Graduate Certificate in Financial Technology

at Conestoga College - Kitchener - Downtown Campus Canada

This advanced-level graduate certificate program provides individuals with the knowledge and techniques to improve the delivery and quality of products and services. The material that is taught in this program can be applied within any area of an organization. The focus of this program is on the achievement of performance excellence through the use of modern quality improvement methods. The program develops the skills required to perform process quality roles in a broad range of organizations and sectors.The program content aligns favourably with selected American Society of Quality's (ASQ) Bodies of Knowledge. This program is non-industry specific as it provides the proficiencies demanded by organizations in today’s market place.

This graduate certificate program will provide students with the theoretical and practical knowledge and skills to manage projects from inception to completion. Projects range from basic work projects to increasingly more complex projects for stakeholders in all sectors of the economy.

International trade and investment are critical to the Canadian economy. If you are interested in how Canadian businesses are increasingly getting involved in integrative trade initiatives that take place across time zones, languages, cultures and currencies, this might be the right program for you. As a graduate, you will earn an Ontario College Diploma and will have acquired specialized knowledge and skills in international business, which will allow you to carry out international business functions in today's global marketplace. In this program, you will demonstrate achievement of vocational learning outcomes which relate to both business in general and international business in particular. Upon successful completion, you will be prepared to carry out a variety of business functions in the global marketplace, assume entry-level positions in sales, risk management, marketing, business planning, compliance and research. You will be able to apply communication, networking, and teamwork skills to support integrative trade initiatives. This program will provide you with an opportunity to become comfortable with new technologies and understand the importance of integrating them with an organization's overall mission and objectives. You will be able to prepare documents and follow procedures to support the movement of products and services across international borders and select and implement strategies to deal with cultural differences. One of the goals of this program is to help you understand how business success at the international level is linked to strong corporate sustainability and corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Program Outcomes

• Conduct an environmental scan to outline and analyze the impact of world issues on an organization's international business opportunities.
• Contribute to market research to support an organization's international business decision-making.
• Prepare documentation and follow procedures to support the movement of products and services in the organization's global supply chain.
• Identify statutory and regulatory compliance issues related to an organization's integrative trade* initiatives.
• Select and contribute to the implementation of strategies to address the impact of cultural differences on an organization's integrative trade initiatives.
• Contribute to the development of an international marketing plan to support an organization's integrative trade* initiatives.
• Identify and interpret relevant international financial documents and identify financial strategies that support an organization's integrative trade initiatives.
• Outline the components of an international business plan and assess how it impacts an organization's priorities.
• Contribute to the planning, implementation and evaluation of team projects using organizational skills.
• Apply principles of corporate sustainability, corporate social responsibility and ethics to an organization's integrative trade initiatives.
• Apply current technologies to support an organization's integrative trade* initiatives.
• Develop and present a plan for ongoing personal and professional development to enhance work performance within the international business field.

In just 30 weeks, graduates of the Reception and Customer Service program are prepared to assume roles in a front desk or customer service role. You will develop the skills and strategies required to interact with customers in a professional and appropriate manner in a diverse business environment. This Ontario College Certificate program prepares you to use various office equipment and technologies, while gaining hands-on experience in customer engagement, scheduling appointments, document system maintenance, and purchasing and inventory management. Through a variety of projects, case studies and interactive learning opportunities, you will develop the workplace interpersonal skills needed to support all phases of your career. A field placement is included; allowing you to translate theoretical knowledge from the classroom into applied practice in a workplace setting.

The Global Business Management graduate program provides an internationally-focused body of knowledge and skills for individuals interested in extending their business understanding beyond the domestic environment. The curriculum emphasizes the skills and knowledge necessary to operate in different roles within international cultural, legal and political contexts. This broad-based program will explore the field of management both in theory and through practical applications considering different organizational lenses. Graduates will be eligible to apply for the FITT (Forum for International Trade Training) diploma, and the CITP (Certified International Trade Professional) designation (subject to one year of work experience).

Today's manufacturing sector requires highly skilled individuals with in-depth knowledge of current quality assurance and management practices. If you have the desire to be part of a quality movement, and want hands-on experience with the tools to support your career goals, then this program will be of interest to you. This two-semester Quality Assurance Manufacturing and Management Ontario College Graduate Certificate will provide you with the knowledge and techniques to improve the delivery and quality of goods and services. This program focuses on the use of modern quality improvement methods that support the achievement of performance excellence in manufacturing and associated business processes. A combination of theoretical and practical learning opportunities will prepare you for a variety of management and quality assurance organizational opportunities.

