How learning is changing my life - by Maria Koukou, digital marketer

My degree in computing topped up with analytics qualifications played a significant part in developing my career in digital marketing. To keep up with the latest trends in the industry, I seek courses that are well aligned with my educational background and working experience. 

Courses lead to professional qualifications and build strong skills. They provide a marker that you have achieved something and give you a different perspective on the way to do things. 

So far, constant learning has had a big impact on me:

• I manage myself and others around me more effectively
• I learned how to listen and be listened to 
• I am more aware of what I want to achieve
• I have become more methodical
• I have a better understanding of my environment 
• I can resolve issues better
• I am not afraid to make mistakes
• I know the importance of constructive feedback

The most important lesson I have learned is that learning is about doing and being, not just about knowing. Now, I can see the patterns in how I think and behave and how this affects my life. I have the confidence to decide which of those behaviours I want to keep and which ones are holding me back. 

Learning takes me out of my comfort zone showing me new paths of forward thinking and acting. I stopped letting my past defining my future and I constantly attain new goals. I now look at how I make choices and decisions and how I go about influencing the people who can bring my aspirations to life. 

You try it now: learn something new today and you’ll be surprised to see how confident, inventive and successful you can be.

ABE Learner Profile: Evans Irungu Macharia

After working  through ABE levels to achieve a Level 6 Diploma, Evans topped up to a Bachelors degree and now plans to do a Masters. Here he talks about why he chose ABE and the skills he gained from his studies.

“I'm a self-driven, passionate, ambitious and open minded person with a positive attitude towards life.  I am a bonafide Kenyan born in a family of two. I hold a graduate Level 6 Diploma in Business Management from ABE which I studied at the Nairobi Institute of Business Studies and a further Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Kenya Methodist University (KEMU). I have great interest in business and corporate social responsibility.  My objective is to work in a challenging and dynamic business environment that provides an opportunity for personal growth and career development.

I chose ABE because of their fast-track route to university that would help me save time and money.  In addition, ABE is internationally recognised around the world and hence I have pride in an international qualification which would easily earn me a job the world over.

Whilst thousands of individuals are competing for jobs in Kenya, ABE graduates are viewed to hold world class qualifications and thus are seen to be productive, their skills make them stand out and they are viewed to be excellent at task implementation.

My immediate plan is to enroll for a part-time Masters degree in one of the leading universities in Kenya.

One of the best things about studying with ABE is that you get wide exposure since their syllabus focuses on what’s happening globally.  Secondly, you develop a professional attitude and are eager to learn more.  Thirdly, you get a qualification recognised internationally and hence making you suitable for the labour market. Lastly, an ABE qualification gives you a competitive edge.

The skills I gained from ABE include strategic management, corporate governance, financial reporting, marketing, strategic planning, managing organisations, quantitative analysis and leadership among many others.

I have so much that I have learnt from ABE, my long-term career plan is to work not only in Kenya or Africa but to spread my wings further and work across the globe in Europe, Asia and the US."

If you would like ABE to be part of your story click here to find out more.

A day in the life of an ABE regional manager

In our series of job profiles, regional manager for East Africa, Aloyo Amateshe, describes his career and how he came by his role at ABE, as well as what a typical day might consist of.

How I started
I did all my studies in Kenya. After successfully completing a Level 7 qualification I topped up to an MBA.  Along the way, I have done many other professional courses.

My parents are both excellent and experienced teachers by profession. As a result, I have always had a keen interest in education. However, my vocational qualifications and first degree were in IT. While working in the IT sector, I was informed of an opening with a UK awarding organisation for a regional business manager. What encouraged me to apply was the fact that a degree in education was not mandatory. I aced the interview and found myself working in education. I enjoyed the work immensely and this served to confirm my love for this sector. I had the task of growing the company’s vocational qualifications portfolio while at the same time protecting their current business through high-level customer care and support. I worked as an International Education Consultant for six years before pursuing different interests and challenges.

Where I am now
I joined ABE in 2015. Having known them from my college days, I was quick to notice the positive changes and campaigns going on, especially on social media.

