“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

“It is exciting and refreshing to know people who come from different backgrounds. It is like I traveled over five countries without leaving Winnipeg,” he says, noting he met Chinese, Indian and Arab people, among others. “I am excited to learn how different cultures can come together to achieve the common good.”

It’s all about teamwork, he says. “I remember in my last semester, I had to lead the team. I was so angry things were not getting done. Then I tried to see things from their end, to work together with the team. You must know people think differently, have a common goal, and work together.”

Celebrating graduates

Olanrewaju is attending grad with his wife and daughter, and a friend. He is one of 150 grads completing intensive program packages including Applied Business Analysis, Applied Human Resource Management, and Applied Business Management. Extended Education also congratulates an additional 123 grads from 15 part-time programs including Business Analysis, Management and Administration, Human Resource Management, Program Development for Adult Learners, and Artificial Intelligence: Machine Learning Solutions.

Olanrewaju says, “This is a milestone for me. I have acquired knowledge and experience I will use. I worked as tech support in Nigeria, supporting software development teams. I learned a lot here, new skills and tools to prepare me for the next phase in my life. I know about different cultures and how to talk to different people.”

He completed his Industry Placement at GHY International, helping the customs broker to register its clients onto a new government system. A friend told him about the program, and he recommends it to others.

“I want to be a Business Analyst. I so much enjoy the tasks and challenges,” he says, noting he has incorporated BA principles into both his personal and professional tasks, he is studying for his first professional certification, and he plans to keep learning. “They day you stop learning is the day you start dying. The more I study, the more I feel like I am living.”

He shares his advice with future students. “What you put your mind to, you can achieve. Studies can be intense but don’t get distracted. You will be fine. The resources are there to help you succeed.”

Annie Osondu Iheke in her cap and gown at grad.

Annie Osondu Iheke

Annie Osondu Iheke is excited about graduation. “I worked so hard for it,” says the Applied Human Resource Management grad attending her celebration with her brother and his wife. “My studies helped me to understand Human Resources in a different light.”

For the Nigerian/Ghanian with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, and administrative work experience, coming to study at UM and gain Canadian work experience with an Industry Placement was a dream come true. “The instructors were so positive and encouraging. They brought out the best in us. We were not sure in the beginning, but they showed us how things are done here.”

She loves HR because it has to do with people management. “A manager needs to know the weaknesses and how to bring out the best in their staff including providing a training plan to teach them what they need to know. Recruitment is about more than qualifications. It is identifying the best person. You can train a potential fit.”

At home, she says, managers did not have budgets for training and had to make a case to get funding, but here she sees a lot of training is going on. “It is standard here. It is compulsory at every level. There are funds dedicated for it. Here training is very important.”

The lessons she learned about communication style and business culture stay with her. “How to relate with coworkers here, I use that every day. It is different at home.”

She reminds the next group of students to connect with instructors. “The instructors are amazing. They are there to help you. Don’t feel shy to ask questions. They are always there for us, to point us in the right direction.”

Paola Uzgame at graduation.

Paola Uzgame

Applied Business Management grad, Paola Uzgame is attending graduation with her husband. “I feel enthusiastic about what comes next,” she says.

In Colombia, she had a degree in Marketing and Advertising, and worked in retail. Here, she completed her Industry Placement at Loblaws. “That was a huge benefit for me.”

She finds Winnipeg quiet and more peaceful than her former big city. “I love the campus. It is beautiful.”

When her temporary position at Loblaws is over, she plans to apply for new opportunities in an office environment. “It is very important to find a stable job. Not any specific position. What matters is that I learn, and I enjoy it. That is most important.”

Of the Canadian workplace, she says, she has learned she must adapt. “I recommend this program, and UM. It is very important to come with an open mind, to take advantage of the knowledge the instructors have. Don’t waste the opportunity.”

Learn more about Extended Education Programs and Courses