Hello Everyone,



I am considering SLA’s with pathway to MBA. I have come across the below schools and would like to have feedback. My background- I work as a principal engineer working in design role for a energy company in UK. Career aspirations-Progression to commercial and PM roles within energy industry, which is doable even without MBA. MBA is more for personal development and improve commercial and leadership skills.



The schools I am considering are below-

1. Strathclyde MBA (Sustainable Energy Futures), aligned to energy industry

2. Henley flexible MBA - Very close to where I live.

3. Cranfield-Cannot afford 70 days on campus

4. Durham online MBA

5. Lancaster Executive MBA.



I am tempted towards Strathclyde because of program content but the risk is that I would be surrounded with a cohort having similar background and similar aspiration. Henley would be my second choice.



Is it safe to say in terms of quality of education/cohort experience Durham online /Lancaster MBA would lag behind Henley?

[Edited by Digant2022 on Sep 20, 2022]

Online courses do vary but, if you are close to Henley, I would take that seriously. There are so many events, skills workshops and resources on campus that could swing the deal. 

Thank you Duncan!

Hello everyone,

My employer has confirmed that they can sponsor me for an SLA but have asked me to take a pay cut to 80%. Their reasoning is that they need to let me off 20% of the time for training as stated in the senior leadership program brochure which says “Those undertaking the apprenticeship options will require support from their employer and a commitment to 20% off the job training”

Is this normal practice as foregoing 20% salary for 2-3 year MBA program makes it more expensive than doing an EMBA at my own time.

Anyone been in similar situation before?

That's not normal, no. Obviously cutting your gross salary 20% would not cut your take-home salary by the same amount. However, it's worth making three points to the employer:
- Training and professional development are a normal part of working life. Where I work, we are each obliged to record 160 hours a year of continuous professional development in order to maintain our professional accreditation. 
- The senior apprenticeship is work based learning. Your assessed work is all based around your company and improving it, and you are supported in that by professors from one of the country's top business schools. That has a material benefit to the business. Are they prepared to pay you for the improvements that arise from the analyses you conduct in your spare time? 
- The senior apprenticeship requires your employer understand that 20% of your working time is spent on the work for the programmes. If you work 4 days a week, that would be 0.8 days in those four days. I doubt that you could be accepted if your employer did not support you with time and access. 

Your employer is an asshole. Get another job. 

[Edited by Duncan on Oct 14, 2022]

Hi Duncan,

Thank you for the valuable suggestions. 

When I did my MBA, they agreed a salary sacrifice where the cost of my MBA was subtracted from my gross salary. That would have no extra cost to you. Some alternative suggestions:
-  They are are not prepared to support you with time off for this training, that must mean that they don't see it as a useful investment for the business. Either they don't see the value of an MBA, or they don't believe an MBA would make you more valuable to them. Ask them which it is. Either way, they are telling you that you don't have a path for progression at that company and you should add into your selection criteria what careers services are available from the various schools. They should also understand that if they do not give you paid time off, will not own any IP you develop as part of the programme. 
- Rather than reduce your salary by 20%, you and they could agree to reduce it in line with the number of days you are physically on campus and not able to work. That will almost certainly be less than 10% of your working days. Alternatively, do reduce to 80%: use most that time for for study in the first year and in the second year for networking, informational interviewing and job hunting. 
- If they won't agree to support your apprenticeship, you could quickly incorporate a company in England or Wales and then have your company sponsor you for one. I think that's legal and much cheaper than self-funding a part-time MBA outside the apprenticeship scheme.

[Edited by Duncan on Oct 16, 2022]

Thank you Duncan!
They are all very good points and I will ask these to my employer. It also would provide me an insight with whether I see career progression within the company.

- If they won't agree to support your apprenticeship, you could quickly incorporate a company in England or Wales and then have your company sponsor you for one. I think that's legal and much cheaper than self-funding a part-time MBA outside the apprenticeship scheme.

Most obvious danger for Brits: sunburn from the holidays you can have with the £19,000 you are saving. Gout from more expensive wines.