will also need EITHER direct line-management responsibilities OR to be able to manage people via projects for a reasonable duration of your programme. For example, this might involve you managing project teams for a few weeks/months here and there over the course of the programme.

Yes. Future Talent Learning also run commercially funded versions: the Enterprise Transformational Leadership Programme for non-eligible learners, for example for those based in the UK outside England, or internationally.

If they have an MBA, unfortunately, employees won’t be eligible for either the Team Leader or the Operations / Departmental Manager apprenticeship version. However they would be able to join the Enterprise version of the programme, and would benefit from a much greater focus on applying their learning in their day to day work.

When a learner starts the programme, they will need to complete a detailed ‘Skills Scan’ to uncover thier existing level of ability in each of our topic areas. If it transpires that, through prior experience or previous study, they are already fully competent in one topic area, we would not propose teaching them this particular topic, though it would still be likely that they would be eligible for the programme as whole. If they are already competent in two or more areas, they may not be eligible at all. If you’re not sure about an employee, please encourage them to apply and we’ll discuss this with them in person.

Absolutely. The programme is designed to be flexible and can be done 100% digitally via a combination of virtual coaching, e-learning and digital simulations. In fact, this is a great time to be learning and developing virtually.

Learners will be invited to attend a variety of engaging digital learning events and meetings with their coach via Zoom and/or Teams. They’ll need to be able to attend these events with their video switched on and the ability to use the Chat function. They will also need to be able to watch videos on YouTube or Vimeo. The learner management system can be accessed by mobile, tablet, laptop or desktop.

How does the Transformational Leadership Programme work?

The whole programme is delivered virtually. Through a blend of e-learning, virtual simulations/gamifications and interactive webinars, as well as action learning sets, facilitated study groups and virtual 1-2-1 coaching support. Some key learning content is also delivered by partners, including RADA Business which delivers a series of custom designed interactive digital masterclasses across the programme. The whole programme is highly curated to create a seamless, interactive, crafted development experience.

At the end of your apprenticeship, you will have an end point assessment (EPA), this involves two different elements: a Professional Discussion (1-2-1 interview) including a review of your Aptem portfolio, and a Project Presentation plus Q&A.

A widely recognised Leadership & Management apprenticeship qualification. A Level 3 Team Leader/Supervisor apprenticeship (equivalent to two A level passes) or a Level 5 Operations/Departmental Manager apprenticeship (equivalent to a full degree).

From March 2022 our programme will be Institute of Leadership and Management approved.

Learners on both levels will need to work on a business-related project. Level 3 learners should complete this within their time on the programme. For Level 5 learners, this takes place during the EPA period (3 months) and also comprises part of the final assessment.

We have a dedicated learning management system (LMS) called Aptem, which you can use to learn, submit assignments and compile your e-portfolio. It houses the multimedia curriculum of videos, podcasts and short-form articles all in one place. It is accessible from your computer, mobile or tablet devices. Your personal development coach can also see all of your work via Aptem and provide you with real-time updates and feedback.

Yes. When your coach first meets the learner, they will assess any individual learning requirements. It may be that an individual learner’s programme is extended by a few months and/or they are eligible for additional support.

Each learner will be allocated a personal development coach/assessor with whom they will keep in touch via email and virtual meetings over the course of the programme; typically for around 90-120 minutes each month. The development coach will be a big feature of your employees’ learning experience. They are responsible for a number of things: they will guide learners through the curriculum, a bit like an ‘A’ level teacher; they will help and advise you about how to apply what they’ve learnt from the curriculum and events to your day job; and they will help learners to notice small changes in their own behaviour throughout the programme so that they develop a tangible sense of the progress that they are making, which builds confidence in their own capabilities and ability to grow.

Our programme is inherently ‘generic’ as the core modules are relevant to individuals in any organisation. However, for the Enterprise versions of the programme customisation is available. For example, we have a shorter, 12 month version of the Level 3 programme for graduates and aspiring managers. And the curriculum is also available in Spanish and Portuguese. Our short development courses, or 101 Missions, are specifically designed as modular 4 week versions of the Transformational Leadership Programme, and cover the most in demand human-centred skills.

How much does the Transformational Leadership Programme cost?

