5 unique online courses you can register for right now to boost your employability

Things can change quickly in the world, and with more time on our hands amid the pandemic, many are pondering a career switch, pursuing new hobbies, or exploring their options for online courses.

Three-quarters of Canadians (75%) reported engaging in online activities more often since the start of the pandemic, with 29% completing online training or learning between November 2020 and March 2021, according to Statistics Canada.

If you’re already spending time online and hoping to develop a new skill set to accelerate your career or perhaps ladder up to a degree or diploma, micro-credentials could help you get there — no matter where you are in life.

At Royal Roads University (RRU), you can choose from a curated selection of online courses that give you the ability to meaningfully expand not only your skills but your potential and perspective, too. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up five courses taught by experienced industry experts to consider.

Workplace Communication Skills

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Solid communication skills are needed now more than ever in the workplace, with hybrid and remote cultures here to stay. In this micro-credential program, which takes place entirely online, you’ll learn how to communicate with impact and clarity by focusing on the tools required for effective verbal and written communication.

In addition, you’ll develop the skills to navigate difficult conversations, manage conflict effectively, and sharpen your mindful listening and communication techniques. In just four weeks, you’ll level up the aptitudes to inspire your team with focused communication strategies while reducing the potential for misunderstandings — without ever putting your career on pause or losing time in your schedule.

Leading Projects in a Digital Environment

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Spearheading projects at the office pre-pandemic looked a little different than it does in a remote environment. Those working towards managerial or leadership positions need transferrable skills that will help them lead teams and projects down the line.

People-focused leadership is integral to an organization’s strategic planning initiatives, and this online micro-credential strives to equip students with the capability and confidence to lead teams and projects and improve their contribution to the workplace. Plus, the less-than-one-year program can act as a building block for a bolder future, creating a pathway to the Graduate Certificate in Management and Leadership at RRU.

Supervisory Skills

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If you’re eager to embark on the next stage of your career in a supervisory or management role, this online micro-credential program could be a great fit. It’s curated to connect to labour market needs and structured in a way that lets you take the transferable skills and confidence you develop and apply them in the workplace.

By exploring the areas of writing for business, difficult conversations, managing people and performance, and leading with emotional intelligence, the program provides learners with the tools, skills, and techniques essential to a foundation in supervision and management. Upon completion, it gives you an avenue to mid-level supervisory, service-oriented, and administrative roles. Depending on which courses you take, it’s possible to complete this program in under a year.

Business Administration Essentials

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Whether you’re looking to switch up the gears in your career or launch a side business, taking this micro-credential program could be incredibly beneficial to your future success. It’s another fully online condensed course that structures training to directly connect to the needs of the labour market, providing participants with more options in administrative and service-orientated work.

Learners can complete the program in less than one year — presenting an accessible way to study in conjunction with your regular work routine. During the program, you’ll learn about business fundamentals, the foundations of operations management, writing for business, and leadership styles. While levelling up your skills, you’ll also complete an integrated assessment.

Arbitrator Training Course

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Interested in law? Whether you’re a lawyer or not, you can take The Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of British Columbia’s (ADRBC) interactive online Arbitrator Training Course through RRU. The program, which runs over nine weeks, equips you with the skills to become an effective arbitrator and opens the door to applying for a future designation.  

You’ll be taken through an introduction of the basic principles of law governing contract law, the BC Arbitration Act, a review of the conduct of arbitration proceedings, and the rules of procedure that are most commonly used. Participants will come away from the program better able to analyze and evaluate different types of evidence, write well-reasoned arbitration awards, and conduct in-person arbitration hearings, along with documents-only and distance hearings. 

Micro-credentials are not new to RRU; the university has been offering them in various forms for years and supports the quality education these ‘bite-sized’ programs provide. In addition to creating a more affordable, flexible avenue to education, the programs allow students to learn from faculty members who work directly in the fields they teach, sharing course content relevant to the current moment.

To get started on your next professional chapter and discover more micro-credential online courses, visit royalroads.ca/micro.