Leadership for Young Professionals

January 16 to March 20, 2025

Registration deadline: January 8, 2025

Facilitators: Addy Strickland and Alaa Salih

We hear about leadership all the time – in the contexts of our workplaces, governments, schools, and communities… but what is leadership really?

This course is intended to support young professionals in the early stages of their careers (less than 5 years) in the workforce as they explore what leadership means to them in the context of their work and future goals. It will offer participants the chance to grow their understanding of what leadership means, explore their own personal strengths as leaders, learn new skills, and begin to think through how they can apply their leadership in the workplace.

The facilitation style for this course is highly participatory, and prioritizes self-reflection and participant-driven learning. Course participants will be actively involved in shaping their own experience, and should not expect a more traditional lecture-based classroom.

Who should register?

This program is designed for young professionals aged 18-34 in Canada, who consider themselves to be in the early stages of their careers. For the sake of this course, we’re defining “early career” as having five or fewer years of experience in the workforce outside of school. (Participants do not need to be currently employed).

Benefits and Learning Objectives

After nine weeks, participants will come away with a deeper understanding of leadership and a personal inventory of their own strengths as a leader. They’ll have learned new skills and strategies for practicing holistic leadership in the workplace from experts and from their peers, including how to create safer and welcoming workplaces; handle difficult discussions; facilitate workshops; and prioritize self and community care within the work environment. Throughout the course, participants will also work to identify how to apply their learnings, adapt the skills they’ve learned to suit their own personal leadership styles, and use their strengths in leadership to take them from where they are to wherever they want to go—making an impact on what matters to them.

Time requirement

Course participants can expect to spend approximately 3-4 hours per week, over nine weeks, completing coursework and participating in seven weekly online sessions. Attendance at online sessions is mandatory to pass the course—please note that this course cannot be completed asynchronously.

Technology Requirement

Computer or laptop
Reliable internet access (high speed is recommended)
Speakers and microphone

Online Learning Experience

As a blended model of delivery, you will have the opportunity to engage in learning activities through asynchronous activities (Moodle) and live discussions (Zoom).

Once per week, there will be a two-hour session on Zoom where we will gather for a real-time, facilitated discussion and activities. These synchronous sessions might also include panel discussions or guest speakers. As a participant, you are expected to engage with your peers in the weekly synchronous space and complete weekly coursework and assignments on time before and after class.

Live discussions will occur each Thursday from 1:30-3:30pm AST.

Fees

Tuition for the course is $400CAD plus HST. Coady Institute strives to ensure change leaders working in communities around the world have access to its courses. This is made possible through the provision of bursaries that are funded by many individual and institutional donors.

A limited number of full bursaries are available for First Nations, Métis and Inuit persons residing in Canada as well as persons from African Nova Scotian communities. If you belong to one of these communities and would like to request a full bursary, please reach out to coadyadmit@stfx.ca.

Full bursaries are also available from the Centre for Employment Innovation (CEI) for eligible applicants from the Nova Scotia Works system. Applicants from Nova Scotia who are engaged in employment services or social innovation activities to alleviate poverty, strengthen livelihoods, and create more equitable employment and entrepreneurial opportunities with and for systemically oppressed groups may also be eligible. If you are unable to pay by credit card, please reach out to our finance officer to arrange for payment.

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This course is online. You will need a computer, reliable internet access (high speed is recommended), speakers and microphone.

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