They can do it without us, but we can’t do it without them: What I learned from our trip to JCB

The topic is not mine; it’s licensed by one of the quotations we encountered while enjoying our field trip to JCB World! Exactly when Hazel, the kind lady guiding our tour with all her knowledge, experience, and passion, was describing how JCB identified their strategic stakeholders including dealers, critical customers, and JCB employees and planned to fulfil mutual benefits, Stephen AghaChukwu (MSc, EMBA,PMP) spotted this sentence on the walls: “They can do it without us, but we can’t do it without them.”

Finally, yesterday, after months of waiting, our MSc Programme leadership team ( Debbie Alexander , Tony Bellott, MBA, FCILT and Myself) fulfilled one of our promises and took a group of students to the JCB factory for a field visit. It was a mixture of different learning areas! We learned how a family business has been established and endured over the years, how they invented, innovated, and commercialized their products. We saw how they solved issues from seemingly simple ones like choosing a proper colour for their main products to expanding their market to include armoured construction machinery for special needs in war zones. We learned how they obtained and held the third position in the international market, planned and acted against disasters, and supported others in times of need. We observed how a diverse group of workers endeavours shoulder to shoulder to produce a quality product; how on earth digger dance is possible and, above all, how a company with a rich history can utilize its history and achievements for PR and branding by offering hospitable industrial tours.

Certainly, nothing is binary; no company is perfect, and having comprehensive answers to all the above queries is impossible within a 2.5-hour tour. But if we had been curious observers and informed questioners, we could have learned as much as our capacity allowed. Even some of the students, as fresh graduates new to the job market, could evaluate whether such industries are intriguing enough to pursue their future career paths.

Two other amazing experiences on this trip were: First, en route, I realized how Tobias Birkett , one of our young members of the Student Support team, who kindly accepted to accompany us as one of the chaperones, is keen to enhance students' experiences at UON. This embodies his team’s mindset for sure. He’s been a wonderful listener and diligent observer. Good for you, Adam Dodd , for having him in the Student Support team. Secondly, during our road trip, we came up with a brilliant idea to enhance students' learning experience with an assignment in one of the modules via a fruitful brainstorming session (thanks to Tony who shared his experience from the latest conference he attended and Debbie who established the initial idea to incorporate Tony’s experience).

After reflecting on this incredible experience, I can share my personal takeaways as follows:

1) I learned that I’ve still got a long way to go to learn, learn, and learn! If only I had a real working Bernard’s Watch!

2) We couldn’t do that without them, but they could do that without us. If we, as educators, trainers, mentors, or coaches, want to succeed, thrive, and experience self-fulfilment, we can’t achieve any of it without engaged and cooperative students, trainees, mentees, and coachees!

P.S.1 Special thanks to Dr Frank Alparslan (PhD) , who generously accompanied us on this trip. His enviable, humble, and sociable character has been a privilege for this group!

P.S.2. Appreciate all students who joined us on the JCB trip and tried to make the most of this experience by observing, listening, questioning, and engaging in the conversations ( Amit Anchan , SAMUEL OGUNDIPE , Yetunde Adebanjo , Stephen AghaChukwu (MSc, EMBA,PMP) , MATILDA DEKPE , Oluwatosin Lamina , Stephen Odofin , Sahar Narouei , and so many others)

P.S.3 A huge thanks to StudyLinkTours for assisting us in executing this trip and JCB for their hospitality.