Postgraduate Certificate in Career Development Practitioner

at George Brown College - St. James Campus Canada

Organizations today require engaged, motivated employees who understand how to effectively support organizational goals while enhancing their own skills and knowledge. Becoming a valued advisor to the business is a Human Resources (HR) imperative, and understanding how to effectively demonstrate a set of key behaviours is of utmost importance.

George Brown’s Human Resources Management graduate certificate program comprehensively covers the key HR functions in this exciting field. Taught by seasoned HR professionals with industry experience, the program blends business-related theory and practical application to highlight how HR functions as a strategic partner to business units. Students explore the role of the HR department and the key accountability requirements to demonstrate a high level of professionalism in a work-related setting.

Upon completion of the program, you will be able to:

• Describe how employment legislation impacts human resources
• Design human resources policies and programs
• Facilitate employee training and development
• Ensure health and safety in the workplace
• Recruit and select employees
• Promote diversity
• Manage performance
• Recommend strategic change initiatives
• Develop a total rewards system
• Manage employee/labour relations
• Create a comprehensive human resources plan

Your Field Education Options
WORK EXPERIENCE (CO-OP OR INTERNSHIP WORK TERM)
This program requires the successful completion of one semester of work experience to graduate. This work experience is either co-op (paid) or internship (unpaid). Students are also strongly encouraged to pursue self-directed industry work experience opportunities they believe would provide the learning experiences they value and meet the learning outcomes of the program. This valuable work experience can in turn be added to your resume.

Find out more about field education at the Centre for Business.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • Contribute to the development, implementation, and evaluation of employee recruitment, selection, and retention plans and processes.
  • Administer and contribute to the design and evaluation of the performance management program.
  • Develop, implement, and evaluate employee orientation, training, and development programs.
  • Facilitate and support effective employee and labour relations in both non-union and union environments.
  • Research and support the development and communication of the organization’s total compensation plan.
  • Collaborate with others in the development, implementation, and evaluation of organizational health and safety policies and practices.
  • Research and analyze information needs and apply current and emerging information technologies to support the human resources function.
  • Develop, implement, and evaluate organizational development strategies aimed at promoting organizational effectiveness.
  • Present and evaluate communication messages and processes related to the human resources function of the organization.
  • Manage own professional development and provide leadership to others in the achievement of ongoing competence in human resources professional practice.
  • Facilitate and communicate the human resources component of the organization’s business plan.
  • Conduct research, produce reports, and recommend changes in human resources practices.

The American Sign Language and Deaf Studies program is open to both Deaf and non-deaf students and provides intensive preparation in:

• American Sign Language (ASL) and English
• an orientation to Deaf culture
• current social issues affecting Deaf people
• The curriculum combines:

Opportunities to learn and practice ASL

• Classroom teaching about the structure and features of ASL
• Students will have the opportunity to:

Learn, understand and participate in basic conversations in ASL

• Develop stronger skills in spoken and written English
• Develop a basic understanding of the role of the ASL-English Interpreter

PROGRAM STANDARDS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Communicate effectively in oral and written English.
• Express and receive messages accurately in routine conversations using American Sign Language.
• Apply basic knowledge of Deaf culture, the Deaf community, and the interpreter profession.

The Business Administration (with Work Experience) advanced diploma program is designed to offer the widest range of possible career choices and opportunities in a variety of business disciplines. Graduates are prepared to work in diverse team settings and lead projects with relevant and practical skills.

This learning experience will enable you to:

• Conduct and present research to support business decision making
• Assess and use current concepts/systems and technologies to support an organization's business initiatives
• Develop a business plan to formulate the strategic direction of an organization
• Apply human resources practices to support management objectives and the organization's goals

PROGRAM STANDARDS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • Evaluate the impact of global issues on an organization’s business opportunities by using an environmental scan.
  • Apply principles of corporate sustainability, corporate social responsibility and ethics to support an organization’s business initiatives.
  • Assess and use current concepts/systems and technologies to support an organization's business initiatives.
  • Conduct and present research to support business decision making.
  • Plan, implement and evaluate projects by applying project management principles.
  • Perform work in compliance with relevant statutes, regulations and business practices.
  • Apply human resource practices to support management objectives and the organization’s goals.
  • Use accounting and financial principles to support the management and operations of an organization.
  • Assess marketing and sales concepts and strategies and apply them to the needs of an organization.
  • Outline principles of supply chain management and operations management and assess their impact on the operations of an organization.
  • Participate in the development of a business plan.
  • Develop strategies for ongoing personal and professional development to enhance work performance in the business field.
  • Outline strategies used to manage risks in an organization's business activities.

