Talk with University of Manitoba Extended Education about your workforce training and development

Finding the right workforce training and development for your team may feel like a daunting task, but you don’t have to know exactly what you need before you pursue it.

“Don’t hesitate to start a conversation. We are here to talk with you, to consult well before you have to make any commitments,” says Ute Kothe, Dean, University of Manitoba (UM) Extended Education. “Our aim is to provide the education Manitobans need.”

Meeting challenges

In these rapidly changing times, businesses are having to adapt to become more efficient and explore new markets in both Canada and internationally. It’s not always easy to hire the perfect match for a job, but experts and leaders can be trained in-house.

“The cost of losing employees and having to rehire is significant. Professional development can make a big difference. That’s where we can help,” says Kothe. “We provide tailored professional development to enhance job skills and upskill workers. This is something we are deeply committed to.”

The university not only serves students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees but also supports alumni and businesspeople through lifelong learning. To this end, UM Extended Education provides flexible, online professional development options that fit into a busy schedule.

As part of the University of Manitoba, the largest research university in the province, Extended Education is in a unique position to provide tailored training opportunities.

“We have the connections to experts like our instructors, as well as the UM network of experts with a broad range of expertise.”

It all begins with a conversation with a member of Extended Education’s Business Development and Innovation Team to discuss your organization and its needs including determining the specific skill sets you want to provide or enhance in your team.

Building skills

“It’s not just about knowledge. There is a lot of knowledge easily available online now. It is about building skills,” says Kothe.

From one-time training to recognizing an organization’s own training as prior learning that can be credited towards a UM certificate or micro-certificate, UM Extended Education delivers tailored training to its partners to strengthen businesses and provide employees with the opportunity to add a university credential to their resume and LinkedIn profile.

Learning and growing

Extended Education graduate, Derek Scott started off as a power cableman for Manitoba Hydro, and now he is training people to be systems operators who make sure the lights stay on. The Certificate in Program Development for Adult Learners was a requirement for the position he holds.

But Scott has not stopped there. He is now working on his next credential, a Certificate in Applied Management.

“The most important thing is that learning never ends. That you can continue on your journey of learning. And no matter what your age or your life or what’s going on, you can do it and you can still advance and you know you are not stuck where you are. You can always grow,” he says.

Working in partnership

As an example, organizations have partnered with UM Extended Education to offer their own customized version of the Certificate in Applied Management.

Kothe says, “We determine a subset of elective courses that are relevant to the organization. Thereby we are together enabling their employees to enhance their impact for the organization and their CV for years to come.”

Another impactful example is the Micro-Certificate in Artificial Intelligence: Machine Learning Solutions which can be customized for interested organizations. It is not just about understanding this important technology, she says. “Adding a blend of change management and leadership and management components can make all the difference.”

While UM Extended Education is always interested in forming new partnerships, the goal is to create lasting relationships. Accordingly, UM Extended Education has long-term partnerships with CPHR Manitoba, the Manitoba government, and Manitoba Municipal Administrators, providing certificates that lead to career enhancement and advancement.

Supporting people

UM Extended Education is committed to fostering welcoming workplaces that attract a wide range of talents. Organizations can strengthen their work culture with a credential in Change Management and with a new course called Understanding Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility in Practice. It is already recognized as professional development for several organizations.

While one or two people from an organization can take a program, when a larger number of employees form a cohort, there are even greater results, says Kothe. “They create a network. They can better collaborate with each other as they speak a common language due to their common educational experience.”

Providing customized professional development increases employee satisfaction and commitment to an organization.

“You depend on your people to do the work. Support them with professional development. We can work together to address your unique needs and discover where you can really shine,” says Kothe.

“We want to partner with you.”

To learn more about partnering with UM Extended Education, email bdi@umanitoba.ca

As seen in the Winnipeg Free Press

Liz Katynski