AEE COURSES
We know from experience how difficult it is for small businesses to take a step back and think strategically about what’s next. Many forgo planning in favour of short term goals or simply fail to adapt and don’t grow. Whether you’re a small business owner, an early stage entrepreneur or you just need support upskilling yourself or your team, the AEE Course Pathway was specifically designed with you in mind. We provide a variety of self-study CPD courses in a number of different areas, each designed to help you help your business.
Starting up and running a small business is not without its challenges in so-called “normal” times. The Covid-19 pandemic has forced many SMEs to quickly adapt. Some have survived, with considerable energy, focus, patience, effort, and more than a little luck, while many others, sadly, have not. SMEs account for 99.8% of the 5.7 million businesses in the UK, and according to the World Bank, they number around 90% of businesses and generate more than 50% of employment worldwide. Therefore, the ability to adapt and stand out has never been more important.
We hear a number of recurring problems from business owners of all sizes across the world:
They struggle to sell their idea/product/service
They struggle to attract customers
The struggle to formalise their business
They struggle with the financial stuff
They struggle with the operational stuff
They struggle to increase revenue
The struggle to recruit and retain staff
They struggle with technology in their business
They struggle with social media
Among SMEs, these concerns are often much more prevalent and in uncertain time they must be proactive or risk lagging behind. They must quickly distinguish themselves from others in the market, and ensure they consistently deliver high quality service while also looking for chances to grow.
At AEE, we specialise in making that easier. Our series of short CPD courses specifically designed for SME owners, focus on providing tried and tested toolkits in an applied setting that cover a wide variety of popular subjects and vocational topics to solve many of these problems. As the SME landscape continues to evolve, so will the need for highly trained business managers and leaders. However, with this comes a clear need to upskill the workforce and to introduce or enhance practical experienced-based training and education.
Our academic specialists have developed a number of practical enterprise programmes for university students all over the world, and they have now created a series of short CPD courses specifically for SME owners. We offer a practice-based approach to enterprise education that transcends academia; one that provides evidence-based tools and techniques which can be applied to almost all real-life situations and business challenges. We use real CPD & City Guild accredited materials, as taught in many of the world’s leading institutions, and at AEE we have collated them to make the journey more practical, valuable, and personalised to you. We aim to provide both a sense of direction and purpose, as well as actual practical knowledge, support, guidance, and insights from experts in the field.
Our growing course catalogue features only the highest-quality endorsed enterprise programs, covering a wide variety of popular subjects and vocational topics. Choose below from our dynamic range of courses, which will provide you with detailed insights into more specialist skills and knowledge areas.
COURSE
BREAKDOWN
We have designed 15 self-study courses, each of which are made available online for a period of three months.
Once the three month period is over, access to the course is revoked. We will offer reminders and extensions where applicable.
These courses are also evergreen: they run year round
Topic 1: Accountability & Deadlines
Topic 2: Planning for Productivity
Topic 3: Who are you? What do you know?
Topic 4: Contextual Empathy Index™
Topic 5: Beliefs, Behaviour, Patterns
Topic 6: Future Thinker
Topic 1: Ideas & Design Thinking Explained
Topic 2: Ideation
Topic 3: Research
Topic 4: Idea Templates & Tools
Topic 5: Idea Refinement
Topic 6: Technology Roadmaps
Topic 1: Why Prototype?
Topic 2: Prototype Process
Topic 3: Get the Story Straight
Topic 4: The 4-Step Dance (Rob Ryan)
Topic 5: Final Development Strategies
Topic 6: Pitch Perfect
Topic 1: Industry Analysis Techniques
Topic 2: How to Research the Competition
Topic 3: Where to Compare?
Topic 4: Competitor Comparative Modelling
Topic 5: Value Matrix
Topic 6: The 4D Model
Topic 1: Segmentation: Importance of Understanding the Customer
Topic 2: Getting to Know the User
Topic 3: Profiling: Building Your Avatar
Topic 4: Understanding the User Journey
Topic 5: Mapping the User Journey
Topic 6: Refining the Proposition: The 4D Model
Topic 1: Gauging Interest, Tools & Techniques
Topic 2: Getting Clear: Brand Identity & Message
Topic 3: Logo Design: Articulates Values Visually
Topic 4: Creating the Brand Pack – Canvas for Dummies
Topic 5: Creating Brand Awareness
Topic 6: Developing Brand Legitimacy, Status & Reputation
Topic 1: Research 101
Topic 2: Asking Powerful Questions
Topic 3: Research Tools & Techniques
Topic 4: Analysing the Data
Topic 5: Understanding the Data
Topic 6: Using & Presenting the Data
Topic 1: Operations v Supply Chain Management for SMEs
Topic 2: Make v Buy
Topic 3: Supply Chain
Topic 4: Key Partners
Topic 5: Logistics – 7Rs
Topic 6: Value Chain
Topic 1: Financing Start-Ups: Routes & Advice
Topic 2: Budget & Costs
Topic 3: Financial Planning
Topic 4: Pricing Strategies
Topic 5: Creating Financial Statements
Topic 6: Making Decisions: Profit & Loss
Topic 1: Knowing Your Value
Topic 2: Visualise Your Value & Quantify it
Topic 3: Get the Message Right
Topic 4: Sales Techniques: Online & Offline
Topic 5: Negotiation & Closing
Topic 6: Tracking Sales
Topic 1: Business Models Uncovered
Topic 2: Researching Your Preference
Topic 3: Clarifying your Inputs & Outputs
Topic 4: Clarifying Key Activities
Topic 5: Stakeholder Analysis
Topic 6: Reaching the Audience
Topic 1: Getting Clear: Mission, Vision & Values
Topic 2: Internal Analysis Tools
Topic 3: External Analysis
Topic 4: Positioning
Topic 5: Strategic Goals
Topic 6: The 4D Model
Topic 1: Business Ethics & CSR in SMEs
Topic 2: The SDGs Broken Down
Topic 3: People Before Profit
Topic 4: Sustainable Design
Topic 5: Sustainability Strategies
Topic 6: The 4 Step Dance
NEW Courses Coming Soon! Details to follow