YOUR FIELD STUDY OPTIONS:
WORK EXPERIENCE (CO-OP OR INTERNSHIP WORK TERM):
This program requires the successful completion of two semesters of work experience to graduate. This work experience is either co-op (paid) or internship (unpaid). Either one will give you the practical experience employers value.
George Brown works with employers and industry partners to identify potential work experience opportunities. Students are also strongly encouraged to pursue self-directed industry work experience opportunities they believe would provide the learning experiences they value and meet the learning outcomes of the program. This valuable work experience can, in turn, be added to your resume.
In addition to on-the-job work experience, George Brown College endeavors to provide field education opportunities with real-world challenges and clients. Find out more about field education at the Centre for Business.

This Centre for Business program (B155) is part of our School of Management and is offered with Work Experience. Students wishing to apply for Business Administration without work experience should apply to B145.

In today’s rapidly changing business world, organizations are realizing that their greatest asset is their employees and that effective people management is a key factor in their overall success. The Business Administration – Human Resources program will provide you with a practical approach to human resources management, preparing you for a variety of careers within this exciting and growing field.

This learning experience will enable you to:

• Design human resources policies and programs that adhere to employment legislation
• Attract, retain and develop a productive workforce
• Manage employee diversity
• Ensure health and safety at the workplace
• Advise on employee/labour relations

Our program enables you to work towards obtaining the professional designations offered through the Human Resources Professional Association of Ontario (HRPA). For information about obtaining professional designations in HR, please contact the Human Resources Professional Association of Ontario.

PROGRAM STANDARDS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Contribute to the planning and implementation of employee recruitment, selection, and retention strategies.
• Administer and facilitate the performance management program.
• Coordinate and support the development, implementation, and evaluation of employee orientation, training, and development programs.
• Implement and support effective employee and labour relations strategies in both non-­union and union environments.
• Administer and communicate the organization’s total compensation plan.
• Collaborate with others in the implementation and monitoring of organizational health and safety policies and practices.
• Contribute to the identification of information needs and apply current and emerging information technologies to support the human resources function.
• Contribute to organizational development strategies aimed at promoting organizational effectiveness.
• Present and evaluate communication messages and processes related to the human resources function of the organization.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate personal professional development plans to achieve ongoing competence in human resources professional practice.
• Identify and communicate the human resources component of the organization’s business plan.
• Contribute to the collection, analysis, and utilization of human resources data.

The field of international trade can seem as large and complex as the world itself, encompassing disciplines such as strategic planning, law, finance, logistics, and marketing. The International Business Management graduate certificate program at George Brown College simplifies this complex field with dynamic and interactive teaching methods, including case analysis and guest speakers.

You will learn about:

• Documents and procedures supporting the movement of products and services in a global supply chain
• Statutory and regulatory compliance
• Cultural etiquette, business protocols, ethical standards, and legal practices
• International payment instruments and options
• Foreign exchange strategies
• Human resource strategies in an international operation

Program Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Conduct an environmental scan to evaluate the impact of world issues on an organization’s international business opportunities.
• Conduct, evaluate and present market research to support an organization’s international business decision?making.
• Manage the preparation of documents and the application of procedures to support the movement of products and services in the organization’s global supply chain.
• Evaluate the impact of statutory and regulatory compliance on an organization’s integrative trade initiatives.
• Develop and implement strategies to negotiate effectively within various cultural environments and to address the impact of cultural differences on an organization’s integrative trade initiatives.
• Develop and present an international marketing plan, and evaluate sales strategies that support an organization’s integrative trade initiatives.
• Identify and interpret relevant international financial documents, and evaluate financial strategies that support an organization’s integrative trade initiatives.
• Analyze the impact of an organization's integrative trade initiatives on its human resources management strategies, policies, and practices.
• Develop and present an international business plan.
• Manage the implementation and evaluation of team projects by applying project management principles.
• Recommend strategies to support principles of corporate sustainability, corporate social responsibility and ethics associated with an organization’s integrative trade initiatives and evaluate their effectiveness.
• Select and apply current technologies to support an organization’s integrative trade initiatives.

Each September, a small group of students begin a nine-month graduate certificate program in Interdisciplinary Design Strategy at the Institute without Boundaries (IwB), where they work as a team to research, design and realize a real-world project. Initiated in 2003, this program delves into the methods and practices of design research, strategy and social innovation. It is a unique educational experience offered by George Brown College in partnership with leading designers and industry.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • Apply universal and sustainable design principles to complex global problems in order to create intelligent solutions that address environmental, social and economic challenges.
  • Manage an Integrated Design Process to deliver human-centred design strategy projects for government, corporations and non-profit organizations.
  • Design collaboratively in an interdisciplinary studio environment to complete environmental, communication, product, service and system design projects.
  • Apply primary and secondary research methodologies to the design process using a think/make practice model to achieve project outcomes that meet user needs.
  • Adhere to the professional practices of a design studio in order to facilitate the success of design teams in achieving project results.
  • Participate in a multi-phase design process in order to create a holistic, integrated, and realistic design project.
  • Liaise and manage the design process to provide solutions for clients including design, documentation, tendering, fabrication and delivery.
  • Present research results and design solutions to a diverse audience utilizing effective communication strategies.

