New Bow Valley programs developed to fill digital needs
Bow Valley College is at the forefront of the fast-changing digital world, offering a range of programs that harness technology through its new School of Creative Technologies.
Launched in 2017, the school offers diploma courses in Digital Design, Software Development, Business Administration in Digital Marketing, and Interior Decorating.
Post-diploma certificates, available in Digital Marketing, Kitchen and Bath Design, and Software Development, allow students already holding a diploma to upgrade their skills for transition into a new field.
The Digital Design program launches this fall while an advanced certificate in Data Analytics and Management, a first for Alberta, comes online in January 2019, says Amos Ngai, associate dean at the School of Creative Technologies.
These programs all fit the mandate of Bow Valley College, Alberta’s largest community college, to offer flexible training for a broad spectrum of students looking to learn new skills or upgrade in preparation for a new career path.
“Anybody who wants the opportunity to change their career, or start a new career, has many options at the School of Creative Technologies,” says Ngai.
Created to address industry needs, the college’s development team conducted more than 400 interviews with sector leaders across Canada when designing the programming, Ngai adds.
The collaborative programs give students the ability to quickly learn new skills. Some programs, such as the Digital Marketing certificate, can be completed in just eight months.
With a high population of part-time students at Bow Valley, programs focus on flexibility, offering longer completion periods and including online learning options. All programs also qualify for government student loans.
The new Digital Design program will give learners the design skills and equip them with the tools they need to be successful in an always changing industry.
“Industry tells us that a lot of the skills required include planning and co-ordination, such as being able to get your ideas across to developers,” says Ngai.
The end result is a program that blends collaboration and communication while teaching design skills.
An advanced certificate in Data Analytics and Management, a first for Alberta, begins in January 2019. Open to applicants with a prior degree, it’s an eightmonth program ideal for learners with a base knowledge in data manipulation, analysis and visualization.
For the 2018-19 school year, the school is launching a Software Development post-diploma certificate for people with previous post-secondary experience who want to move into software development, a hot job market. The condensed program can be completed in eight months.
“They’ll come out of this program in a short period of time with the skills they need to immediately get a job in the industry,” says Ngai.
For more information, visit the School of Creative Technologies at bowvalley college.ca/sct.