The full-time MBA class of 2010/11 in the Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business have completed their first semester and have dealt with all the challenges that this brings. Alongside their busy academic schedule, they are now also endeavouring to work out what the MBA will mean for their future careers. To support them with this challenge, the Smurfit Business School provides a coaching programme which consists of 3 coaching sessions spread throughout the year. Last year this programme was run as a pilot and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. One student went so far as to say that it was the best part of the MBA programme.

This year Brian Marrinan (MBA Careers Manager) has enhanced the offering further. Coaching is now firmly integrated with the other elements of the professional development programme. The coaches have a good understanding of these other elements and can now encourage students to bring other materials to bear on the coaching agenda where appropriate (e.g. results of team and individual psychometric testing, career planning sessions, networking skills sessions). By doing this, students can now address coaching agendas relating to Leadership Style as well focusing very specifically on their career options post-MBA.

This year there are 4 coaches assigned to the 45 students and I am thrilled to be part of this team. I genuinely feel energised when working with the MBA students, and I look forward to working with them again this year.