Diploma in UI Design Professional (Co-op)

at Tamwood International College - Vancouver Campus Canada

UX design professionals are in high demand. Take this program to set yourself up for a successful career as a UX Design Professional. In this program you will learn the skills, tools, and techniques used in the field of User Experience Design and apply them in a practical professional environment; including design, research, testing of interfaces, websites, products, and applications. This program prepares you for a career in any of the following roles: UX Designer, Information Architect, UX Researcher, Product Designer, and Interaction Designer.

You have the choice of doing the full-time diploma or the work and study diploma which combines the courses in the full-time diploma program with a 480-hour co-operative work term.

Program Outcomes
Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Understand and apply the principles of user experience research, user-centric design approaches and strategy, UX methodologies, information architecture, user behaviours, information structures, graphical user interfaces, visual design, mobile user experience, and usability testing
• Work in a practical setting and apply techniques such as creating a user-centric design approach for a project using personal development and information design
• Develop usable wireframes for a website and/or simple application using Axure software
• Design an intuitive user interface and applying the learned principles of visual design
• Test and measure the success of a UX design project employing learned user testing techniques

This workplace readiness program is designed for international students seeking training in and knowledge of transferable soft skills for the international or Canadian workplace. Students gain the essential industry knowledge and skills in customer service, hospitality, and tourism to allow them to be successful in entry to intermediate level positions in a broad range of related employment settings; for example, hotels, motels, resorts, restaurants, convention centres and on cruise ships.

Program Outcomes
By taking this program you will acquire and be able to apply the essential skills and knowledge related to:

• Canada; National Culture and Cross-Cultural Communication, including: Skills working with different cultures, establishing first impressions, skills related to service industry standards.
• Customer Service, Sales, and Marketing, including: Public speaking skills, problem-solving skills, applying marketing techniques.
• Travel, Tourism, and Adaption, including: Taking orders, planning for meetings, handling special needs, writing effective communication.
• Managing Events, Attractions, and eTravel, including: Research skills, organizing events, delivering presentations, time management skills.
• Tourism, Trends & Impacts, including: Analyzing performance, setting personal and career-related goals, workshop planning.
• Tourism Based Businesses and Workplace Communications, including: Negotiation skills, management skills, interviewing, and feedback.

Co-op Work Experience
Diploma program students complete a 480-hour co-op education work placement that starts on completion of the six-month study term. Co-Op positions are typically entry level to get you working from the ground up. Work placements are available in: Vancouver, Whistler, Toronto and other areas in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.  You will receive assistance and tools to help you find work and start earning income fast! Our work placement coordinators work with you to connect you with employers and great jobs and they stay connected and support you through your entire program.

UI design professionals are in high demand everywhere in the world. Take this program to set yourself up for a successful career. In this program, you will learn the practical skills, tools, and techniques used in the field of User Interface & Visual Communication Design, including creative software, layout and composition, colour and typographic theory, visual brand identity, conceptual and strategic thinking, and designing for digital interfaces.

This program prepares you to work in any of the following roles: User Interface Designer, Graphic Designer, Web Designer, Communication Designer, Production Designer, Interactive Designer, Art Director, or Creative Director.

You have the choice of doing the full-time diploma or the work and study diploma which combines the courses in the full-time diploma program with a 480-hour co-operative work term.

Program Outcomes
Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:

• Follow the steps of the creative process: research, ideation, execution, and revision
• Assemble effective colour palettes
• Select appropriate typefaces considering their quality, legal requirements, availability, and visual language while composing elegant typesetting in view of visual hierarchy, alignment, and spacing
• Design balanced layouts with clear focal points, balance, and alignment
• Build designs in Photoshop with the ability to create masks, apply filters, and other relevant tools
• Draw vector elements in Illustrator using the pen tool, pathfinder, strokes, and other relevant tools
• Build user interface layouts in Sketch using vector tools, grids, symbols, and other relevant tools
• Design a visual brand identity such as a logo, colour palette, typefaces, photography, and iconography
• Lead productive ideation sessions
• Practice a user-centric approach to problem-solving
• Recognize the best practices of user experience design
• Identify limitations and possibilities when working with programming languages such as CSS, HTML, Javascript, Swift, and Java
• Build a creative brief
• Confidently and eloquently present creative work
• Distinguish art and design eras, movements, and trends
• Constructively critique peers’ work

In this digital age, the world needs more digital marketers. The Digital Marketing program focuses on the many channels of marketing in modern-day business and is taught by industry professionals to give you the skills and knowledge for success. Students will learn how to select the appropriate marketing channels, and generate and curate tailored content that is meaningful for their target audiences. Topics covered include digital marketing strategies, social media, search engine optimization, campaign management, e-mail marketing, content marketing, online advertisement, web analytics, principles of design and WordPress website management.

Program Outcomes
Upon completion of this program, you will have an understating of all aspects of digital marketing, digital communications, branding, web design, social media management, and marketing automation.

Co-op Work Experience
Diploma program students complete a 480-hour co-op education work placement that starts on completion of the six-month study term. Co-Op positions are typically entry level to get you working from the ground up. Work placements are available in: Vancouver, Whistler, Toronto and other areas in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.  You will receive assistance and tools to help you find work and start earning income fast! Our work placement coordinators work with you to connect you with employers and great jobs and they stay connected and support you through your entire program.

