New Dhillon School of Business finance diploma a lucrative option for those seeking a career in finance

Southern Alberta high-school and mature students looking to pursue a career in finance will have one more educational option available to them thanks to a new, two-year, 20-course finance diploma being offered by the University of Lethbridge’s Dhillon School of Business.

The finance diploma, not previously offered by any post-secondary institute in Lethbridge, creates opportunities for graduates in banking, finance and risk management industries in entry-level and mid-level management positions. Graduates can expect to gain employment in occupations such as financial planning, investment advising, or as banking/investment managers, insurance brokers and insurance adjustors. Upon completion, students can also pursue a professional designation in finance such as Qualified Associate Financial Planner (QAFP) and Canadian Securities Course (CSC).

Associate Professor of Finance and Finance Area Chair at the Dhillon School of Business, Dr. Vishaal Baulkaran, says this diploma could not come at a better time, with Alberta’s Occupational Outlook for 2019-2028 predicting labour shortages in the financial field.

“The career landscape for our future finance diploma graduates is predicted to be quite lucrative with an above average number of job openings in careers like finance, insurance and related business administrative occupations, specifically in southern Alberta,” says Baulkaran. “Furthermore, the financial benefits to finance diploma students after graduation are very positive. According to the Benefits to Post-Secondary Education Project, diploma graduates experience an increased growth in income on average of $12,000 annually after five years in the workforce.”

The finance diploma also includes opportunities for students to get practical, experiential training through in-class simulations and live portfolio management, such as the Student Management Investment Fund, and the option to add paid work terms through co-operative education.

Students can apply to the Dhillon School of Business for study at either the Lethbridge or Calgary campus. The diploma is offered through primarily faceto-face learning with blended and online course offerings, and is set to welcome students starting in the September 2022 and January 2023 terms. Students also have the option to ladder into the Bachelor of Management after completing the finance diploma program allowing them to pursue Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designations.