Systems Thinking Practitioner
Level 7 | Duration: 22 months
The master’s degree-level STP apprenticeship provides a toolbox of techniques, behaviours and skills to support managers in strategic and leadership roles to understand and address complex and ‘wicked’ problems through systemic analysis, advice and facilitation.
Often, these require cross-boundary collaboration within and between organisations.
The course is purpose-designed. As the first provider in the country, we have built on the feedback from the first cohorts to make the course absolutely vocational, taught by practitioners and completely focused on applying systems thinking techniques in the workplace. There are no dusty academics here!
We are delighted to have supported the first apprentices in the country to successful completion.
“Starting the apprenticeship has been one of the most fulfilling personal development decisions I have ever made. The support that I have received from across my organisation has been brilliant and I always look forward to sharing things that I have learned with my team. It has opened doors that previously, I would not have previously had the confidence to knock on, let alone open. It has been a game-changer for me, and I cannot recommend apprenticeships highly enough.”
Our systems thinking apprenticeship has proven particularly popular with the public and voluntary sectors. Employers and apprentices who trust us with their training include the NHS Project Profession, Alzheimer’s Society, Maximus, Education Development Trust, Department for Education, Kent County Council, Milton Keynes City Council, Sheffield City Council, Reading Council and many other NHS and government bodies.
Meet the tutor
Carolina Cullington
Practitioner and consultant specialising in Lean, Agile, and Systems Thinking. With experience spanning Software Engineering, Product Management and Operations.
Course content
- The STP Apprenticeship and What is Systems Thinking?
- The Tools of Systems Thinking
- Systems Approaches
- Critical Systems Heuristics
- Soft Systems Methodology
- Viable Systems Model
- System Dynamics
- Multimethodology
- Interventions Introduction
- Working with Self and Others
- Interventions
- Sense Making of Complex, Messy Problems
- Organisational Learning
- Portfolio Evidence Building
- You as a Practitioner
Each presentation of the course is adjusted for the types of complex problems apprentices face at work and includes projects and assignments aligned to their real work.
Delivery
The accelerated training phase is 18 months, plus four months for end point assessment.
The format is:
- Tutor-led, interactive seminars via Teams, with leading Systems Thinking practitioners, typically half a day a week
- Monthly 1-2-1 time with an experienced skills coach
- Online learning and self-study materials
- Development of an individualised Workplace Development Plan focused on both learner and business needs
- Quarterly reviews with line managers
- Self-study
Final starts under the current apprenticeship levy funding arrangement will be in December 2025. If there is sufficient demand, starts for this or similar courses will be available in 2026 using private funding arrangements.
Get in touch to see how we can help your organisation
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