Soft skills for a strong foundation in workplace performance.
Charles Darwin once said, "It is not the strongest or most intelligent who will survive, but those who can best manage change," and managing change requires essential soft skills. While hard skills (or technical knowledge) are still important, the increased use of technological and AI advancements in the workplace means that things can change quickly, and employers are looking for people who can demonstrate the human touch that machines cannot replace. The Essential Soft Skills Training (ESST) micro-credential will complement your hard skills and give your career a strong foundation for growth.
Essential Soft Skills Training provides learners with foundational soft skills such as communication, creativity, productive conflict resolution, self-awareness, social intelligence, problem solving, process management and more. In light of how digital work environments affect these skills, this micro-credential will prepare learners to be more effective in working collaboratively and constructively with colleagues, thus increasing their competitive advantage in the workplace.
Theory will be presented with practical action steps that learners will apply through class simulations or in the workplace. Progress will be assessed through personal reflection, quizzes, peer review and instructor feedback.
Program features
All learners who complete the Essential Soft Skills Training micro-credential will receive a non-credit professional development certificate from the University of Victoria, Division of Continuing Studies.
Affordable
BC government funds 50% of the tuition fee for residents of BC
Quick
5-week program
Accessible
Online asynchronous delivery will increase access for those in rural/remote areas
Flexible
Online delivery style for those with school, employment or family commitments
Laddering opportunities into other micro-credentials or to non-credit programs
Career enhancer
Opportunity for increased employability or to upskill or reskill across industries
Quality
A micro-credential from a respected and recognized institution
Program outcomes
This micro-credential program provides an engaging multi-media environment for learners to grow their core skills and aims for learners to:
constructively develop their soft skills
acquire key concepts that improve critical thinking
articulate thinking matrices for creative and strategic problem solving
adapt to change and overcome obstacles
engage in compelling communication even in tough conversations
collaborate effectively within teams
bring the core skills together for improved process and people management in the workplace
Who is this program for?
The Essential Soft Skills Training micro-credential will appeal to those:
interacting with people in their current or desired careers
wanting to increase their competitive advantage in their careers
looking for professional development opportunities to improve workplace performance or employability
interested in adding industry certification to their resumes
Learners are typically:
early- to mid-career professionals in a wide range of industries including, but not limited to, health and safety, health care, education and engineering
recent graduates of post-secondary institutions who want to complement their specialized education (i.e. hard skills) with soft skills training
skilled newcomers to Canada who want to complement their international education and training with a Canadian micro-credential
Micro-credential can support the advancement of the OHS professional who is expected by employers, government, workers, and other stakeholders to possess the necessary skills, knowledge, and abilities to meet the needs of the 21st century workplace. Micro-credentials vary in content and format therefore the employer would need to assess the applicability to a specific area of employment.
Robin Angel
Chair, Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals
A key skill set that most occupational health and safety practitioners need to develop as their careers advance includes the soft skills. Access to the Essential Soft Skills Training (ESST) micro-credential program will have great appeal for our employee group and other occupational health and safety practitioners.
Glyn Jones
Partner, EHS Partnerships Ltd.
I believe that the Essential Soft Skills Training micro-credential program would enhance the employability of recent graduates and allow them to be hired into positions where they have the ability to do the technical work but lack the demonstrated soft skills that today’s employers are looking for.
Laurie Pearce
Pearces 2 Consulting Corporation
As an emergency manager I have witnessed first-hand the successes and challenges associated with the soft skills that people exhibit in crisis…there is a clear need for professional development training that assists adult learners at all stages of their professional life in the development of soft-skills… a focussed professional development program like the ESST micro-credential has application to a broad audience and at all levels of an organization, not just for those in senior leadership.
Robert Johns, Emergency Planner, University of Victoria
News and resources
Gain a new perspective on foundational soft skills
The Essential Soft Skills Training (ESST) micro-credential is a new five-week, part-time, instructor-led online program that will build learners’ competencies in critical soft skills: organizational skills, communication skills, critical thinking, and team-building.
Application and fees
Admission requirements
Though not required, current or prior experience in a work environment is recommended for success in this program. It is the responsibility of the participant to ensure they can complete all assignments and contribute meaningfully to all discussions by drawing from their experience. If you have any questions about your suitability for this course, please contact us directly before the course start date.
Regular access to a computer with a reliable internet connection.
University-level research, writing and critical thinking skills.
Tuition subsidy
Learners participating in Essential Soft Skills Training as a professional development micro-credential supported by the BC Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training will be eligible for a 50% tuition subsidy. Learners must be BC residents or currently living and/or working in BC. By participating in this program, learners agree to take part in a post-program survey that includes information regarding current employment status, educational background, professional goals, and an evaluation of subject matter knowledge prior to and following the learning experience. This information will be collected privately and used solely for the purpose of understanding the impact of the program in meeting the professional development needs of participants.
How to apply
There is no application necessary for this program. Simply register for the one course below, and upon successful completion, you will receive a professional development certificate.
Online learning is when course delivery, and all associated learning activities, take place via the internet. For online learning tips, system requirements and differences between delivery styles, please visit our online learning webpages.
Using mobile devices in online courses
If you are planning on accessing your online courses using a mobile device such as a tablet or a smartphone, please note that not all required course features will be accessible with these devices. To fully function in your online courses, you will need to have access to a computer running Windows or MacOS.
Refund/withdrawal policy
Refunds are subject to an administration fee of $75 up until the start of the course. No refund will be issued after the start of the course.
