“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

Michael Lackmanec says, “Not learning should be the scary thing.”

Michael Lackmanec, Certificate in Manitoba Municipal Administration graduate

Michael Lackmanec’s council asked if he would like to take the Certificate in Manitoba Municipal Administration (CMMA) through UM Extended Education.

“Of course, I said yes,” says the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for Cartier, who now holds his CMMA.

“As a CAO, there are very broad-spectrum penicillin types of things that you do in your daily work commitments and that involves oversight,” Lackmanec says. “There is a what and a how to do things. And in the municipal world, you know the what is usually a construct of legislation, rules, policies, et cetera. But the how is everyone’s own special sauce. And I think it’s your own unique brand of how you get things done and that’s informed by your education experience and exposures.”

With Extended Education, he says, “Most instructors have the municipal boots on the ground experience and exposure to many of the concerns and issues affecting the municipal world. It was similar to the MBA I did because they wouldn’t allow professors to teach at the MBA unless they had their own business. Working with the Extended Education office was an absolute pleasure. It was definitely Brendan and the team that provided, we’ll call it the precursors to success for the studies.”

Working professional development programs and courses into a busy life is about time management, Lackmanec says.

“When has learning concrete skills, becoming more knowledgeable, and professionally developing one’s own toolkit ever been a detriment to you as an individual or your organization, or your family, or society as a whole? The idea is that learning is not something you should be afraid of. Not learning should be the scary thing.”

Employers recognize learning, and it can take you to unexpected places, he says.

“Definitely all astute employers realize change is the constant in the world, and those that are comfortable with change and have the skill sets to manage forward will ultimately be rewarded for their perspectives and successes. Education is a way to be able to traverse the woods and go through the hills and valleys, and you know, everybody’s life will be different, but the learning will definitely assist in whatever you embark upon.”

Derek Scott is working on his next certificate with Extended Education.

Derek Scott, Certificate in Program Development for Adult Learners graduate

Derek Scott started off as a power cableman for Manitoba Hydro, and now he is training people to be system operators who make sure the lights stay on.

Scott is graduating with his Certificate in Program Development for Adult Learners. It was a requirement for the position he holds.

“I think I was looking for some guidance on how to make our program better, and some tools and techniques that could elevate our training and get more return on investment in the training we provide to our system operators,” says Scott. “To just offer an all-around better program to the people we educate.”

In addition to the knowledge and skills he is learning with Extended Education, Scott says he has also come to realize that, despite being over 40, he could go back to school and be successful in his studies.

“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.”

To anyone considering taking a program or course to advance in their life and career, he says, “Just do it. Go for it. I was scared coming into this too, but you can get back in the swing of things and you can do it.

“I would absolutely recommend the continuing education here at UM Extended Education, to grow and to learn, and to use the knowledge you gain to advance in your career.”

Scott is happy to be celebrating his program completion but he is also now working on his next certificate with Extended Education, in Applied Management. “It’s nice to be graduating, to be finally done and see the completion at the end. But I am also enrolled in another program. So, I am continuing on my journey.”

Barakat Bamidele pivoted from tech to HR.

Barakat Bamidele, Certificate in Human Resource Management graduate

Barakat Bamidele didn’t know a thing about human resources or CPHR Manitoba, the province’s professional HR organization when she started to study with UM Extended Education. Now she’s working as a human resources coordinator with Canad Inns.

“My certificate is one of the reasons I got the job. It’s actually given me the experience, the certification I need to be able to practice HR here in Canada,” says Bamidele, looking forward to her Fall 2025 Extended Education Graduation. She is graduating from the Applied Human Resource Management program at Extended Education, with her Certificate in Human Resource Management.

“My family is all back in Nigeria. I have friends that I have made here. They will be there for me. To my Human Resource Management colleagues, I say congratulations to each and every one of us. I am very proud of us. I can’t wait for us to meet in the future, you know, being great, doing great in this profession we have chosen to go to do.

