Atukwase Cleophus completed an Association of Business Executives (ABE) Level 6 Diploma course in Business Management through the Management and Accountancy Training Company (MAT) in Uganda, where he was registered with ABE as a self-study student. Today, Atukwase uses his qualification in his role as Chief Executive Officer and Head of Secretariat at youth project BARESO -The Lord’s Vessel.  Here he explains how his ABE qualification has helped him achieve his career goals and make a success of his role as CEO.

The ABE qualification has proved invaluable in supporting my work as Chief Executive Officer at ‘BARESO - The Lord’s Vessel’, a not-for-profit organisation whose aim is to improve the prospects of the youth in the four districts of the Kabale Diocese.  

With head offices in Kabale, south-western Uganda, BARESO is governed by an independent board of directors and managed by a Secretariat – which I head.  The role of a CEO is obviously demanding and covers several areas of responsibility, everything from human resources to financial management. At BARESO, everything must be linked back to the mission and vision of the organisation. Each module of the Level 6 Diploma in Business Management helped me meet all my objectives and carry out my duties effectively. 

ABE qualifications are recognised by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulations (Ofqual) in the UK and by the equivalent bodies worldwide. These qualifications are also recognised by colleges, universities, employers and governments around the world, making them ideal for academic and professional development.

Challenge  

After I finished my Bachelor’s Degree, I found myself lacking the managerial knowledge and skills I needed to progress in my career. In a drive to remedy this, I enrolled myself hastily on two postgraduate courses, without first identifying the skills I needed to acquire. Eventually, after undertaking some research, I realised that what I really needed was an ABE qualification. So I dropped both my original choice courses and started the ABE Level 6 Diploma in Business Management.

Implementation  

The purpose of my job as CEO at BARESO is to provide leadership for the company by promoting the vision, mission, strategies and programmes in the target communities, as well as to the general public. In my other role as Head of BARESO Secretariat, the management arm of BARESO, I have five main areas of responsibility and each area was becoming a huge challenge, mainly due to the lack of professional skills management gained from my Bachelor’s Degree.  

The ABE Level 6 Diploma in Business Management was the ultimate course for me because it had all the elements necessary to develop my professional skills in all of the five key areas.  

The Corporate Strategy and Planning section of the course helped me to lead in strategy development for the organisation, development of goals, objectives and operational plans, overseeing preparation of the annual budget and other financial documents and setting policies in line with BARESO’s mission.  

The Managing in Organisations module helped me with all my leadership and management responsibilities, including in human resources and performance.  

The Corporate Finance module helped me with financial management, an area where I oversaw financial and investment activities for the organisation.

Strategic Marketing Management was an important module and was integral in helping me plan and execute my duties for public relations and advocacy.  This part of my role involved the development and execution of a strategic marketing plan and engaging positively and effectively with the media.  

The International Business module helped with all my responsibilities associated with programme development and implementation from a global perspective. The module also helped me to ensure that the goals and objectives were aligned with BARASO’s overall strategic plan, as well as the monitoring of all BARESO’s programmes.  

It took me a year to complete the Level 6 Diploma and I am now studying the ABE Level 7 Diploma in Business Management and the Certified Public Accountants (CPA) qualification.

Conclusion

The ABE qualification has undoubtedly supported my work as Chief Executive Officer and helped me deal with the challenges of my role. After completing the Level 6 Diploma, I became particularly proficient in strategic planning and drafting manuals and, as a result of this, the Board recommended me for a lecturing job at a university.

I’m in no doubt that these qualifications are worthwhile and have opened up many doors for me.