Program Outcomes

• Implement and document quality processes that ensure conformance to international quality standards.
• Evaluate the results of experiments for process improvement and product development to form recommendations using various process improvement tools.
• Evaluate quality issues, opportunities, and performance metrics using current and relevant tools such as Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Root Cause Analysis.
• Lead advanced product quality planning activities in an industrial environment using accepted quality assurance techniques including Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Production Part Approval Process (PPAP).
• Plan the implementation of quality management processes within an industrial organization using accepted philosophies.
• Select the correct device or instrument to accurately measure product parameters and conduct a Measurement System Analysis (MSA).
• Conduct audits for Quality and Environmental systems in order to report findings and recommendations to both internal and external stakeholders.
• Apply test procedures and techniques to confirm that product design requirements are met.
• Communicate technical information effectively to customers and various internal stakeholders in management, engineering, manufacturing, marketing, and sales.
• Interpret information from a variety of technical and specialized sources to support quality processes.

Process Quality Engineering
This advanced-level graduate certificate program provides individuals with the knowledge and techniques to improve the delivery and quality of products and services. The material that is taught in this program can be applied within any area of an organization. The focus of this program is on the achievement of performance excellence through the use of modern quality improvement methods. The program develops the skills required to perform process quality roles in a broad range of organizations and sectors.The program content aligns favourably with selected American Society of Quality's (ASQ) Bodies of Knowledge. This program is non-industry specific as it provides the proficiencies demanded by organizations in today’s market place.

Project Management
Learn how to manage simple to complex projects from start to finish, and become a critical part of an organization’s most exciting achievements. Develop the skills you need to oversee project management activities such as planning, managing scope, costs, time while balancing client expectations. Learn organizational Agility with practices such as Scrum. Establish goals for your project team and lead them to overcome obstacles to achieve success, meeting stakeholders needs. Earn project management education hours towards a variety of certifications: Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), Project Management Professional (PMP), Agile Scrum Master (ASM), Risk Management Professional (RMP), or Agile Certified Practitioner (ACP) designations. Interested in taking this program on a part-time basis? It's possible to complete this program while still working full-time and fulfilling your other commitments. 

Process Quality Engineering
This advanced-level graduate certificate program provides individuals with the knowledge and techniques to improve the delivery and quality of products and services. The material that is taught in this program can be applied within any area of an organization. The focus of this program is on the achievement of performance excellence through the use of modern quality improvement methods. The program develops the skills required to perform process quality roles in a broad range of organizations and sectors.The program content aligns favourably with selected American Society of Quality's (ASQ) Bodies of Knowledge. This program is non-industry specific as it provides the proficiencies demanded by organizations in today’s market place.

Financial Technology
The field of financial technology is evolving as it responds to the challenges facing the 21st century financial sector. This means that professionals employed in the field must be equipped to support diverse client groups such as individuals and company-based financial institutions. If you have a background in the computer industry, finance or other related fields, and are ready to attain in-depth competencies to help consumers and businesses track, manage, and facilitate their finances, this Ontario College Graduate Certificate program will be of interest to you. Through a variety of projects, case studies and interactive learning opportunities, and using current and relevant resources to support the latest trends in financial technology, you will develop the skills needed to help individuals and businesses secure their finances. You will study topics such as applications, emerging market trends, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship and management. In just eight months, graduates will be job-ready to take the lead in the financial technology industry in various roles such as Business Analyst, Blockchain Business Analyst, Financial Technologist and other roles related to financial technology.

International trade and investment are critical to the Canadian economy. As a result, Canadian businesses are in need of people who can manage international projects that take place across time zones, languages, cultures and currencies. For those looking for a career in global business enterprises, this program is well suited for you.The first year of the program will provide you with a broad knowledge base in the four major areas of global business - Accounting and Finance, Marketing and Sales, Supply Chain and Operations, and Human Resources. Furthering your knowledge and skills, you will build your management and leadership capacity in the second year. Through a variety of case studies and interactive learning opportunities, you will develop skills needed to make strategic international business decisions.As a graduate, you will acquire specialized knowledge and skills in international business allowing you to carry out international business functions in today's global marketplace. Upon graduation you will have the skills and education you need to apply for the FITT Diploma from the Forum of International Trade Training, and the CIM designation from the Canadian Institute of Management. You will be well positioned to be successful in entry-level and junior management positions in all areas of international business.As part of Conestoga’s commitment to innovative learning strategies, a laptop is included in the program fees. The laptop initiative enables you to have current and relevant resources, and an interactive learning experience. You will be able to access course materials, participate in collaborative learning environments and build the technological skills needed in today's workforce. Students will receive instructions on how they will obtain their device.

Strategic Marketing Communications is an experiential, career-focused program for graduate students who want to learn how to work in the multiple roles expected in the marketing and communications fields. Graduates will enter an evolving area of the communications sector. The move to integrate the ways an organization communicates to its internal and external stakeholders has grown, in part, due to the pervasive use of social media which both enhances and challenges communicators globally. All sectors of business and not-for-profit organizations must now manage both offline and online images and messages for consistency across the traditional silos of marketing, sales, advertising, and public relations. While graduates have the knowledge to work in these diverse fields, they do so by integrating the disciplines with a common strategic direction, to achieve the goals of the organizations that employ them. This strategic approach is emphasized through the planning phase and reinforced as students learn to produce professional collateral and digital content using industry-standard technology and emerging social platforms. Learning culminates in a client-based capstone project to develop an integrated marketing communications plan.