Ongoing training is essential when it comes to professional development—whether it’s provided in the workplace or at an academic institution like the McGill Executive Institute. For Jody Mitiche, Service Delivery Director at telecommunications company Ericsson, professional development is essential when it comes to advancing her career and taking on new challenges at work.

“I was actually debating whether or not I wanted to enter a full MBA program at McGill University,” says Jody. “So I opted for the Mini-MBA because my workload was pretty high and my personal life is really busy. I don’t have much time, I thought, so let me see what it’s all about and try this Mini-MBA program.”

Jody chose McGill for its training programs designed for executives, as well as its worldwide reputation when it comes to professors and other program participants. Since Jody hadn’t studied at McGill before, she felt the opportunity to develop a new network was a huge advantage.

“I met three outstanding, very ambitious women in the Mini-MBA program,” says Jody. “It’s a pleasure to continue to meet with them and talk about our careers, opportunities and life, and share career advice.”

What does Jody consider the biggest benefit of her experience in the program? Business acumen. “I was able to look at my own company financials and participate more in those types of high-level discussions,” says Jody. “I was able to sit at the table and understand what the numbers mean, what the strategy means, what our vision is and what our mission statement is. All of these things tie back to the course."

"It gave me the tools I need to contribute even more towards the success of Ericsson.”

“I really I enjoyed these courses and I can’t wait to get back to the next executive-level classroom,” she continues. “The professors are outstanding. I was sad because the program was over, but I felt empowered to go back and work with Ericsson and apply all the knowledge I’d learned from these courses to my work, and that’s the first thing I started doing. The program gave me that little nudge that I needed to get to the next level."

"Plus I saw an opportunity and I applied a lot of the knowledge I learned from these courses to get the visibility I needed internally, which is how I became Director of Service Delivery.”

Jody is so satisfied with her professional development at the McGill Executive Institute that she can’t wait to do it all again. “I’m so glad that I got back into professional training, because I realized that these types of executive courses really offer so much,” she says. “After this first program, I realized that I now need to take more courses to continue advancing my career. I can’t wait to get back, and I’m looking at the courses now to see what else I can take in 2018. I recommend these Mini-MBA courses without hesitation. From a professional and personal development standpoint, they're such great groups of people that come together and you learn a lot not only from professors, but also the people and professionals around you.”