Good evening everyone, I will try to explain my situation, hoping to find an answer for all the doubts I'm having since months.

I have a Foundation of Engineering (FdEng) in Renewable Energy Technologies, and after it I frequented an Executive Master in Energy Management in a small business school of my city, taking a Diploma of Master in Energy Management (the course was of 100 hours).

After this master, I got hired, as Junior Project Manager, in an multinational company, leader of the development and management of renewable energy systems at worldwide level. I have a total of 9 months of work experience, and next year i will start my international career, moving with the same company in another Country, starting to take my first important business responsabilities.

After this resume, I would like to ask you:

1) Should I top-up my Foundation Degree to a Bachelor of Engineering (distance learning) of Management Engineering, and then, to a Msc of Renewable Energy? A top manager of my company said to me that, if I would like to grow up my career and arrive to a future executive level, is not fundamental my study title, but the technical and business skills that I have acquired at work.

2) It's ok to top up on Bachelor of Management Engineering (distance learning) and, then, after some years, take an MBA, without MSc? Or just with my Foundation Degree is possible to take an Execurive MBA?

3) Are the executive certifications, as pre-MBA courses worth the money? Are they a real solution for improve my curriculum (particularly in the short term)?

Thank you, and best regards to everyone.

I think you will gain more from formal degrees rather than certificates or less well understood courses. Topping up to a BSc is great.

Another option would be to top up the BSc and then go for a master in management program. This would mean that you'd see stronger salary growth at the beginning of your career, but you'd have to put off the beginning of your career until you finish the MiM.

@Duncan @Razors Edge, thank you guys for your answers.

Based on what you told me, I made a more focused research of distance learning courses for top-up my Foundation Degree. Knowing that my knowledge is strictly technical, I was interested to follow the final year in management and business area. I found these specific courses:

- University of Derby, Business and Management BSc (Hons);
- Kingston University, Business Management Practice BA(Hons);
- University of Essex, BA (Hons) Business and Management.

After obtaining this degree, why should I do the MiM, when I can continue my international career for some years, and then, apply for an EMBA?

Thank you guys and best regards,

M.

An excellent MIM would lift your early career salary massively compared to these unranked schools' undergraduate degrees. It would make you likely to be attractive to a top MBA or EMBA in the way those undergraduate degrees would not.

[Edited by Duncan on Oct 24, 2018]

@Duncan, thanks for your feedback. Please, let me explain if i understood well:
- Get an MBA, if we have several years of work experience, already mid-senior levels, with BSc education level (minimum);
- Get an MiM, if we have 1 year of work experience, already (or going to be) entry level workers, with BSc education level (or not?).

The point that I have difficult to understand is that, just with my Foundation Degree, I already got hired as Junior Project Manager in a multinational company, so I'm already on my entry level career. Do you really think that, now that I got hired, i don't need anymore to top-up to a BSc? And, which top worldwide university would accept to a MiM an entry level worker that has a Foundation Degree and not a BSc?

Thanks for your feedbacks, I really appreciate!

M.

Are there options to top up your diploma to an MSc, like http://www.dmu.ac.uk/study/courses/postgraduate-courses/energy-and-sustainable-development/energy-and-sustainable-development-msc-degree.aspx ?

Given the modest effort involved in completing a bachelor's degree, and the much greater ease it would give you in accessing masters degrees, I think that is a wise first step. Assuming the degree and diploma both carry recognized academic credit, you might find that one of the big three distance learning universities in the USA(Excelsior, Charter Oak or Thomas Edison) will accept the credit from both qualifications towards a bachelor's degree. They are very generous in recognizing credits from all sort of places. That might be faster and cheaper than one of the UK schools, but they are also good options. It seems that the order should be Essex > (big gap) Derby > Kingston: https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/league-tables/rankings?s=Business+%26+Management+Studies

A good MiM isn't just for *any* entry-level role: "For the year 2017, an MSc in Management graduates from top B-School starting average salary was 68000 Euros with graduates finding the job all over the world. Average Salary after 3 years of graduation is more than $98000." https://www.mim-essay.com/blog/average-salaries-mim/ If you are earning below this level, and are eligible for a MiM or a relevant MSc at one of these business schools in a valuable management function, then a MiM is a great investment.

When you are already close to that level of seniority, then a good MBA or EMBA is a great investment, regardless of what prior degrees you have.

A good MiM isn't just for *any* entry-level role: "For the year 2017, an MSc in Management graduates from top B-School starting average salary was 68000 Euros with graduates finding the job all over the world. Average Salary after 3 years of graduation is more than $98000." https://www.mim-essay.com/blog/average-salaries-mim/ If you are earning below this level, and are eligible for a MiM or a relevant MSc at one of these business schools in a valuable management function, then a MiM is a great investment.

Yes, that's why I also gave the starting salary. This person could top up in much less time. Could take a one year French batchelor, or use one of the big three US distance schools to get credits for exams and prior study.

Hello everyone,
thank you for all your feedbacks.

Right now I can say that, as Junior Project Manager (entry level job, with a Foundation Degree in Renewable Energy Technologies) my avarage annual salary turns around 22-25K€ + bonus.

About the top-up degree, I found a very good part time distance learning top-up BEng in General Engineering with "The Open University" (for me, part time distance learning studies are a priority, because from the next year I will move, for business, in South America, working full time). Any opinion about this online university?I will advise you that, unfortunately, I already got in touch with some business schools, such as University of Essex (online), but they rejected my application because I don't have a Foundation Degree in business studies..So, my main goal would be to top-up in engineering studies, then find a good MSc / MiM in business and management.

Question: can you please guys, give me some ideas about an accredited online university that has MiM courses (Mim distance learning possibly)?

Thank you all and best regards.

Assuming you mean the UK Open University, that is an excellent university.

I guess Birmingham or Aston are the strongest choices for an online MiM.