Interaction Design is an interdisciplinary field merging design skills such as user experience, interface development and graphic design with programming to create meaningful experiences between the user, digital and physical platforms, such as websites, wearables and mobile devices.

Modified by the psychological, social, economic and cultural factors that shape our present and future world, this ever-evolving field envisions new ways of human-computer interaction within systems, services, products and spaces across multiple industries.

Throughout the Interaction Design program, students will be expected to address such topics as mixed realities, immersive environments, usability, spatial relations and human factors. An emphasis on usability testing, research, collaboration and real-world projects distinguish this program.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • Collaborate in a team environment with various stakeholders to design multi-disciplinary products and services.
  • Apply the appropriate tools that allow for designing, building, visualizing, and programming digital interactive experiences.
  • Assess the requirements of a complex interactive media project.
  • Plan the development and execution of an interaction design project in response to resource and budgetary requirements.
  • Design a complex media project (interface, navigation, graphics, text treatment) using best practice design and development principles, and applying conceptual and theoretical frameworks.
  • Make interactive products, environments, systems and services using appropriate technologies, materials, and manufacturing methods.
  • Perform all work in compliance with regulations, legislation, security policies, industry standards and codes of ethics.
  • Use research skills to assess and inform optimal digital user experience within interactive interfaces.
  • Apply creative and innovative thinking techniques to manage change and solve design problems.
  • Make recommendations based on human computer interaction design guidelines to improve user experiences with interaction design.
  • Design an interactive product or service that delivers a usable interactive experience.
  • Contribute to a variety of interactive platforms and environments, incorporating the principles and elements of design.
  • Create a design solution in accordance with strategies, recommendations and state of the art methodologies.

The Business Administration – Finance advanced diploma program provides students with the knowledge and skills to work in the financial services sector. The financial services sector continues to grow and adapt to the needs of clients through the use of technology. People with customer service skills and knowledge of financial planning, call centre operations, investments and risk management are needed in this fast-paced environment.

Upon completion of this program, you will be able to:

• Help clients take steps to achieve their life goals through an integrated approach to the management of all their financial affairs, including such areas as:
  • Financial Management – assess the client’s current and future financial position, based upon their cash flow, budget and net worth.
  • Investment Management – assess the nature of the client’s assets based on their risk tolerance, time horizon and expected rates of return
  • Retirement Planning – compare the client’s expected lifestyle in retirement to their current retirement assets and planned savings
  • Tax Planning – assess the client’s current and future tax obligations and strategies employed to minimize or defer taxation
  • Insurance and Risk Management – manage the client’s exposure to an unexpected financial loss due to death, health issues, property damage and other risks.
  • Estate Planning – assess how the client can meet their objectives upon death in the most efficient and cost-effective manner
• Prepare a comprehensive financial plan for a client situation, integrating and prioritizing the activities listed above

This program (B130) is also offered with work experience. Students who wish to apply for Business Administration – Finance with Work Experience should apply to B150. Find out more about Field Education at the Centre for Business.

Program Learning Outcomes

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • Co-ordinate the processing and maintaining of financial records in compliance with relevant policies, procedures and regulations for individuals and/or organizations.
  • Co-ordinate the preparation and the presentation of financial information in compliance with relevant legislation and regulations for individuals and/or organizations.
  • Analyze financial reports for individuals and/or organizations by applying financial mathematics and statistics.
  • Develop and evaluate a financial plan to meet individuals’ and/or organizations’ needs and objectives.
  • Develop, implement, evaluate and co-ordinate marketing strategies to promote financial products and services and to enhance customer service.
  • Develop, implement and evaluate strategies to establish and maintain professional networking and business relationships in the finance sector.
  • Analyze and evaluate, within a Canadian context, the impact of economic variables, legislation, ethics, technology and the environment on individuals’ and/or organizations’ operations.
  • Develop, implement and evaluate ongoing strategies for personal and professional development, highlighting ethics, values and standards in the finance sector.
  • Co-ordinate the planning, implementation, management and evaluation of team projects by applying project management principles.