My overall role is that of helping to increase the visibility of ABE’s qualifications in Kenya and East Africa at large. The most important skills required for such a position include customer care, public relations, negotiation and presentation. I would mention that anyone looking to grow their career in this field must have a sharp focus on public speaking skills.

Here is my typical day

The start of the day
I usually write down my to do list which I fondly abbreviate on a fresh page of my notebook as TTDTD (Things To Do Today). Next, I access my Facebook account to send birthday greetings to all contacts celebrating one on that particular day.  After that, I proceed to the main ABE Facebook page to check any new posts that may have been put up. Should there be any important articles or links I get to read them at that time. This exercise is limited to 30 minutes. Finally, I read and respond to emails before getting on with the rest of my schedule.

Daily tasks
Emailing ranks at the very top of my daily activity, receiving and making calls to our accredited partners is next as part of my customer care. My schedule can, however, be unpredictable especially when I have to carry out an inspection of a prospective ABE partner or perhaps have a meeting with an existing institution.

The best things about my job
I enjoy giving talks to students when I visit ABE colleges. As a mentor, I enjoy imparting some life skills (such as time management, personal branding and leadership) to learners, in addition to useful information such as what ABE is all about and why they have made the right choice to take up an ABE qualification. It’s usually very interesting.

I’m proud of learners who are not shy to ask questions. I’m also proud of institutions that demonstrate good planning by alerting me about upcoming activities early in the day – such as graduation ceremonies where I’m expected to be one of the key guests. Finally, I’m most proud of learners who excel at their ABE qualifications while in the quest for a bright future.

The skills that make a great regional manager
One needs to have excellent knowledge of the market and of ABE’s qualifications.  You need to be excellent at networking, a good communicator and consultative seller.  You also need to be patient, know how to negotiate, have an approachable personality, manage time at every opportunity, and be good at public speaking and giving presentations.

The last task of the day
If time allows, I usually write down my plan for the next day. I then go back to the official ABE Facebook page to check if there are any new postings or perhaps to see the kind of responses earlier posts have elicited. I also try my best to ensure that all emails have been read and responded to before calling it a day. This includes sending out emails to confirm receipt of important information while promising to provide required feedback as soon as possible.

An ABE Business Management Diploma will develop many of the skills Aloyo finds vital to his role.  They offer a great starting point wherever you career takes you.  Find out more…

What makes a website great?

At ABE websites are on our minds.  This is because the time has come for the current ABE site to be updated to something faster, more responsive, easier to navigate and that will, generally, look pretty fantastic!

Apart from being fantastic, designers and developers asked us if there is anything the new site absolutely must (or must not) do. Like many businesses we have many stakeholders with widely varied requirements and the new site needs to be brilliant for everyone. To ensure we achieve this, we created our top 10 checklist of what we think makes a website great: 

1. It starts with clever design – a well-designed homepage will link you straight to what matters most to you and the business
2. It’s fast - no one wants to sit around waiting for information to load
3. It's about you – it has useful, relevant and more importantly updated content so you find the exact information you are after
4. Location, Location, Location – it delivers content to you based on your location, such as upcoming events in your area
5. It tells you everything – you will know who the company are, exactly what they do and where they do it so you’re not left with half information and unanswered questions
6. Connects you with the rest of the world – like it, share it, follow them
7. You don’t need to read (much) – unless you require detailed technical specifications the best websites are those that provide you with punchy, at-a-glance information with the minimum amount of reading required
8. It has a clear call to action – if you have gone onto the website to achieve something, such as make a purchase or become a member, then you should be guided to a simple and fast process to complete your objective
9. It’s responsive – it goes without saying that nowadays a great website should remain great on all devices
10. It looks awesome – design is a subjective thing, but clever use of imagery, graphics and layout can take a website from the functional to the exceptional. This makes visiting it a pleasurable thing.  

We have another 100 (or a million..) things on our wish list, but these ten are the most important and the new ABE website is being designed to meet this list. But what do you think makes a website great?  If you have some other suggestions let us know…