Digital Skills Fundamentals

University of Waterloo students working at St. Joseph's Hospital.

The University of Waterloo is committed to ensuring you are prepared to face the changing landscape of work. By equipping you with the digital skills and talents to find work and make a significant contribution to organizations of all kinds, Waterloo is paving the road to a strong future.

Here is how you can set yourself up to succeed in an ever-changing and complex world of work.

Enrol in the Digital Skills Fundamentals micro-courses

We partnered with Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business, Vidyard, Larry Smith (director and founder, The Problem Lab), Uvaro, Shopify and Deloitte to deliver the micro-courses they have created so you can build your digital skills!

These micro-courses are designed to introduce you to the fundamental concepts of website development, digital and video marketing, and problem analysis. We offer the micro-course bundle to all students at no charge. There is no limit on the number of micro-courses you can take! You don’t need to have any previous experience in any of these areas of expertise.

The introductory micro-courses are:

1) INTRODUCTION TO DIGITAL MARKETING

The purpose of these workshops is to introduce students to the rudimentary concepts of digital marketing. Students will emerge from these workshops with a foundational knowledge that is essential to more advanced or independent learning, and a curated list of quality resources in which they may pursue further skills development.

This micro-course includes 5 workshops:

  1. Introduction to Social Media Marketing
  2. Paid Content
  3. Analytics
  4. Visual Content Creation
  5. Email Communications

This micro-course has been generously provided by the Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business.

About Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business

The Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business at the University of Waterloo offers undergraduate and graduate programs in digital arts and design within a global business framework. Students combine creative exploration, critical thinking and design research to create positive technology-enhanced user experiences.

Our students and faculty respond to current design challenges and anticipate possible digital futures, often in collaboration with partners outside the university. In particular, we take a human-centered approach to technology while being mindful of social, cultural and environmental impact.

2) INTRODUCTION TO WEB DESIGN

The purpose of these workshops is to introduce students to the rudimentary concepts of web design. Students will emerge from these workshops with a foundational knowledge that is essential to more advanced or independent learning, and a curated list of quality resources in which they may pursue further skills development.

This micro-course includes 5 workshops:

  1. Introduction to the World Wide Web
  2. Introduction to HTML
  3. Introduction to CSS
  4. Visual and Usability Design Fundamentals
  5. Content Management Systems

This micro-course has been generously provided by the Stratford School of Interaction Design and Business.

3) INTRODUCTION TO VIDEO MARKETING

The purpose of this mini-course is to introduce students to the basic principles of video marketing, video production and how video can be used effectively in digital marketing. Students will gain fundamental knowledge that is essential to more advanced or independent learning, and have access to a curated list of quality resources that they may pursue for further skills development.

This micro-course includes 4 modules/workshops:

  1. What is Video Marketing? The Ultimate Guide to Video Marketing.
  2. Developing a Video Strategy in Business: Developing a Video Content Strategy.
  3. Most Common Types of Video in Business: Video Series
  4. Getting Started with Video Production The Complete Guide to Video Production

This micro-course has been generously provided by Vidyard.

About Vidyard

Vidyard is the online video platform for business. Whether you need a video management solution for your existing videos, or video software to create new ones, Vidyard is the fastest way to record and manage videos online.

4) MAXIMIZING YOUR VALUE TO THE EMPLOYER

This micro-course introduces the concept of problem analysis and how that approach can be used by students to demonstrate value to an employer. If you don't understand the problem, you don't know which existing tool to use to fix it; if you don't understand the problem, you don't know whether you should create a new tool to solve it. We explain the use of problem analysis in initial interviews, in the co-op workplace itself, in securing employment upon graduation and advancing in your career.

This micro-course has been generously provided by Larry Smith (director and founder, The Problem Lab).

About Larry Smith

Larry Smith, BA, MA, is an adjunct associate professor at the Conrad School of Entrepreneurship and Business. In his previous roles, Larry worked with the Canadian Construction Association and the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities. Larry holds his BA and MA from the University of Waterloo.

