Summer Learning? Tell Me More, Tell Me More

Tuesday 21 July 2026

By Laura Dowie, Director at Centre of Learning, part of The WiB Group.

Summer and downtime might not always go hand-in-hand. Between summer camps and drop-offs and all those precious hours that, for parents, vanish in the blink of an eye, any time to focus and reflect on your own self-development becomes vanishingly small.

Yet investing in yourself, even if it’s a three-hour stretch this August at the Centre of Learning, will pay dividends in the long run.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way up-front: professional training is at its best when it’s tailored. Not a prescriptive, one-size-fits-all tick box, but rather opportunities that are, by design, inherently interactive. Inclusive. Opportunities forged by feedback to ensure every exercise is highly relevant and impactful both now and far into the future.

Put simply, what good is learning if it’s not dynamic? Not only do people learn in different ways, but the rapidly changing business environment is such that any CPD opportunity must be flexible and future-fit. If not, candidates might leave the room – virtual and otherwise – thinking they’ve wasted their precious time. Or worse, feeling unmotivated and uninspired.

By listening to our members, the Centre of Learning has prepared our upcoming summer workshop series in such a way that it aims to deliver exactly what people have asked for: curated access to leadership training and progression programmes delivered by certified experts in their respective fields.

Each session has been shaped by input from our learners, a participant-first approach that has the power to be transformational. Especially when you consider the networking opportunities and connections made possible by filling a room with women all at similar stages in their careers. In creating a trusted forum for discussion, each Centre of Learning programme provides space and time for those solutions to be shared.

Which continues to be crucial, even in 2026, after the latest NISRA Women in the Workplace report found fewer opportunities exist for women in terms of 1) career progression, 2) decision-making and 3) direct support from line managers. The inconvenient truth in all this is that these challenges won’t go away on their own. Instead, concerted effort is needed.

Our four face-to-face Wednesday workshops run from 5th to 26th August and will tackle topics spanning strategic decision making, data presentation, how best to handle expectations and managing stakeholders effectively.

Don’t wait to invest in yourself; last year’s summer workshop series was a sell-out! At Centre of Learning there is no jargon. No pressure. Only practical, immediate results aimed at addressing any fears you may have around commitment, workload or expectations. Off-the-shelf CPD that’s the same for everyone only gets us so far. This is about honest workplace training tailored to your individual goals.

Search ‘Centre of Learning NI programmes’ today to secure your spot. Irish News readers can avail of 20% off by emailing info@centreoflearningni.com and quoting ‘COLSummer’. Let this be a summer of self-development that ‘future you’ will thank you for.

Tuesday 21 July 2026