Both versions of our programme align to apprenticeship standards. That means for eligible learners based in England they’re 100% fundable under the government’s Apprenticeship Levy. In other words, if your organisation is not already fully using its levy pot, the programme costs you, and your organisation, nothing. The Level 3 Team Leader/Supervisor qualifies for up to £3,920 per learner (+ £580 EPA cost), £4,500 in total. The Level 5 Operations/Departmental Manager qualifies for up to £6,200 per learner (+ £800 EPA cost), £7,000 in total. Final amounts will depend on an assessment of the relevant prior knowledge of each apprentice.

If you are not a levy payer, or exceed your levy pot, then the UK Government will still directly subsidise 95% of the cost of the learning.

Both versions of the programme – Level 3 for graduates and aspiring managers, and Level 5 for middle managers and existing managers - are also available commercially, making it available to be rolled out globally to all employees (it is currently also available in Spanish, with several other languages coming on stream soon). We are also delivering customised modules or ‘Missions’ from the programme to support shorter, highly focused development interventions for large cohorts of employees organisation-wide.

What are the benefits of the Transformational Leadership Programme?

Four in five CEOs see employees’ shortage of soft skills as a critical barrier to growth (PwC 2019). We focus on developing three keystone behaviours that are critical for success: the ability to work in more agile ways, the people skills to collaborate effectively, and the mindset to see organisational transformation as an opportunity and not a threat. 

Our programme focuses on future-proofing individuals with the transferable skills that we’ll all need for the changing world of work. We will all move roles many times in our working lives, and this programme will also support your employees in being better at making these transitions, by preparing them to adapt to new situations and relationships.

Only 25% of long-term career success depends on technical knowledge, the rest is all about soft skills (Stanford University). We focus on developing the people skills that aspiring, emerging and current managers and leaders need most. This is frequently where ‘accidental managers’ (that’s any manager who, through no fault of their own, has had little or no formal training/CPD about how to manage effectively) can trip up. Because our programme involves learners from multiple companies, your learners will also develop a powerful alumni network of creative collaborators. 

Our programme aims to develop the potential of learners from any department or function, and in any sector or industry. It’s important to note some ‘high-potential’ employees who may already have completed an MBA programme may not benefit as much as those who have not yet had this type of investment. However, we also appreciate that many ambitious ‘high-potential’ individuals are keen to constantly hone and improve their leadership and management capabilities, and are keen to further evolve their interpersonal and soft skills.

What level of commitment will it involve?

Learners must spend 20% of their contracted working time doing ‘off-the-job’ learning. It sounds a lot, but around a third of this involves putting learning into practice within live projects that they are likely to be already working on in the normal flow of their work. It also includes any other learning they might do at work, for example, courses, work shadowing, mentoring or job rotation. The rest is made up of virtual coaching, e-learning and digital events, gamifications, interactive webinars and simulations. We recommend that they block out 6 hours each week for ‘formal’ learning and study (e.g., reading resources, answering questions in Aptem, meeting with their coach, attending events etc.). This can be spread across various sessions, but we recommend that they regularly schedule their learning to be able to prioritise it, and also liaise with their line manager so that they are aware of their colleague’s learning commitment and can support them.

The big advantage of commercially funding the Enterprise version of the Transformational Leadership Programme is that it is much more flexible, and it effectively it removes specific time commitments from the programme.

No. In fact, in the medium and long term, it should do the opposite. Our programme is designed to help employees develop the skills they need to do their job more effectively. We help ensure that your organisation and line manager are supporting their learners and regularly checking that they are making progress and getting the support they need.

It’s crucial. Line managers must commit to allowing learners the time to participate in the programme. Their development coach will initiate a quarterly tri-partite meeting between themselves, each learner and their line manager. We are keen to directly involve line managers in this way so that they are up to date with the particular development focus of their colleagues, and can then actively support the learner by involving them in activities that will allow them to apply what they are learning in their day job.

As part of the programme, learners will be presented with various activities they will be required to regularly practise as part` of their role. It means that sometimes the Line Manager may have to help the learner create specific opportunities in their day-to-day work to test and embed the newly acquired Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours. Please see some examples of the tasks below:

- Analysing data

- Giving developmental feedback

- Chairing a meetings

- Managing difficult or conflict situations

- Managing a team or directing work for team members delivering projects

- Giving a presentation

- Delegating work

- Implementing change.

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