5) INTRODUCTION TO SALES SKILLS

The purpose of this micro-course is to introduce students to the basics of the art of objection handling, establishing mindset, and building buyer empathy to teach you how to sell like a pro. Students will complete the micro-course with a basic knowledge of the sales process and can then access the Kiite Academy of online video resources, complementary assessments and self-assessments to help sales professionals grow their knowledge in key areas.

This micro-course has been generously provided by Uvaro.

About Uvaro

Uvaro is a combination of online video resources, complementary assets, and self-assessments to help sales professionals grow their knowledge in key areas such as prospecting, conversational fluency, and sales process. Uvaro partnered with subject matter experts to create courses at no cost to help you tackle these key areas.

6) INTRODUCTION TO E-COMMERCE

The purpose of this micro-course is to introduce students on how to work with Shopify as an e-commerce platform for organizations. Students will complete the micro-course with a basic knowledge of e-commerce and how to establish an online store, and a curated list of quality resources in which to pursue further skills development. 

This micro-course has been generously provided by Shopify.

About Shopify

Shopify Inc. is a Canadian multinational e-commerce company and is also the name of its proprietary e-commerce platform for online stores and retail point-of-sale systems. Shopify offers online retailers a suite of services including payments, marketing, shipping and customer engagement tools to simplify the process of running an online store for small merchants.

7) CYBER 101 - CYBER RISK SOLUTIONS

This micro-course will prepare students to be aware of current cyber terminology, issues and solutions an organization may implement to address cyber risk needs, and of potential cyber career opportunities.

This micro-course has been created and generously provided by Deloitte.

About Deloitte in Canada

Deloitte provides audit and assurance, consulting, financial advisory, risk advisory, tax and related services to public and private clients spanning multiple industries. Deloitte serves four out of five Fortune Global 500® companies through a globally connected network of member firms in more than 150 countries and territories bringing world-class capabilities, insights and service to address clients’ most complex business challenges. Deloitte LLP is the Canadian member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, which is a network of member firms, each of which is a legally separate and independent entity.

Completing the micro-course

  • It takes about 30 hours to complete the entire set of modules in the Digital Skills Fundamentals micro-courses.
  • All micro-courses can be taken in part or in their entirety. There is no time limit on its completion.
  • There is no set sequence or order that these micro-courses need to be taken.
  • These micro-courses are self-directed and not for credit. They are intended to augment your existing skills and provide you with new skills that could be useful in today’s workforce.
  • If you satisfactorily complete the self-directed assignments, quizzes, and activities related to each topic, you are eligible to receive a digital badge in Digital Skills Fundamentals, verified by eCampus Ontario.

To enrol in the micro-courses above, follow the instructions to access self-registration courses and search for “Digital Skills – Fundamentals” on the Self-Registration page in LEARN. 

If you have any questions about the Digital Skills Fundamentals course, please reach out to digitalskills@uwaterloo.ca.

Why take this micro-course?

Waterloo employers have said that the digital skills in these programs are much needed in their organizations, especially in the current climate. Digital literacy and technological savvy are critical skill sets that will be needed in small and medium businesses in particular.

Take advantage of these resources, upgrade your skills and look for job opportunities to utilize your knowledge. By taking part, you can help build economic recovery by bringing these valued skills to businesses. These digital skills can make a difference in your current job search for spring or fall work terms, particularly as many organizations continue to operate remotely.

Our team at CEE is working hard with employers to see how students with these skills can help meet business needs.

The Digital Skills Fundamentals badge you receive upon completion is verified by eCampus Ontario, confirming your developed competency in the related digital skills. This makes a great addition to an application package or a point of discussion in interviews.

Future Ready Talent Framework

Post-pandemic, there has been a significant difference in what employers are looking for when it comes to a workforce. Completing the Digital Skills Fundamentals micro-courses will help you develop skills highlighted in Waterloo’s Future Ready Talent Framework (FRTF). The FRTF is a tool developed by the university to help students understand what primary skills are needed to thrive in a workplace after the pandemic.

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