From Deck to Diploma
Over the past few months I have been undertaking the NVQ Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership a qualification designed to challenge and shape the way senior professionals think about business at the highest level. As someone leading operations within a company that spans marine engineering fabrication and consultancy this has been a timely and transformative experience
The course is structured around demonstrating competence rather than simply sitting in a classroom and that suits me down to the ground. I am not someone who learns best by reading about hypothetical case studies. I learn by doing and then reflecting on what worked what did not and what could be done better
What I have appreciated most about the NVQ is how closely it ties in with the reality of running Terra Mechanica Maris Ltd. I am not stepping away from my work to study instead I am using my work as the study. Whether it is drafting and reviewing our strategic business plan building out operational frameworks or working with stakeholders on complex marine projects everything I am submitting as evidence is directly relevant to the business we are growing
One of the most valuable areas has been around risk management and business continuity. We recently developed a new Company Threat and Opportunity Log as part of our ISO 9001 compliance and this has now become a live tool that guides both operational and strategic decisions. The NVQ has helped me formalise that process by forcing me to think through our risk appetite response plans and mitigation actions in a structured way. It is not about ticking a box but embedding that thinking into the way we work
Leadership and stakeholder engagement are other key areas the qualification explores. Running offshore operations demands more than technical expertise it requires calm confident leadership especially when things do not go to plan. The NVQ framework encourages that style of leadership through reflective accounts and structured planning and I have found it useful to step back and consider how my communication and planning impacts team performance and client confidence
The other part I have really valued is being able to align our longer term innovation work with structured strategic thinking. Projects like Terra Ancora our anchoring solution for renewable energy applications are not just technical challenges they are business decisions. The NVQ has given me the space and tools to build those into a broader vision with clearer goals timelines and justifications for investment
At its core this qualification is about making sure you are not just running a business but building one with purpose. It is reinforcing that every decision whether on deck in the workshop or at the planning table needs to connect to a wider plan. That is exactly the kind of structure we need as we grow
If anyone out there is thinking of doing the NVQ Level 7 my advice is simple get stuck in but do it with your business in mind. Make it real make it count and make sure it drives value for you and your team