South African EY employees offered free MBAs

Accounting giant Ernst & Young (EY) is offering a fully accredited virtual corporate Master of Business Administration (MBA). The EY Free MBA will be available at no charge for all 284,000 EY staff located in more than 150 countries including South Africa.

The EY Free MBA programme, in association with Hult International Business School will focus on developing the right mindset and new skillsets to navigate new ways of working.

EY said that the entire programme will be delivered online and that fourteen African EY employees have already qualified to enter the programme.

The programme will also help EY staff develop leadership qualities and technological know-how for a constantly changing business environment

Additionally, EY staff who enrol in the MBA programme will have the option to customise their curriculum. There is a broad range of subjects to choose from including intelligence (AI), blockchain, and robotic process automation (RPA).

There is also an option to choose non-tech subjects such as employee wellbeing, diversity and inclusion, and sustainable business practices. The fully virtual programme is reflective of a broader shift to online learning in EY.

EY Africa Markets Leader, Roderick Wolfenden said that the increased importance and integration of technology due to the recent lockdown, means the launch of the EY free MBA has launched at the right time.

“Just about every business is now in some way also a technology business. Successful businesses rely heavily on technology for communication, productivity and keeping up with advancements in industry,”

Wolfenden added, “It’s very exciting to help people to acquire specialist knowledge so they apply it in the workplace to help solve big problems.”

Global Chairman and CEO of EY, Carmine Di Sibio said, “As the world continues to manage through and adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, we believe the skills of EY people and their ability to serve clients will be a differentiating factor,”

“The EY Tech MBA by Hult will enable EY people to harness the power of new technologies like AI and blockchain and develop strategies to help EY clients navigate unprecedented disruption. Through this new fully accredited qualification, EY people will be able to develop the business leadership behaviours and technology skills that will build a better working world,” Di Sidio added.

EY has long been a recruiter for top MBA graduates globally and has a track record of being a top choice for MBA graduates. The company also ranked 52^nd on the 100 Best Companies to Work For list according to Fortune magazine in 2018.

EY Global Vice Chair for Talent, Trent Henry said that the goal is for EY to be the world leader in skills development and the EY Tech MBA by Hult marks a real step toward making that a reality.

He added that the MBA will help the company prepare its staff for the future and through its innovative virtual learning model, people can develop the skills and capabilities they need from anywhere in the world, in a way that truly suits them.