“I see myself being at the top of the chain of this profession, you know, being a human resource manager in the future. That’s a dream of mine.”

With a previous degree in computer science and certifications in Python and Java, Bamidele says she was ready for a change. “I know that I just got tired, you know, of sitting in front of the computer. And not having human interaction.”

Her best friend completed the same program before her and inspired her to do it. “Seeing her do well was actually the push that I needed to say sure I can do this. And here I am doing it.”

At Extended Education, she says, “I found community. I found a network. I found great instructors. I know that everything I was taught I still remember, from legislation to total compensation, to strategic human resource management.  I won’t forget the instructors and I won’t forget the way they made me feel welcome.”

In 2024, Bamidele made the Dean’s List and received a Student Excellence Award at Empowering Excellence, UM’s continuing education showcase. “It was actually something I was not expecting. So actually it was a push for me to keep going, stay on the right path.”

For anyone planning to go back to school and change careers, she offers her own push. She strongly recommends Extended Education, especially for anyone considering going into the HR profession without prior knowledge or experience. But no matter what you choose to pursue, she says, “You can actually do it. It’s not going to be easy. However, it is doable. You can do it. My advice is that you just start.”

Akhil Eldho Renji congratulates his peers on their graduation.

Akhil Eldho Renji, Certificate in Business Analysis graduate

Akhil is graduating from the Applied Business Analysis program with his Certificate in Business Analysis. Completing his studies has motivated him to want to go even further.

“Extended Education was really great. They have so many programs that could help people to move further in their careers. You are good here,” he says.

Now he has the business analysis concepts and how to approach a problem.

“Always ask questions. Whatever it is, always ask questions,” he says.

Working as a business analyst back home in India had become monotonous. He felt stuck and wanted something different so he came to study with UM Extended Education.

He completed his Industry Placement at Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba. “The people were wonderful and Manuela was always there to support us.

“The instructors were the real gift from Extended Education. They were really helpful for me.”

He congratulates all of his program peers on their graduation.

“They had been through a lot to earn a credential from a reputable university like UM. It takes lot of resilience and courage and hard work to complete the course and to move further in their life. It’s a win for everyone.”

Learn more about Extended Education programs and courses

Partnerships

It is not easy running a business, working hard to maintain and grow your organization, and finding professional development for your staff. But you don’t have to do all of it alone. University of Manitoba (UM) Extended Education’s Business Development team is working with companies and organizations from across the province to understand your needs and support you in providing further education, created with the expertise of the university, industry, and community.

In today’s competitive world, a strategic plan to support employee growth is not optional. To remain competitive and retain talent, you must invest in your employees with professional development. Professionals demand a good career and quality of life.

“If their employer is not offering professional development, employees will move on,” says Yvonne Kinley, Director of Business Development, UM Extended Education. “A workforce development plan is key.”

Investing in talent to build capacity

A workforce development plan considers the careers needed in the organization including their specific skills and competencies, and if current staff have them. It closes gaps. It asks what is missing and what is needed. The goals are to increase the skills and capacity of current staff, do succession planning, and attract new talent.

In addition to skills and training, professional development increases an employee’s confidence and enhances their impression of the organization and their commitment to its success.

“Most businesses have a workforce development plan, but the formality of it varies. Human Resource skills are needed to manage them,” says Kinley.

HR training

For those who would like to build this expertise in-house, she suggests UM Extended Education’s Certificate in Human Resource Management. Accredited by CPHR Manitoba, the program trains HR professionals and prepares them to apply for professional certification.

And when someone is preparing for promotion, you want to ensure you provide them with adequate training for their new role.

Management training

For managers, the Certificate in Applied Management (CAM) is one that can be customized to meet your needs, says Kinley. For example, a non-profit social services agency within the community was looking for management programming and found their answer with their own customized version of CAM.

UM certificates are long recognized as quality education in their industries, says Kinley. They go beyond short webinars and workshops, with deeper content offered in a flexible format, online from anywhere. Several also offer an applied learning component, for real-world industry experience.

