MIT Sloan Executive Education
Certificate Holder Profile
Colin S. Whelan
Engineering Fellow
Raytheon Company
USA
Executive Certificate(s):
Management and Leadership
Strategy and Innovation
Colin S. Whelan wanted to take a diverse portfolio of classes to round out his technical education. “I selected MIT Sloan Executive Education because of Sloan's world-renown reputation coupled with its ability to validate theory with real world business data. Furthermore, one of their executive education programs focused on fostering, harnessing and capitalizing on technology innovation, an area that was particularly interesting to me as a technologist,” says Colin. “My experience at Sloan has been so positive, with every class bringing new insights, that I have found no reason to continue to look elsewhere. ... I cannot overstate how well MIT Sloan breaks down innovation into tangible steps that are combined with useful tools."
By taking courses that focused on the organizational and financial aspects of business and while learning how to successfully develop new technologies, Colin has combined his diverse interests to earn two MIT Sloan Executive Certificates, the Executive Certificate in Strategy and Innovation and the Executive Certificate in Management and Leadership. The varied courses in his executive track combine to provide the critical skills needed to excel in today's business world.
Fundamentals of Finance for the Technical Executive and Strategic Marketing for the Technical Executive provided an insightful view into business fundamentals while simultaneously linking the development of technology with the customer and the market. Understanding and Solving Complex Business Problems underscored the criticality of positive reinforcing loops with the dynamics of an organization, which are necessary to successfully achieve one's (product development) goals. “These, along with other Sloan courses, provided me with an excellent business background, tailored to technology innovation,” notes Colin. “This is something that MIT does exceptionally well.”
Building, Leading, and Sustaining the Innovative Organization taught Colin how to develop a culture that fosters and nurtures innovation while Rebecca Henderson's courses on technology “S-curves” provided eye-opening insight on how initially inferior products, that existing customers don't want, can ultimately dominate the industry. “Rebecca Henderson brought new, important theory, insight and tools to existing thoughts on disruptive technology,” notes Colin. “Sloan's courses on entrepreneurship and strategy showed me, step by step, with real tools, how to successfully develop a new business and enter a new market.”
Since taking MIT Sloan Executive Education courses, Colin has been able to apply what he has learned in the classroom to his job at Raytheon. “My business education at Sloan has opened new exciting opportunities within Raytheon, allowing me to successfully change positions between technologist, line manager, program manager, operations manager and business (development) lead. The courses have provided me the tools to more efficiency develop new semiconductor technologies with the attributes my internal customers want, all in a timely manner,” Whelan adds. “Raytheon's exciting opportunities and support for higher education, coupled with MIT Sloan's fantastic executive education courses, have helped me achieve the beginning of a wonderful career.”
