Turnaround specialist firm Vantage Performance has joined forces with the University of Queensland to offer a 13-week Turnaround Management module for students enrolled in a bachelor of advanced finance and economics.
Vantage Performance executive director Kevin Higgins said the Introduction to Turnaround Management, which sat within the Financial Modelling course, offers students a real-world learning experience.
“Vantage employs many UQ graduates and they have been very engaged about learning from us how to work with businesses to solve major problems such as a lack of funding or the need to restructure,” Mr Higgins said.
“We approached UQ and they were very receptive to collaborating with us and introducing our Turnaround Management module into their BAFE program.
“The module draws on our existing expertise in business advisory, more specifically the development and implementation of financial restructuring, corporate turnaround and refinancing strategies.”
He said students would learn financial modelling skills to apply to underperforming businesses and module subjects would include early intervention, employee management, key stakeholders, the role of management, and the importance of strategy.
Mr Higgins said the idea for the module came from the interest taken by BAFE graduates at Vantage in business turnaround work.
“Our unique onboarding materials, which mimicked real-world practices of the turnaround industry, are thoroughly enjoyed by our graduates,” he said.
“Vantage Performance aims to lead the charge in its support of upskilling the next generation of business professionals to ensure they are graduate job ready.”
The move was supported by the BAFE program’s deputy director Mark Tanner and the head of UQ’s Business School Stephen Gray.
Vantage Performance chief executive Michael Fingland said the skills taught in the module would make a big difference to how students viewed the business landscape.
“Employers are placing higher emphasis on entry-level talent to join their workforce already equipped with job-relevant skills, so it’s important for universities to integrate relevant and practical learnings to meet these demands,” Mr Fingland said.
“Our whole reason for being at Vantage Performance is to give Australian businesses a better chance for success and the partnership with UQ is a testament to this, an opportunity to collaborate to help bolster the nation’s business strength.”
Vantage Performance said it had completed more than 215 successful turnaround engagements with a success rate of 85 per cent and helped more than 200 businesses scale up.
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