Courses to develop skills and competencies

UM Extended Education courses offer targeted training and the opportunity to get started on a professional development journey or credential. With their newest addition, Understanding Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility in Practice, employees can apply what they learn to your workplace so everyone can thrive. They will prepare to challenge biased systems and practices to identify and remove barriers for all with this course.

Make technology work for you

With the Micro-certificate in Artificial Intelligence: Machine Learning Solutions, employees learn how to work with data to solve your real-world problems in just three courses, no coding required.

Or with Digital Innovation and Leadership (DIAL), two programs are developing digital leaders to transform careers and organizations. Digital Transformation for Managers and Digital Transformation for Leaders are offered by DIAL founded by SFU’s Beedie School of Business, in partnership with University of Manitoba Extended Education.

Upskilling your staff ensures the economic resilience of your business, and the Manitoba and greater economies. “Our ability to attract business to the province also depends on achieving a skilled workforce. It’s important for existing business and to attract new investment,” says Kinley.

“We are reimagining engagement, making strong connections through partnerships. Our upskilling benefits your employees, your organization, and your greater community.”

Learn more about UM Extended Education partnership opportunities

As seen in the Winnipeg Free Press

The graduate of University of Manitoba Extended Education’s Micro-certificate in Artificial Intelligence: Machine Learning Solutions discovered the program by googling AI and Machine Learning programs near him. It was the first one he found.

“So I said, why not? I wanted a program from a good school and UM has a good brand. I wanted my employer to sponsor my learning. And they paid for it,” says the UM alum who also holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree.

Artificial Intelligence: Machine Learning Solutions is a micro-certificate for every professional looking to understand the possibilities of AI and Machine Learning and what they can do for their business or organization, no coding required. It’s one of several Extended Education program and course options designed to improve your professional process and technology management to move forward in your career.

As Arooj Ahmed Quereshi, instructor and content provider for one of the program’s three courses, says, “This new technology, AI, is here and I think everybody should be aware of it so they can make good use of it.”

Solving business challenges

That’s just what Sheth plans to do.

As a business systems analyst at New Flyer, he is applying what he learned. Sheth will now work on various AI projects, automating the routine and tedious tasks so staff can focus more on speaking with customers. The process will become optimized, better.

“I was amazed by the knowledge I gained. Now I can link AI to a business application to get rid of a business problem. It is a very good way to impress the boss.”

Jessica Charney is also applying knowledge she gained from this program in her work as a learning and development specialist with Birchwood Automotive Group.

“I am now able to do a deeper dive into the research side to make sure that the AI that we are using is ethical,” Charney says. “For me, personally, I feel that AI is a way to advance the human experience, and how we interact with each other. I think it’s just enhancing how humans go about their day-to-day lives.”

Don’t be afraid

When many people think of Artificial Intelligence, they think of that scary robot assassin in the Terminator movie. But don’t be afraid, says Briana Brownell, instructor and content provider for the program. AI is good for every industry and savvy professionals must be aware of the technologies and how they can determine effective solutions to their most important business challenges like retaining customers, making better products, reducing risk, marketing effectively, innovating and leading in their marketplace.

“This mission is critical for most industries now. There is a push to have technology infrastructure, the ability to collect and analyze data quickly, and to create solutions,” says the founder and CEO of Pure Strategy Inc. noting examples of AI and Machine Learning in action are all around us providing us with relevant data from Netflix recommendations to Facebook news, and even auto-correcting us on our phones.

Artificial Intelligence is the backbone of all advances in technology, says Cuneyt Akcora, program consultant from the Faculty of Science. Over time, any intelligent developments in computer science are AI-related. If you want to use them, you need to know the basics.

A new kind of literacy

“I see it as an important new kind of literacy. If you don’t understand AI and Machine Learning, others have an advantage over you. You don’t need to program but you need to understand,” says the professor of computer science and statistics.

For example, if you work in human resources, algorithms on job search websites narrow down applications for specific jobs. You need to know how they are figuring this out.

