Mentoring and Coaching

This practical CPD course is designed for managers, team leaders, workplace mentors, coaches, learning and development professionals, and anyone responsible for supporting the growth of others. It provides the knowledge, skills, and confidence to develop effective coaching and mentoring relationships that support individual performance, professional development, and workplace learning.

Participants will explore coaching and mentoring frameworks, inclusive communication techniques, and reflective practice while gaining practical tools that can be applied immediately within organisational and educational settings.

To view the module descriptor, please visit Programme Specifications and Module Descriptors.

  

Who is this course for? 

This course is suitable for:

• Managers and team leaders responsible for developing and supporting staff
• Workplace mentors working with apprentices, trainees, graduates, or new employees
• Learning and development professionals seeking to strengthen coaching and mentoring capability
• HR professionals supporting employee development and organisational learning
• Academic and professional staff involved in learner support and work-based learning
• Experienced professionals looking to formalise and enhance their mentoring practice
• Individuals seeking to build confidence in coaching, communication, and developmental conversations

 

Why take this course?

Effective coaching and mentoring can have a significant impact on employee development, engagement, retention, and performance. Organisations increasingly rely on skilled mentors and coaches to support career progression, workplace learning, and professional confidence.

This course explores how mentoring and coaching can be used to develop individuals while contributing to a positive learning culture within organisations. Participants will gain practical techniques that help others reflect, learn, solve problems, and achieve meaningful development goals.

 

What you will learn

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Critically evaluate the roles of coaching, mentoring, and assessment within work-based learning environments
• Apply learning and development theories to support workplace and academic progression
• Use active listening, questioning, and feedback techniques to facilitate reflective and independent learning
• Support goal setting, evidence gathering, and constructive developmental conversations
• Contribute effectively to learning, development, and assessment processes
• Reflect on and continuously improve your own mentoring and coaching practice
• Build and contribute to supportive learning communities and peer mentoring networks

 

How you will learn

This course combines live teaching, practical workshops, collaborative learning, and independent study to support the development of effective coaching and mentoring practice.

You will learn through:

• Interactive lectures exploring coaching, mentoring, workplace learning, and professional development
• Practical workshops focused on communication, feedback, questioning, and reflective practice
• Action Learning Sets (ALS) that provide opportunities to discuss real-world mentoring and coaching challenges
• Group discussions and case studies exploring workplace learning and development scenarios
• Personal development activities designed to strengthen self-awareness and professional practice
• Independent learning activities and resources that support the application of learning within your own context
• Opportunities to learn from peers and build a community of practice

 

Course content

The course explores the principles, practices, and application of effective coaching and mentoring within professional environments.

• Foundations of Coaching and Mentoring
• Learning and Development in Practice
• Communication and Relationship Building
• Inclusive and Ethical Practice
• Action Learning and Reflective Practice
• Developing Organisational Learning Cultures

 

Assessment

Assessment is designed to help you apply coaching and mentoring concepts directly to professional practice.

You will complete an assessment portfolio that demonstrates your understanding of coaching and mentoring principles, communication techniques, learning and development approaches, and reflective practice. The portfolio provides an opportunity to apply course concepts to real workplace or professional scenarios and evaluate your own development as a coach or mentor.

Through the assessment, you will develop your ability to:

• Apply coaching and mentoring frameworks in professional settings
• Use evidence-based approaches to support learning and development
• Demonstrate effective communication and facilitation skills
• Reflect critically on your own practice and identify areas for growth
• Evaluate the impact of coaching and mentoring on individuals and organisations

The assessment focuses on practical application, professional development, and workplace relevance rather than purely academic analysis.

 

Applying your learning

Throughout the course, you will:

• Practise coaching and mentoring conversations in a supportive learning environment
• Explore real-world workplace learning and development challenges
• Develop communication, listening, questioning, and feedback skills
• Participate in Action Learning Sets to reflect, problem-solve, and learn collaboratively
• Apply coaching and mentoring frameworks to practical scenarios and professional contexts

You will leave with:

• Greater confidence in supporting the development of others
• Practical coaching and mentoring tools that can be applied immediately in the workplace
• Enhanced communication and relationship-building skills
• A stronger understanding of learning, development, and professional growth
• The ability to contribute to a positive organisational learning culture
• Increased capability to support performance, progression, and continuous improvement

 

Entry requirements

There are no formal entry requirements for this course.

The course is suitable for professionals involved in coaching, mentoring, people development, learning and development, HR, management, education, or workplace support roles. It is also appropriate for individuals aspiring to take on mentoring or coaching responsibilities.

Participants should be prepared to engage in discussion, reflection, collaborative learning, and independent study at SCQF Level 9. Previous experience of supporting or developing others may be beneficial but is not essential.

 

Certification

Upon successful completion, participants will be awarded 20 credits at SCQF Level 9.

These credits may contribute towards further undergraduate or postgraduate study where appropriate and in line with University regulations.

 

Sector and workforce relevance

The content is aligned with current professional practice and explores the skills required to support individual development, organisational learning, and employee engagement.

Through practical application, reflective learning, Action Learning Sets, and discussion of real-world scenarios, participants will develop capabilities that are directly relevant to leadership, management, learning and development, HR, education, and workplace mentoring roles.

 

NOTE: This is a university module and upon approval of your application, you will be invited to register and then supported to complete enrolment. To enrol on the university system, the first step involves security set-up using the Microsoft Authenticator app; you will need to ensure that you have a compatible smartphone.

Further enrolment information is available at the Student Information Portal.

To access this module via the CPD route, individuals should be ordinarily resident in Scotland.