Learn how to develop and create a business idea that will iterate and evolve, while gaining the skills and knowledge needed to launch and run a successful business with the Applied Diploma in Innovation & Entrepreneurship program. Each module takes the foundations learned in the core Innovation & Business Ideation course and puts a real-life operations, sales & marketing, financial management, or communications lens, on the business idea you and your classmates have decided to pursue.

Program Outcomes
By the end of this program you will be able to:

• Develop a business idea that is aligned with your passion and personal values
• Create a prototype/Minimum Viable Product (MVP) to validate a business idea
• Create customer user profiles
• Develop a sales process
• Create a marketing plan that corresponds with sales goals
• Identify the opportunities and challenges of a business model through a global perspective
• Hire, fire, and most importantly, retain employees
• Manage both human and capital resources
• Communicate with your accounting team and understand the elements of financial statements
• Define key financial and startup metrics to measure growth and traction
• Develop and manage a comprehensive cash-flow budget
• Develop your fundraising strategy
• Understand the fundamentals of capital raising and how to pitch your idea to potential funders and investors
• Identify the legal needs of your startup and start planning an IP strategy
• Operate as an effective team leader
• Communicate through empathy and leadership with business stakeholders, such as investors, employees, and potential customers

Learn how to develop and create a business idea that will iterate and evolve, while gaining the skills and knowledge needed to launch and run a successful business with the Applied Diploma in Innovation & Entrepreneurship program. Each module takes the foundations learned in the core Innovation & Business Ideation course and puts a real-life operations, sales & marketing, financial management, or communications lens, on the business idea you and your classmates have decided to pursue.

The Innovation & Entrepreneurship program gives you the option to participate in a practicum. This includes the advantage of Canadian startup experience through a 160-hour practicum with one of our startup partner organizations. You will get to experience and learn things firsthand by partaking in roles and responsibilities where you will apply the knowledge and skills you have learned in the program.

Program Outcomes
By the end of this program you will be able to:

• Develop a business idea that is aligned with your passion and personal values
• Create a prototype/Minimum Viable Product (MVP) to validate a business idea
• Create customer user profiles
• Develop a sales process
• Create a marketing plan that corresponds with sales goals
• Identify the opportunities and challenges of a business model through a global perspective
• Hire, fire, and most importantly, retain employees
• Manage both human and capital resources
• Communicate with your accounting team and understand the elements of financial statements
• Define key financial and startup metrics to measure growth and traction
• Develop and manage a comprehensive cash-flow budget
• Develop your fundraising strategy
• Understand the fundamentals of capital raising and how to pitch your idea to potential funders and investors
• Identify the legal needs of your startup and start planning an IP strategy
• Operate as an effective team leader
• Communicate through empathy and leadership with business stakeholders, such as investors, employees, and potential customers

Practicum Experience
Students in the Applied Diploma with Practicum benefit from an 8 week (160 hours) internship in a Canadian startup. This unpaid practicum allows you to experience what it is like to work in the fast-paced and ever-changing startup environment. See how other entrepreneurs apply their skills to a new concept and help them launch and scale.

Globalization and emerging technologies are ever-changing business opportunities and effective management styles. Learn the skills you need to succeed in business management in an international context. In this program, you will explore a broad range of business basics and management fundamentals. Courses include global business, workplace communications, finance, marketing, human resources, international trade, and project management.

Program Outcomes
This program fosters development of effective management skills including critical thinking, creative problem solving, communication, organization, and leadership. A special emphasis is placed on the communication skills required to succeed in the Canadian and International work environment, as well as learning to manage and lead in the increasingly multi-cultural and technology-driven marketplace.

Co-op Work Experience
Diploma program students complete a 480-hour co-op education work placement that starts on completion of the six-month study term. Co-Op positions are typically entry level to get you working from the ground up. Work placements are available in: Vancouver, Whistler, Toronto and other areas in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.  You will receive assistance and tools to help you find work and start earning income fast! Our work placement coordinators work with you to connect you with employers and great jobs and they stay connected and support you through your entire program.

Every business needs a website and eventually, every website needs a redesign so demand is high for good web developers. In this program, you will learn how to design and code interactive client-facing websites using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. By the end of the program, you will be able to build dynamic websites using a content management system, produce and consume web APIs, and write efficient code demonstrating knowledge of programming concepts. This program will prepare you to work as a Front-end Developer and in any general web developer position.

You have the choice of doing the full-time diploma or the work and study diploma, which combines the courses in the full-time diploma program with a 480-hour co-operative work term.

Program Outcomes
Upon completion of this program, students will be able to:

• HTML5 & CSS3: Build a solid foundation of HTML5, CSS3 and responsive web development skills. As well as, write well-structured, semantic mark-up with an eye for accessibility and search engine optimization (SEO).
• WordPress: Build custom WordPress themes from scratch, mastering WordPress template tags, template hierarchy, custom post types, custom fields, custom taxonomies, plugin development, sidebar widgets, and more. Learn to understand the role of a CMS in managing a website and explore the new WordPress REST API as a means for multi-platform content distribution.
• Sass: Learn how to use the Sass CSS pre-processor, use CSS best practices to produce scalable and maintainable CSS code, build on and extend basic jQuery and JavaScript skills, interact with popular JSON-based web APIs using Ajax, and use the latest versions of the JavaScript language.
• Gulp: Learn how to use JavaScript task runners to help enhance and automate your web development workflow.
• PHP: Learn the basics of PHP, including an introduction to object-oriented programming, best practices for writing modern PHP, and understand the server-side programming language (and how it differs from JavaScript).
• Git & GitHub: Master version control using Git from the command-line and open-source your projects on GitHub.