“Understanding AI will help you and your company in most of the jobs today,” says Akcora.

“I very much like the practical aspects of this program. It is not coding, and not using data searches. Coding is often automated these days. It is about understanding the decisions made by AI, understanding the main direction, where to focus, the tools needed to know.”

UMextended.ca/programs

As seen in the Winnipeg Free Press

Students, staff and faculty are invited to apply from Nov. 21 to 28.

The first offering of the course, offered at no cost to the UM community, wrapped up in June. “It was amazing,” says Robin Attas, Project Lead, University of Manitoba Equity Diversity Inclusion Accessibility credential.  “It was exciting watching people interact with each other across roles. Staff, faculty, undergraduate and graduate students were all having important conversations and helping each other to learn more. Everyone was teaching and learning from each other.”

Learners who complete the prerequisite can go on to the three-course micro-certificate, introduced in Fall 2024, to expand on their EDIA learning.

EDIA 0100: Foundations and the Micro-certificate in Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility (EDIA) are offered in partnership with the Office of Equity Transformation and with the support of the UM President’s Office as part of UM’s efforts to improve equity and access across UM campuses by educating and empowering UM staff, students and faculty to contribute to individual and collective transformation.

“We can all do and learn more. Whether you are an expert or just beginning your journey with EDIA, you have a place here,” says Attas.

Apply for the prerequisite

EDIA 0100: Foundations course applications are open from Nov. 21 to Nov. 28 and learners are again invited to participate through a lottery process.

Learn how to apply to the EDIA: Foundations course

Mc Master is one of 146 grads completing intensive program packages including Applied Business Analysis, Applied Human Resource Management, and Applied Business Management. At our Fall 2024 Graduation on Nov. 7, Extended Education also congratulates an additional 237 grads from 15 part-time programs including Artificial Intelligence: Machine Learning Solutions, Business Analysis, Management and Administration, Human Resource Management, and Program Development for Adult Learners.

“Tricia came here to do it first and then she encouraged me to do it,” says Mc Master, who earned her ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) professional accounting designation and her MBA before coming to the University of Manitoba.

“In school, I didn’t like math and then, one explanation turned on a switch for me. That was it. I picked it up. I have an appreciation for it now,” says Mc Master.

In her job as a Manitoba budget analyst, attained after her program’s industry placement in a CPA firm, she says uses much of what she learned in her Business Analysis studies. “I am excited I can push forward as a consultant, bringing much more value, information and knowledge.”

Taking career to the next level

In some way, we are all business analysts, Mc Master says. “When I learned about the tasks of Business Analysis, I realized I had done this before, but the program brought some structure to it. I definitely recommend it because it awakened me to the skills required, that I had to develop them further and take my career to the next level.”

She says the lectures were great, and she appreciated the extra knowledge and real-world experience shared by the instructors who were also business analysts.

For those considering going back to school, Mc Master says, “My advice is just to be open to the experience itself, meeting new people and learning about new cultures, embracing the differences you encounter.”

And for those still looking for their next job, she says, “Don’t give up. Just keep on going. Keep pushing. It will happen soon.”

Siddh Sheth earned his Micro-certificate in Artificial Intelligence: Machine Learning Solutions.

Siddh Sheth

Siddh Sheth googled AI and Machine Learning programs near him, and the first thing he found was Extended Education’s Micro-certificate in Artificial Intelligence: Machine Learning Solutions.

“So I said, why not? I wanted a program from a good school and UM has a good brand. I wanted my employer to sponsor my learning. And they paid for it,” says the UM alum who also holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree.

Now he’s celebrating his graduation from the program.

A great experience, a unique program

“What a great experience. I wasn’t expecting such a unique program,” Sheth says. “I was quite impressed. As a business systems analyst at New Flyer, I can apply what I have learned. And my director and manager are quite impressed too.”

