How to give your career a glow-up in 16 weeks or less

 A person wearing glasses and a dark blazer looks uninterested at work and rests her chin on her hand while sitting at a desk in front of a laptop, cup of coffee, phone and notebook. The image is black and white on the left side and gradually fades into a bright pink and purple colour on the right side.
New micro-credential courses = mega opportunity.

If you’re feeling disengaged at work or stunted by uncertainty in your industry, it might be time to take a page out of Ross Gellar’s book:

But don’t worry, pivoting doesn’t have to be a big lift. It could be a micro-movement — a baby step to complement your already awesome skillset and unlock brand new career paths.

With a small investment of time and money, you can earn a SAIT micro-credential in one of eight in-demand program areas.

Eight purple and pink blocks with the names of eight areas of micro-credential study in white text: Business and Leadership (with a briefcase emoji), Construction (with a construction fence emoji), Digital Transformation (with a rocket emoji), Energy (with a lightbulb emoji), Media Arts (with a camera emoji), Software and Programming (with a laptop emoji), Transportation and Logistics (with a car emoji), Welding (with a fire emoji).

We just dropped a ton of new SAITMicro courses — so with more than 100 to choose from, why stop at one? Use these bite-sized courses as building blocks to take your skills and job prospects as high as you want to go — the sky’s the limit.

Here’s a breakdown of five things to know about micro-credentials:

1. Courses are short, flexible and diverse.

Micro-credentials don't require as much time as traditional programs, with most courses ranging from two to 16 weeks in length.

From online asynchronous learning to evening or weekend classes, flexible delivery options fit seamlessly into your schedule while providing access to industry-leading instructors for mentorship and support. Choose from over 100 micro-credential courses.

Let’s put a few cool ones on your radar:

2. You can stack eligible micro-credentials towards a certificate.

While you may not want to invest in a full certificate program, micro-credentials still allow you to work towards something bigger. You can apply eligible courses towards earning a certificate, meaning you can build the skills you need now while also working towards a higher credential — if and when you choose. This also gives you the freedom to start working towards a certificate at your own pace while still working or parenting full-time.

3. Micro-credentials are skill- and competency-based.

You’ll be tested and assessed along the way to ensure you fully understand new concepts and can apply them to real-world scenarios. This shows employers you’ve earned the skills and knowledge to get the job done. Our specialized, hands-on learning is aligned with current industry performance standards, so you can apply your new skills on the job — right away.

4. If you achieve a high grade, you’ll receive a shareable digital badge.

In today’s competitive workforce, you need to stand out. When you achieve a set grade of 70% or higher in a micro-credential offering, you’ll receive a SAITMicro verified badge that can be added to your LinkedIn profile or resumé to show recruiters and employers you have the skills to get the job done. More than just visual recognition, it gives you credibility by linking to metadata that provides context and verification, detailing what you earned and where you earned it.

One thing that really helps distinguish a micro-credential from say a regular old course, is you actually have to earn that micro-credential. If you happen to get a lower mark that's all right, but you won't earn a micro credential, you'll pass the course, and you can still use it towards a certificate.

Chris Wharton
Product Manager, Centre for Continuing Education and Professional Studies.

5. They’re affordable and often covered by professional development budgets.

The majority of our micro-credential courses cost between $300 and $600, which can often be covered by your company’s professional development program — so send your manager an email and ask. This price is also affordable if you’re looking to invest in your personal growth.

Plus, you can still feel confident knowing you can stack your micro-credential with other courses to work towards a certificate.

Dream big, start small

Explore more than 100 micro-credential courses.

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