In a dynamic and ever-changing labour market, we need to help students acquire, reflect on, and articulate competencies throughout post-secondary study. This encourages agency over their career paths by supporting their pursuits beyond their degree and within a variety of industries and career paths. Students and graduates can use their competencies to bring interdisciplinary skills to an array of opportunities.
But how do post-secondary institutions build the right systems and uphold inter-departmental collaboration to drive competency development for learners?
In this podcast, University of Manitoba explores their implementation of a competency framework within Outcome and what they learned along the way. From promotion to uptake amongst stakeholders, building transparency, challenges, and hopes for impact, this episode informs anyone in education or employment curious about competency development or considering the role of competencies in the future workforce.
Listen to this podcast here.
More on Our guests
About Marnie Bickerton
Marnie Bickerton is the Director of the Career, Community and Experiential Learning Centre at the University of Manitoba. Marnie has been dedicated to the career development field for over 20 years and has worked in post-secondary institutions (college and university environments) focusing on project management and strategic visioning. Working in private industry, non-profit organizations, high school, and post-secondary institutions has provided an opportunity to look at career development and learning from multiple perspectives. Membership in many career and community-based groups and committees including the Office to Advance Women Apprentices Advisory Committee, the Maven Committee (Tech Manitoba), the Manitoba Career Development Association (MACD), the Inter-provincial Association on Indigenous Employment (IANE), the Manitoba Indigenous Youth Career Awareness Committee (MAYCAC), and the Post-Secondary Advisory Committee with Career Trek have provided meaningful contribution opportunities. Marnie has participated in Pan-Canadian consultations on employability skills and career development.
About Rebecca Brooks
Rebecca Brooks, M.Ed. (they/them): Rebecca is a faculty specialist in experiential learning at the University of Manitoba, supporting the newly established Office of Experiential Learning at the university. Rebecca has a wide range of education and experience, having taught in K-12 as well as post-secondary, and holding various leadership positions including Director of the Centre for Learning and Innovation and Dean of Academic Programs at the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology. With a background in arts, technology, and education, Rebecca champions the importance of transferable competencies such as inclusive collaboration, creative problem solving, and lifelong learning that develop and deepen over a lifetime.
About Gail Langlais
Gail Langlais is the past director of the University of Manitoba Career Services and the newly formed Unit – Career, Community and Experiential Learning Centre. She has worked in the field of career development for over 28 years and carries her passion for this work into private consulting. Gail has worked in and managed teams within career development for a broad range of client groups. She worked on Manitoba’s career development portfolio managing the Manitoba Government cross-departmental strategy through which horizontal partnerships were developed between departments and community groups to facilitate a seamless integrated career development system within Manitoba. Gail has participated on a variety of committees and working groups including the Canadian Council for Career Development, Canadian Career Development Foundation Certification Advisory Committee, Labour Market Information Council National Stakeholder Advisory Council, Manitoba Association for Career Development, Manitoba Industry and Academic Partnerships WIL Working Group and the Let’s Get to Work Conference Committee.
About Sarah Saunders
Sarah Saunders is a Student Affairs professional and leadership educator at the University of Manitoba. Her current work revolves around effective assessment and evaluation in student affairs, though she has also spent over a decade in various student engagement and success portfolios including orientation and transition, leadership education and development, co-curricular engagement and experiential learning, and advising. As an educator, she helps students recognize & maximize their skills, and build effective teams. Her goal is to help individuals gain a deeper sense of self-awareness and develop an authentic leadership identity.