As AI is becoming more prominent, Sheth says, “I recommend this program for anyone. Because everyone should have a bit of knowledge on AI and Machine Learning. AI is growing a lot. In the coming years, a suitable knowledge of AI and Machine Learning may be one of the basic things if you want to advance your career.”

Advanced technical knowledge and programming is not required for the program, he says. “You can do this with just a little knowledge of computers.”

Optimizing, making better

At work, Sheth says he will now work on various AI projects, automating the routine and tedious tasks so staff can focus more on speaking with customers. The process will become optimized, better.

“I was amazed by the knowledge I gained. Now I can link AI to a business application to get rid of a business problem. It is a very good way to impress the boss.”

After a few years since his degree, Sheth says, “My brain needed to warm up to learning.” But he recommends the experience and notes how it will contribute to his career goals as an entrepreneur, or as he says, “ a businessman.” Currently Sheth consults to help people get jobs in IT and he also has his own podcast helping others in their job journey.

For those going back to school after time away from their studies, he advises, “Just enjoy your course. Make connections. Be flexible. Talk less, and listen more to people.”

Learn more about Extended Education programs and courses

“No one will ever be too old to learn,” says the panelist at Extended Education’s recent Homecoming 2024 webinar.  

“Lifelong learning has become a way of life for me. There is a need for us to constantly improve ourselves. We need the education system to keep up. Extended Education has provided a flexible education system that was suitable for my stage and is suitable for all stages in life.”

The title of the webinar, Futures of education: equity, inclusion and lifelong learning, refers to the concept of the evolution of education created by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), says moderator, Ute Kothe, Dean, Extended Education. “Yes. There are many futures. Education is key to addressing the needs of our changing society. Our education systems must be ready to tackle the challenges of the future. And, at Extended Education, we want to empower all learners, to break down barriers. We start with equity and create inclusive spaces.”

A warm smile

Onyike is an accomplished professional with credentials from Nigeria and the United Kingdom. She remembers attending the orientation for her UM studies and shares her experience.

The challenge for an international student is to adapt to the diversity of people from all around the world, she says. “It can be overwhelming, but when staff greet you with the greatest smile you have ever seen, you know it is going to be okay. Continue the warm smile. That first impression matters. I felt assurance we were in good hands. Later, I wanted to be the one offering that warm smile.”

A holistic approach

Education is about personal and professional growth, says panelist Carlos Miranda García- Personal Counsellor, Access and Aboriginal Focus Programs. “A holistic approach explores different parts of who we are- in heart, mind, body, and spirit.” The Access Program includes Indigenous and newcomer students. “They have different identities and stories, yet parallels can be drawn from those stories. Holistic principles encourage us to see interconnectedness in all things. “When students connect to themselves and their communities, they can also see this interconnectedness.”

Creating wrap-around supports and understanding there are different pathways to healing are essential, he says. “Supports like counselling provide a scaffolding for students as they come into their journey.”

For example, he remembers a student who was struggling with the possibility of becoming homeless, and wrap-around supports were able to quickly help them through. Also, many students have their doubts, struggling with imposter syndrome, but holistic support can help them to realize this is where they belong, he says.

EDIA

Panelist Robin Attas, Project Lead, UM Equity Diversity Inclusion Accessibility (EDIA) micro-certificate and Foundations course says, “Learners are human beings. Learning happens not just in the classroom. And you can’t learn if you are hungry, experiencing homelessness, or facing racism. EDIA reminds everyone we all have a role to play and more to learn.”

It’s important for educators to continually learn and adapt to the needs of their students, Attas says. “Each learner is unique. As educators, we should always strive to be better, more equitable, more fair, more inclusive in our teaching.”

She adds, “The UM EDIA program emphasizes competency development including not just content but skills and habits of mind. This empowers and motivate learners, whether UM staff, students, or faculty, to take action towards educational futures that better serve society, building capacity at the University of Manitoba for doing this important work.”

Community

Panelist Vicki Hatt, Instructor, Academic Language Support, shares highlights of some of the work she does. “We invite the elder to orientation and encourage students to bring their culture with them to their studies. We look at academic integrity and building a sense of community. Our setting up for success workshop includes experiential learning with meditation and a desk stretch to help relax students.”

