Industry’s first comprehensive online non-technical education program and curriculum to offer individual courses, full modules and a “Space Business Qualified” certification path

 To satisfy the need of new and established businesses and employees in the commercial space industry to learn about all aspects of the business, Space and Satellite Professionals International , GVF and SatProf, with 80 years of experience in space industry education, have launched a new online learning program to enable industry professionals to become “space business qualified.” The new program consists of several tracks of low-cost individual courses leading to certifications. The Space Business Qualified learning experience is designed to help industry professionals’ advance their careers and companies to help train and attract new employees as well as to retain talent. A full description of the courses can be found at www.SpaceBQ.org.

THE NEED FOR AN INDUSTRY-WIDE EDUCATIONAL LEARNING PLATFORM

The space and satellite industry has grown far beyond the dreams of its pioneers and the handful of governments that initiated its inaugural era. Today, the commercial space industry and business is a mature, fast-expanding, complex business. With a total size estimated at well over US$1 trillion dollars, it reaches deeply into dozens of vertical markets and industry sectors. Because it is essential in the provisioning of communications, data and the digital transformation of much of the global economy, it has become an invisible but indispensable part of everyday economic activity. Its growth is being fueled by the financial community’s involvement as massive numbers of startups and new business models form within it. However, no industry course has offered a comprehensive learning experience to teach this.

The Space Business Qualified (SBQ) program offers a series of online courses, taught through a mix of self-paced, interactive tutorials, videos, illustrations, and testing to validate understanding and reinforce learning. Fundamentals courses lead to more specialized courses in satellite communications, earth observation, spacecraft and launch. A Free “Welcome to the Business of Space” course is offered as an incentive for individuals and companies to examine the courses being offered.

As an added appealing feature, members of the Space & Satellite Industry’s Hall of Fame and other well-known figures in the industry contribute “mini-master classes” by sharing personal stories and perspectives from their own experiences.

“GVF Training has been taken by over 20,000 students around the world to improve their knowledge and expertise in a wide range of technical areas,” said GVF Secretary General, David Meltzer. “The Space Business Qualified series of courses fills a gap in the industry’s online training toolbox for education in non-technical areas. It is designed to improve the knowledge and performance of existing employees, increase the marketability of those seeking a job in the industry, and provide employers with an inexpensive way to both increase productivity and enhance employee retention in a hyper-competitive labor market.”

Robert Bell, Executive Director of SSPI noted that the comprehensive, accessible nature of the SBQ learning platform will enable industry professionals to understand that their work contributes to what SSPI calls, “a better satellite world”.

“Each and every day these executives, engineers, designers and marketing people contribute to services that ultimately make our society function better. This includes monitoring the earth’s climate and assisting with humanitarian relief efforts.”

In addition to contributing to the development of the course content, the program will be administered by SatProf, which specializes in online technical training for the satellite community. Ralph Brooker, the founder of SatProf, pointed out that the SBQ program will enable learners to focus on specific topics or to work through the course series to achieve their choice of certifications.

“Our experience developing and administering the GVF training program shows that online, self-paced interactive training can be not only highly effective but convenient and excellent value if it is well tailored to the student profile. Professionals already in the industry and those coming into it need clear explanations of the diverse business environments and technologies of space, and that is what they will receive in SBQ courses.”