**Call for Applications Now Open**

We are pleased to announce the next call for the First Steps into Management Digital Badge, in line with our commitment in the UCC Strategic Plan 2023-2028 to growing professional development for all staff. The programme is run twice annually.

The dates & times of the workshops are outlined here: First Steps 2026 Dates

Target Audience: All staff aspiring to be team leaders/managers i.e. early career academics, professional & administration, postdocs, early career researchers and technical officers.

Application Process: Having discussed with your line manager, submit this form outlining why this programme is relevant to you at this stage in your career (400 word limit) highlighting the relevance to a) your role b) your unit & c) UCC Strategic Plan 2023-2028

Deadline to apply: Applications to be made via this MS Form by 5pm, Friday 9th January 2026.     

First Steps 2026 Dates

Criteria to apply & earn the Digital Badge:

1. Attend all workshops. In your application, please advise which cohort suits you best. If you can attend either cohort, please indicate this in your application also.
2. Be willing to complete an MBTI questionnaire & follow up feedback session
3. Participants will be invited to give a short presentation at the end to fellow participants on personal learning from the programme. This will include a SMART goal outlining the contribution you will bring to your unit within 6 months as a result of participation, to be shared subsequently with your manager.

Programme Details

Cohort 1 (All from 9.30am - 1pm)

Cohort 2 (All from 9.30am - 1pm)

Staff feedback

• It has helped me to revaluate my people management skills. I feel equipped to implement change within my team to support them more effectively. Having learned more about my personality, I find what were once 'difficult people' much easier to deal with!
• The format of the programme was perfect. I was worried the course would be heavy being online - it was anything but. The engagement through breakout rooms was outstanding and I would recommend this course to anyone with the aim of leading a team.
• This programme gave me such an insight into Managment/Leadership styles and will help me plan my future in UCC. It covered much more than I expected and so much to take on board for my own development. 
• It has given me the confidence to step out of my comfort zone and be my own advocate.  It has also helped dealing with colleagues. The programme was great and well run online. I found it really engaging and interesting. 
• Empathy, understanding and a good dose of patience combined with the knowledge gained from this course will be, I believe, invaluable to me as I continue to navigate our virtual working environment.  Whatever we can do to broaden and deepen our understanding of our colleagues will benefit everyone.  Hopefully I can contribute to that.
• The course gave me an insight into my preferences and some understanding of how this might affect how I react and behave. It also gave me a framework to use in working and relating to other people, whether direct colleagues, or people senior or junior to me.  
• It boots your confidence.  It's supportive of all personalities, so you accept yourself, but also accept other personality types, giving everybody at work a good chance to work as a more effective team. I thought it was an excellent course. It was run so well. All facilitators were flawless. Well done.
• Each workshop facilitator did a great job of keeping us all engaged, included & at ease.  It was excellently put together which obviously took a lot of effort & great to have all the slides to peruse at a later stage.  Good balance between information on presentations/slides and time for colleagues to get to know their peers in the breakout rooms. I particularly liked the videos that were sent to us as pre-reading. The presentation to peers, although "nerve-wrecking" for all, is definitely an integral part of the programme and I think all participants will be glad that they played their small part. Thank you all, I am very appreciative that I was able to participate in the programme.

Updated: December 2025