Diversity

And we are learning in a diverse world, says Onyike.

“In Canada, all sorts of people are in our classrooms. I love how diverse we all are- in appearance, perspective, culture. We need to offer a variety of learning approaches to meet diverse needs, to prepare us for a complex multicultural workplace. When we learn that mindset, we ease effortlessly into the workplace.”

Watch the webinar.

Host, Marcy Markusa, speaks with Cecil Rosner, content provider and instructor for the Media Literacy, Critical Thinking and Investigative Journalism program

To listen to the full interview, please visit CBC Manitoba. 

“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

Extended Education’s Lifelong Webinar Series 2023-2024 wraps up on May 3 with its grand finale: AI and the Age of Augmentation: A Panel Discussion on the Future of AI in Lifelong Learning. Lev Gonick, CIO at Arizona State University (ASU) will talk about the ASU-Open AI partnership. He’ll be joined by previous series panelists, Kelly Shiohira (Executive Manager: Research and Data Ecosystems at Jet Education Services), Ray Schroeder (Senior Fellow at UPCEA), and Rod Lastra (lifelong learning professional at UM Extended Education).

“This session, focusing on how higher education can revolutionize teaching and learning with performative generative AI, promises to be a reflective overview of the past year as well as a visionary forecast of future possibilities,” says Lastra.

Most recent webinar

The most recent webinar in the series, with panelists Safiya Noble (author of Algorithms of Oppression) and Cecil Rosner (author of Manipulating the Message- How Powerful Forces Shape the News) looked at media and information ethics in the age of AI on April 4.

Noble left her career in advertising to go to grad school where she says she was concerned that academics looked at technology like the new public library. “They didn’t understand the purposeful manipulation of content.”

In her years of research, she considered what it means when tech companies control the information landscape, and what the consequences are for communities. For example, she says, “For years, a search for Black girls or Latino girls brought up porn. They became synonymous with hyper-sexualization.”

Human rights, media cuts

Noble calls the effects of AI on human rights the most important human rights issue in our lifetime.

Rosner, a career journalist, noted the alarming trend of ongoing media cuts. From 1991 to 2021, statistics show the number of journalists in Canada decreased from 13,000 to 11,000, he says. Over the same period, PR and communications people increased from 23,000 to 160,000.

“Journalists are bombarded by messages. Many are going unfiltered. The more wealthy and powerful put out the messages,” he says. “I have seen people lie to my face, but it goes unfiltered unless you have time to fact check.”

Propaganda and manipulation

Edward Bernays wrote a book called Propaganda: The Public Mind in the Making in 1928, says Rosner, noting Bernays was a founder of PR in the US.

“AI is accelerating the dissemination of false messages and misinformation. It is accelerating and magnifying the problem. For example, Facebook is blocking news organizations and I see fake news all the time. They are making money. They can’t be the arbiters of information and disinformation.”

Journalism must continue to be supported, says Noble. “When we look at the values of tech leadership in Silicon Valley, their biases get normalized. Debiasing AI is too narrow. It is a larger issue.

“The tech industry is a most powerful industry. It wants to mystify,” she says. “We have to be more specific. What are the impacts of generative AI on the environment? Could we regulate it based on its environmental cost, how it violates employer law or civil rights? We have to parse the intricacies and regulate or enforce our existing laws.”

Lastra began the session with a lesson on the Edward Bernays effect- the Engineering of Consent, showing diagrams about human perception of truth and the science of manipulation to illustrate how human perceptions can go from neutral beliefs to a persuaded effect, and strongly held beliefs can be reinforced with repetition and manipulation of the truth. He noted how AI amplifies and repeats falsehoods and how technology cannot distinguish fact from fiction.

“This was an eye-opening conversation,” says Lastra, looking forward to the grand finale on May 3.

Learn more and register for the May 3 webinar