Popular with candidates and organizations around the globe.
Agile Change Agent: certification launched in 2019 is proving very popular
Since its launch in late 2019 the Agile Change Agent certification has rapidly become an accepted global qualification.
Candidates have joined courses and taken online, self-paced learning on every continent. UK courses have included candidates from across Africa, the Middle East and Australia, and US courses have included candidates from Canada, Mexico, Argentina and the Caribbean.
Organizations who have commissioned the course are as diverse as the locations in which it is being taken. Governments in several countries see this qualification as a quick an effective way to bring their civil servants up to speed on understanding the Agile approaches that many suppliers to the public sector are using.
Charities and “not-for-profits” are changing in response to funding crises and have found this course empowers their staff to take rapid action to cut costs and innovate their delivery models. In the private sector, organizations in utilities, transportation, technology, construction, retail, banking and publishing are sending their project and change teams on this course to ensure their change programmes are agile, flexible and deliver early return on investment.
The geographic and industry spread tells us a lot about the universal demand for learning Agile concepts and the ability to effectively plan and manage a change initiative. The remit for developing the Agile Change Agent course was to make sure the learning was practical and easily adopted.
"We don’t have time for pure theory, we need something that makes a difference now. I want people returning from a training course able to do new things, not just know more."
Kerry McCulloch, Practice Lead – Change Management, John Lewis Partnership
The course balances the need for scoping, planning and implementation with the development of personal leadership skills. This aligns to the concerns of many CEOs:
“While STEM and digital skills were seen as important, demand for these was outstripped by ‘soft’ skills – adaptability, problem-solving, creativity and leadership.”
PWC Annual Global CEO Survey 2020.
In the annual PMI Pulse Survey, executive leaders identified which factors would drive future success, with 35% stating organizational agility as their top priority, with 53% of organizations saying they place a high priority on building a culture receptive to change.
It is gratifying that so many organizations recognize the benefits of this course, but 50% of all candidates are “self-funders” who are making their own decisions about the training that they want. These individuals are discerning consumers, keen to spend their money on a course that will deliver the most value in terms of personal and career development. They want a qualification in something that employers prioritize, and Agile and Change are two of the biggest areas for staff development globally.
In course feedback, individuals identify these factors as the top benefits of the course:
“It has given me a desire to re-energise my leadership approach.”
“This course has given me so many techniques that I am now applying to my work and home life – especially the emphasis on prioritising my To Do list.”
“Developing my leadership credibility and authority is something that I will take with me and will benefit me for a long time to come.”
“The techniques were so simple to understand and use, but so powerful in the difference they make to my results, a brilliant course.”
Click here to find out more about the course and certification.