Students in the Business Administration – Project Management (with work experience) advanced diploma program will be prepared to manage project scope and change, project control, project staffing and risk management, provide motivation and goal setting, utilize project management tools and perform other functions in careers that incorporate project management or in stand-alone project manager positions. Graduates of this program will have demonstrated their knowledge, skills, and abilities related to business in general and project management in particular.

This learning experience will enable graduates to demonstrate:

• Analysis of the impact of an organization's project management initiatives on its human resources, management, financial and business strategies, policies and practices
• Implementation of a project plan including making trade-offs among competing objectives and taking timely action to deal with problems and opportunities
• Application of accounting and financial knowledge to the management of projects
• Allocation of human resources required to manage project tasks using leadership and teamwork skills
• Working with teams and stakeholders effectively and in a professional manner, respecting differences

This Centre for Business program (B156) is part of our School of Management and is offered with Work Experience. Students wishing to apply for Business Administration – Project Management without work experience should apply to B126.

PROGRAM STANDARDS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

• The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:
  • Evaluate the impact of global issues on an organization’s business opportunities by using an environmental scan.
  • Apply principles of corporate sustainability, corporate social responsibility and ethics to support an organization’s business initiatives.
  • Assess and use current concepts/systems and technologies to support an organization's business initiatives.
  • Conduct and present research to support business decision making.
  • Plan, implement and evaluate projects by applying project management principles.
  • Perform work in compliance with relevant statutes, regulations and business practices.
  • Apply human resource practices to support management objectives and the organization’s goals.
  • Use accounting and financial principles to support the management and operations of an organization.
  • Assess marketing and sales concepts and strategies and apply them to the needs of an organization.
  • Outline principles of supply chain management and operations management and assess their impact on the operations of an organization.
  • Participate in the development of a business plan.
  • Develop strategies for ongoing personal and professional development to enhance work performance in the business field.
  • Outline strategies used to manage risks in an organization's business activities.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING

• Work Experience (Co-op or Internship) Required

WORK EXPERIENCE (CO-OP OR INTERNSHIP WORK TERM)

• This program requires the successful completion of two semesters of work experience to graduate. This work experience is either co-op (paid) or internship (unpaid). Either one will give you the practical experience employers value.
• George Brown works with employers and industry partners to identify potential work experience opportunities. Students are also strongly encouraged to pursue self-directed industry work experience opportunities they believe would provide the learning experiences they value and meet the learning outcomes of the program. This valuable work experience can in turn be added to your resume.
• In addition to on-the-job work experience, George Brown College endeavours to provide field education opportunities with real world challenges and clients. Find out more about field education at the Centre for Business.

The Honours Bachelor of Digital Experience Design Degree is a four-year program that produces designers who can solve problems using human-centred, socially conscious, and economically viable digital solutions.

Digital experience design includes related fields such as service design, user experience design and interaction design. It involves understanding human behaviour and human computer interaction, conducting research and usability studies, managing projects and working in teams, applying business skills, working with existing and emerging digital technologies, prototyping new ideas and anticipating future trends.

In this program, students will develop the ability to critically analyze and adapt to ever-changing conditions of technology and culture. Foundational courses build students’ analytical, technical and business skills. In upper-year courses and capstone projects, students collaborate on digital interfaces and applications, as well as interactive environments and objects.

This design degree curriculum focuses on three areas of learning based on the digital experience design process:

• Think: design thinking, theory, culture and research
• Make: designing, building and testing digital experiences
• Ship: entrepreneurship and the commercialization of digital products

Interactive Digital Media is a growing industry that is quickly changing, driven by shifts in consumer behaviour and technology. Graduates of this program will be able to contribute to and eventually lead interdisciplinary teams to solve problems across a variety of fields such as security, transportation, education and manufacturing. The degree also prepares students to pursue graduate studies in a wide range of academic disciplines.

Program Learning Outcomes
The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

• Integrate digital experience design theories and methodologies to solve real-life problems and address societal issues.
• Explain the relationships between digital interactive experiences and products and other fields of practice and study.
• Provide human-centred and research-based solutions and design opportunities across sectors.
• Determine the usability of interactive systems to optimize the performance of a product or service.
• Incorporate key theoretical concepts of design to inform the planning, production and critique of interactive digital experiences.
• Develop applications based on trends in digital experience design.
• Incorporate relevant technological systems in the process of developing digital experiences.
• Use human-centred design principles to develop and test digital products, systems and services to enhance the aesthetic and functional experience.
• Select the appropriate tools that allow for designing, building, visualizing and programming digital interactive experiences.
• Create interactive products, systems and services using appropriate technologies, materials and manufacturing methods.
• Collaborate with and lead interdisciplinary design teams and stakeholders in the process of designing a product or service.
• Manage a design project by applying business, legal and ethical principles.
• Conceive of economically viable projects with accompanying business models