Corporate Training partnerships expand reach, access through online solutions

Mullen Group partners with SAIT to help employees learn to lead

For more than a decade, Mullen Group has partnered with SAIT Corporate Training to help develop their leadership from within.

“Growth Opportunities is one of our Corporate Objectives,” says Tanya Stephenson, Director of HR Services, Mullen Group Ltd. “Our people know our business, and we know we have a good chance of finding our next leaders within our business.”

One of Canada’s largest logistics providers, Mullen Group worked with SAIT to create an in-house Business Management Certificate (BMC) program designed to help employees develop the skills to move into leadership positions.

In 2018, the foundational piece of the program — BMC 101 — launched online. Developed with the support of SAIT curriculum experts, online classes range from strategy and finance to conflict and time management to employee engagement — and are always evolving.

Online expansion, custom fit

Online delivery enabled Mullen to move beyond the confines of a physical classroom and offer the training directly to their more than 6,000 workers across Canada. Almost 900 employees have completed BMC 101 to date.

While moving BMC 101 to a virtual platform in 2018 improved reach and cost-efficiency, it’s also meant continued access to training throughout the pandemic.

“We’ve had no interruptions or issues with BMC 101 training during the pandemic,” says Stephenson. “We also asked SAIT how to adapt our BMC Advanced course to a virtual classroom and ended up having great success with online delivery using Zoom. SAIT was right there with us.”

This past year, SAIT also developed a Corporate Training learning portal to support corporate clients with course listings and tracking.

“The portal has made things a lot more user friendly,” says Georgie Willocks, Human Resources Administrator. Willocks has both taken training and is one of the program administrators. “As a learner, you can go in and see what you’ve taken. Plus, it has definitely made our lives easier as administrators.”

Making things easier is a hallmark of the client relationship SAIT looks to foster.

“SAIT always asks our opinion and we’re not shy about giving it,” says Stephenson. “They are willing to adapt to what works best for the Mullen Group — and they’re excited about it too. It’s a really good working relationship.”

It means a lot for a company to invest in an employee

Both feedback and results show the BMC program is paying off at Mullen Group — about 35% of employees who complete the advanced courses progress into leadership roles.

“And I’m one of them,” says Stephenson. “When employees find out there’s no cost, that it’s sponsored by Mullen Group, with the full support of our executive, it’s a big thing. It means a lot for a company to invest in an employee.”

The training program is open to all Mullen employees.

“We don’t limit the training, it’s for everyone,” says Stephenson. “We’ve had people in entry level positions who are now Business Unit leaders because they know the business, have taken the program and have grown their skills. You just never know where a future leader is going to be.”

International training partnership transcends time zones

Online corporate training not only cuts costs and increases reach, it also transcends global time zones.

Since 2006, SAIT’s International Corporate Training and Client Development has offered face-to-face training to Libya’s National Oil Corporation and subsidiaries, delivering curriculum in person at SAIT’s Calgary campus.

In an effort to circumvent ongoing travel restrictions and demonstrate the effectiveness of remote delivery, SAIT recently offered Libyan partners an online session on collaborative intelligence in partnership with Tripoli-based Alesteshari International Group.

Learners logged in at 9:30 am Libya time from the comfort of their homes or offices for a live, interactive seminar. More than 10,000 kilometres away in Calgary, the clock struck 1:30 am when instructor Usman Sadiq kicked things off.

The session’s success is a sign of more online delivery to come.

“Virtual seminars are key to ensuring we can continue to deliver world-class training to international partners, especially during these unprecedented times,” says Mónica Bennett, Senior International Client Development Manager, International Corporate Training and Client Development Solutions.

“No matter where in the world you are, we can offer customized, flexible solutions to meet your training needs.”

The partner you want. The solutions you need.

We help businesses thrive in a changing world of work. Explore group training options through SAIT Corporate Training and discover talent development solutions for your organization — no matter where in the world — through International Corporate Training and Client Development.

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