Risky business?!

Exam nightmares

So, this time last week I was getting over sitting two exams – I swore I’d never do any more exams after university!!  Immediately after the exam, I panicked about whether I’d missed out important points or misread questions.  After a week of time to reflect, I feel more confident and hope I’ve done enough to pass the exams!  However, the exams were definitely more difficult than I anticipated, especially considering one of the exams was multiple choice. 

I’ve always hated taking exams, from school right through to my finals.  I tried hard to find subjects with more coursework especially if it reduced the number of exams I had to sit.  Throughout university, I tried to pick the modules of interest to me but without exams if possible.  But to study an IRM course, I knew I’d have to sit exams. 

A new set of skills

I wanted to specialise in a subject and bring new skills to the Kan Do Ventures team.  My background has always been in sport but I’m struggling to apply this knowledge in my day-to-day job.  I was unsure about what to specialise in, but after reading about risk, I was excited to get started! 

To be honest, when studying the IRM Certificate in Enterprise Risk Management, I found distance learning quite difficult. I definitely learn better by attending classes and learning from the experiences of others who are also studying.  However, the flexibility of distance learning has allowed me to study alongside working and gaining experience in risk management. 

I had no understanding of risk terminology or standards, so I started from scratch with both modules I studied.  It took a while to get my head around it, as had to understand the basics of the first module before I could apply it in the second.

Underestimating the importance of risk

During my time gaining experience of risk management, it became immediately obvious how different sectors manage risk in different ways.  Many businesses don’t see risk as an important aspect to consider as part of every day operations. But if risk is considered and managed correctly, it can prevent major issues and also help organisations to identify opportunities. 

Hopefully when I receive my results next year, I will have passed and I can enrol on the diploma to further my understanding of the topic.  The subject is really interesting to me and I’m excited to apply my new knowledge, and really add value to Kan Do Ventures and our clients.