How to pick a course (Part 2)

At the end of 2021, I received an educational scholarship from the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA). The condition was to use the money (USD 7,500) exclusively on learning - from attending educational events to taking courses or programs with the limits of the given amount. As part of my series on how to pick a course, I wanted to share how I used this scholarship fund.

First, I compiled a big wish list with courses that covered topics I have wanted to complete at one point or another. Then I prioritised them and spread them throughout the year in order to avoid having too much to do during busier periods. 

The short version - my main priority was to do a well-known leadership course, which is a good general skill to have in my CV. Next came programs that would help me move up in my career - practical skills that I was either missing or felt needed improvement. I left aside some money to attend events as well. My intention was to not only gain knowledge, but also to do some networking.

Here is the long version, or how I actually used the scholarship:

• My priority course was Seth Godin's altMBA. The altMBA is a 31-day online leadership workshop that provides students with the skills needed to be impactful leaders and make meaningful change. It was the highest investment from the fund, but so worth it! Although words won’t do it justice, I’ll write a dedicated post about it soon.
• I have had a career of over 15 years in the events industry. As things have changed a lot in the past few years, especially around the pandemic, I looked for industry-specific certificate programs to make sure my skills are as relevant to the industry as possible. I picked Event Data Strategist; Sustainable Event Professional Certificate.
• I wanted to get a prestigious institution on my CV, so I checked the certificates and mini-programs offered by ivy league institutions. I had already taken The Science of Wellbeing, one of Yale's top courses on Coursera. Next, I moved to edX.org and Wharton Online, as leaders in business education. I opted for Managing in the Global Digital Economy from Wharton.
• As a writer, I wanted to boost my craft too. I turned again to Seth Godin's offerings and ended up choosing The Story Skills Workshop, which matched my needs well. I additionally enjoyed one of the new TED courses, more specifically How to nurture your imagination. Additionally, one thing I was told many times I needed as a digital marketer was better SEO understanding. I chose Content Marketing: Mastering Your Content Strategy For SEO on Udemy for that.
• Finally, I wanted some specific skills and understanding of the concepts of some of the business leaders I follow. So I leaned on two of my favourite writers - Michael Bungay Stanier (MBS) and Simon Sinek. I went with MBS’ Presentation Genius, and Simon Sinek with live classes on Start with Why.
• To make the most of my time, there was one more key piece to the puzzle. Throughout the year I used resources to attend three signature PCMA events, as the organisation is well known for their quality program and wonderful networking opportunities.

That’s how I chose to spend the scholarship. But the important thing I wanted to share is not so much the specific courses and programs I went for, but the process itself. The year resulted not only in new certificates, but applicable skills and a career leap. Since embarking on this journey I was first promoted and later got an opportunity to change companies. On top of that, I also felt inspired to start writing here and on Medium.

Stay inspired. Keep inspiring.