Leading independent education provider, the Australian College of Applied Psychology, has unveiled a large scale rebrand and expansion to become the Australian College of Applied Professions (‘ACAP’), beginning with the launch of an innovative Master of Business Administration (MBA) program tailored specifically to the evolving needs of leaders and businesses in the new world.
The rebrand sees ACAP continue its 40-year legacy of delivering accredited courses in psychology and human services, while expanding into broader fields of professional education where soft and humanistic skills are increasingly becoming a competitive edge.
ACAP will first extend its unique people-powered education into the delivery of a new online MBA program, before launching additional specialised courses in law, accounting and IT – as early as 2022.
Drawing on career tools, teaching paradigms and applied expertise from ACAP’s long-established psychology and human services disciplines, the MBA program will emphasise human insight, industry-relevant soft skills, and deep personal transformation – while still incorporating technical management skills expected of an MBA.
Developed and overseen by highly experienced corporate leadership experts and academics, the program will feature an innovative Leadership Coaching Program with one-to-one mentoring, tailored career guidance and professional networking, as well as leadership profiling tools and assessments to help students identify their strengths, weaknesses, traits, and values so they can more effectively grow their career, influence and impact.
Australian College of Applied Professions CEO, George Garrop, said ACAP’s expansion into broader professions is natural evolution, given the college’s continued growth and surging global demands to empower students with a well-rounded mix of technical and soft skills.
“A large body of research suggests that professionals of today and tomorrow will require not only exemplary technical skills to forge successful long-term careers, but also soft skills and human-centred practices to get the best out of themselves and others,” Mr Garrop said.
Indeed, recent reports from the World Economic Forum,[1] McKinsey Global Institute,[2] and LinkedIn,[3] have noted a ‘soft skill gap’ in employment markets globally, with some analysts predicting that demand for soft skills will equal, if not exceed, demand for technical skills in many professions by as early as 2025.[4] The World Economic Forum’s latest ‘Future of Jobs Report’ predicts that 50 per cent of all employees will need reskilling by 2025, with roles that leverage ‘human’ skills rising in demand,[5] while Deloitte forecasts that jobs in soft-skill intensive occupations will grow at 2.5 times the rate of jobs in other occupations to comprise two-thirds of all jobs by 2030.[6]
Mr Garrop added: “It is clear that in-demand, yet commonly lacking, soft skills such as empathy, emotional intelligence, teamwork, effective communication, professional ethics and adaptability, are becoming a key competitive advantage in many industries – boosting a professional’s employability, job performance and career progression opportunities.
“The Australian College of Applied Professions – with its deep grounding in psychology, human services and online course delivery – is uniquely positioned to not only respond to the growing human-centred needs of industries and students, but also the rising demands for flexibility and remote learning in the new world.
“In an exciting new era, ACAP looks forward to delivering a range of highly relevant, practical, and accessible specialist courses to equip professionals across various industries with the fully-rounded skill sets they’ll need to lead and succeed in the new age of work.”
At a time when COVID-19 is impacting countless organisations, particularly in higher education, ACAP has continued to grow. Forming part of global education provider Navitas, ACAP is one of the largest providers of psychology and human services programs in Australia, delivering higher education and vocational training to more than 4,000 students at campuses in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, and Byron Bay – as well as online.
Attracting diverse cohorts seeking new careers or opportunities, ACAP outperforms the sector in providing access to education for students who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, mature age, first-in-family to attend university or having a disability.
In addition to a name change, ACAP will undergo a visual refresh as part of its rebrand, with a revised master brand logo and distinct colourways for new study areas, plus a new website and photographic assets. The rebrand will be brought to life through an inspiring and inclusive new advertising campaign that encourages audiences to ‘Start with How’ if they can see ‘why’ aspects of the world need to change.
Applications for the Australian College of Applied Professions’ February 2022 MBA program will open on Monday the 25th of October 2021.
To find out more about the Australian College of Applied Professions, visit www.acap.edu.au
[1] World Economic Forum, 2020, Future of Jobs Report
[2] McKinsey Global Institute, 2021, Future of Work series
[3] LinkedIn, 2021, Future of Talent Report
[4] World Economic Forum, 2020, Future of Jobs Report
[5] World Economic Forum, 2020, Future of Jobs Report
[6] Deloitte Access Economics, 2017, Soft Skills for Business Success Report