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People Development guide
Arrive prepped and ready to learn all about Teaching, HR, or Counselling.
Start your course on the right foot with our guide. We’ll help you tick off a checklist of essentials and handy extras, as well as sharing advice from our own expert.
What to look out for
Essentials
Laptop
You’ll need a trusty laptop to be your study companion from day one. It’ll help you write assignments, build lesson plans, or complete HR docs.
Online planners
Take advantage of Microsoft 365 tools, like Outlook Calendar and Microsoft To Do, to help you manage your workload, track deadlines, and stay organised throughout your course.
Cloud storage and backup
When you’re saving all your coursework and portfolios, cloud storage makes everything easy to access and keeps it backed up in case anything happens to your laptop.
Notebook or reflective journal
Taking notes by hand can not only help important info sink in better, but it can help you reflect on what you’ve learned, which is a key skill for working with people.
Nice to have
Portable charger
Whether you’re on campus or travelling to a placement, keep your devices powered all day, every day with a portable charger.
Headphones
If you’re studying in a busy library, you’ll focus better if you can tune out the hustle and bustle. Look for noise-cancelling tech that’ll help you lose any background noise
Extra screen
More screen space makes it easier to juggle reports, lesson plans, and case studies with reference materials. That’ll save you lots of time minimising tabs.
Tablet and stylus
When you’re trying to keep up in a lecture, a tablet and stylus can help you quickly annotate docs as you go, as well as helping you organise notes or create drafts.
Productivity tips for people development courses
You’ll be learning theory, going on practical placements, and working on your reflective skills in a people development course. So, managing your time and staying organised will help you make the most of every minute. Our tips will get your prepped and keep you on track throughout.
Plan ahead
Deadlines, observations, and placements come around quicker than you’d think. Keep a calendar to easily stay on top of everything.
Reflect little and often
Regular reflection helps you process experiences, improve your practice and build strong coursework without leaving everything to the last minute.
Keep organised notes and records
Looking after your notes will help you in the long run. Keeping a clear structure will make it easy to refer back to specific dates and topics.
Apply your learning in real settings
Use placements, role-play activities, and real-world examples to build your confidence and deepen your understanding of people-focused work.
Get inspired by real careers
Learning to work with people can lead to rewarding and exciting careers. Our expert’s shared his advice and how he handled the journey.
Meet Andy, Management Development Specialist for AO
My career’s taken a few interesting turns, but it’s always been about people. I started out as a Police Community Support Officer with Lancashire Police, where I spent 9 years learning how to connect with people from all walks of life. That time shaped a lot of who I am today, helping me stay calm under pressure, build relationships and trust, and really understand the power of empathy.
After that, I took some time out to travel around Australia and Thailand. It gave me the chance to reset, reflect, and, yes, pet kangaroos. I came back with a fresh perspective on life and work, which led me to join AO in the contact centre. From there, I moved into a training role, and now I’m a Management Development Specialist.
These days, I design and deliver training that helps managers lead with confidence, build high-performing teams, and get the best out of their people. A big part of what I do is around behavioural styles, helping leaders better understand themselves and others, so they can create more inclusive, effective environments.
Outside of work, I’m a dad to 4 amazing kids, happily married, and you’ll usually find me training Jiu Jitsu or MMA most days. It’s something that keeps me grounded,challenged, and constantly learning. What really drives me, in work and in life, is helping people thrive. Whether that’s building confidence in individuals, supporting managers to grow into great leaders, or creating teams where people feel valued and able to be their best. That’s what matters most to me.
Andy’s university tips
Get genuinely good with people
Great training isn’t built on PowerPoint decks, it’s built on your ability to listen, read the room, and support people in the moment, so they can actually thrive.
Learn by doing
Don’t wait until you feel ready to lead, get stuck in right away. If you feel uncomfortable, that’s usually a sign you’re growing.
Stay curious
The best development specialists don’t assume they’ve cracked it. They keep learning, adapting, and shaping their style over time.
Be real
When you connect with people, you create the conditions for real learning.
