University News Last updated 18 October 2011
A new management development programme, Leaders in Leisure, has been announced by The Rank Group plc which aims to further develop the leadership skills of its management team.
‘Leaders in Leisure’ is an innovative Post Graduate management development programme developed in conjunction with Birmingham City University’s Birmingham City Business School (BCBS)
The Rank Group aims to be the leading gaming-based entertainment business and the Leaders in Leisure course is the first in a whole programme of recruitment, training and development initiatives that the company will be launching this year.
The Leaders in Leisure qualification will be delivered primarily by the experienced BCBS Team, supported with specialist input from Rank Group experts. The Programme is aimed at managers with the drive and desire to improve and enhance their capability within all Rank businesses and support functions. Successful completion of the programme will provide participants with a Post Graduate Diploma in ‘Leisure Leadership and Strategy’.
First gaming-based leisure business to develop qualification
Kevin Allcock, Mecca Operations Director, said: "We are extremely excited to have worked with the Birmingham City Business School to develop the Leaders in Leisure Programme.
“A total of 18 managers and functional leaders will take part in the first course and successful completion of the programme will result in participants being awarded a post-graduate Diploma in Leisure Leadership and Strategy. The Programme not only focuses upon developing leadership, customer insight, financial and strategic skills, but also facilitates a collaborative approach to business leadership for our management and senior employee teams. We are the first gaming-based leisure business to develop such a qualification and as a result of terrific interest from our teams, we are already finalising our plans for the second year of the programme.”
Managers will attend campus in Birmingham for 14 days over 18 months and they will be assessed through a combination of written assignments and presentations.
A leading practice-based business school
Chris Edger, who is the Professor of Multi-Unit Leadership at BCBS said, “I am delighted to be working with The Rank Group on the ‘Leaders in Leisure’ project as it is the most respected, innovative gaming organisation in the UK. This is a great opportunity to help Rank to further develop its managers' leisure leadership capabilities.”
Rank’s principal market is Britain, where it operates Grosvenor Casinos (35 casinos), Mecca Bingo (103 bingo clubs) and Rank Interactive (online gaming and betting). In addition, Rank operates in Spain as Top Rank España (11 bingo clubs) and in Belgium as Grosvenor Casinos (two casinos).
In 2010, Rank’s businesses received more than 22 million customer visits and the Group employed around 8,000 team members.
BCBS is a leading practice-based business school with significant professional accreditation across its portfolio. It has outstanding links with business, working with, among others, builders’ merchants Jewsons, leisure company M&B plus retailer Spar. Teaching is underpinned with work experience and the School regularly attracts high profile speakers, such as explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, former-Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy and BSkyB head Jeremy Darroch.