After two years of strictly online learning, the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies (SCS) is preparing to head back to class, in person. 

While we have long offered a selection of hybrid or fully online courses and certificates, when the pandemic hit, our staff and instructors worked quickly to adapt as many of our in-class courses as possible to an online format in order to minimize disruption to our learners, and most importantly, to do our part to keep our community safe.

Two years later, with mandated protections being lifted at the University of Toronto and throughout the rest of the province, we are excited to begin to reintroduce in-class options for our learners. 

“I’m so proud of the wonderful progress and improvements we have made to our already impressive roster of online learning options and of our dedicated instructors and learners who made the switch to fully online classes with us as we worked together to keep each other safe,” says SCS Dean Dr. Catherine Chandler-Crichlow.

“That said, we know that some learners and instructors do prefer an in-class experience, and some subjects lend themselves very well to an in-class environment. We want to continue to offer learners an experience that is as tailored to their needs as possible. I’m thrilled that we’ll be able to provide stellar in-person learning alongside our online offerings once again.”

Over 70 SCS course sections will be offered in-class in a broad range of subjects from Creative Writing to Business classes for the spring/summer term. 

We will continue to follow the University’s lead in terms of health and safety regulations around COVID-19. U of T will be pausing the following measures effective May 1, 2022:

• The requirement to complete health screening via UCheck prior to attending University premises
• The requirement to be fully vaccinated for in-person activities on University premises
• The requirement to be masked in indoor University spaces, unless otherwise required

However, learners should be aware that masking indoors is still encouraged by the university and that some or all of these requirements may be reinstated on short notice should public health conditions or guidance change. 

Should SCS need to cancel in-person classes, we will give learners the option of transferring to an online section of their course where possible, or receiving a full refund for their tuition. 

For more information about the University’s policies and updates related to COVID-19, please visit the UTogether information page: https://www.utoronto.ca/utogether

When Naomi Jehlicka decided to up her project management game, she knew she wanted to take a foundational course, and eventually become a certified Project Management Professional (PMP®). As an Albertan who works for Alberta Transportation, coming to the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies (SCS) may not have been the obvious choice. But Naomi found that studying online at SCS provided many unexpected benefits. 

“I’m a U of T alumni, with a background in Political Science and Criminology. I also hold a Master of Public Administration from University of Victoria in British Columbia. I’ve worked with both the federal and provincial governments, focusing on regulatory work. In 2012, I moved to Alberta, and today I’m a Policy and Program Manager with Alberta Transportation. My role involves a lot of project-based work,” explains Naomi. “A big part of my role is developing projects while dealing with the shifting nature of laws and regulations. I really wanted to formalize my project management skills, and earn my PMP, which is a standard for best practices in the Alberta Government. I was eager to earn this credential so I could take on more complicated projects, and have a more competitive resume as I grow my career.”

After doing some research, Naomi decided to stick with her alma mater for a few reasons. “I really liked that SCS provided a Foundations of Project Management course that would cover all the bases of project management. I felt this would help prepare me for the PMP exam. And interestingly, the time difference really worked in my favour! I have a young daughter, so I had concerns about my time management. But the time difference between Ontario and Alberta meant that I just stayed at work a bit later to attend my class online, then headed home for dinner. It worked out perfectly,” reflects Naomi. “I then discovered that SCS has a PMI® Authorized PMP® Exam Prep course. I was having such a positive online learning experience that I decided to go for it. I started the prep course in March 2021. The biggest advantage for me was access to the practice exam questions. There was a bank of hundreds of questions that we had access to for six months, and they all reflected the most up-to-date content, with a focus on agile, iterative, and hybrid questions.”

In August 2021, Naomi passed her exam and is now PMI certified. “I use my enhanced project management skills in my daily workflow. I have more tools in my toolkit, and I’m more organized. I’ve even encouraged my staff to explore learning opportunities at SCS, and two are now taking courses!” says Naomi. “The methodologies I learned at SCS are truly helping me thrive. I originally had hesitations about going back to school as a working parent, but I was lucky to have the support of my family, and I’ve learned that when you don’t have a ton of free time, you just have to be intentional about how you spend it. For me, that meant growing my skills and earning a certification I’d wanted for a long time. Lifelong learning can mean bursts of short-term commitment, but it brings amazing long-term benefits.”

Copywriting is an exercise in agility. Especially in light of recent events such as the pandemic, being eternally responsive, and changing messaging as crises unfold, are basic but crucial steps in the copywriter’s day-to-day choreography. 

Since copywriting involves words, let’s go ahead and define the thing: copywriting is all about using powerful lingo to drive action in your audience. The goal is to compel readers to go do a particular thing, such as engage with you, your product, charity, or service. Also, it encourages them to do it now. You come across examples of this kind of motivating language everywhere: in your inboxes, on your social platforms, in your mailbox, and in physical environments like public transit.

But copywriting isn’t just about direct selling and getting leads. Its other function is equally important, especially during times of crisis: building relationships to support your business’ bottom line in the long run. Never has this second function been more important than during COVID times, where audiences are truly taking stock of brands, their promises, their products, and the way they handle themselves during a time of uncertainty and frequent upheaval. 

Good copy helps us tell the powerful story of our product or service, and why an audience should be interested in us. But in light of the global pandemic, our audiences have been impacted, businesses have been impacted, and we have been impacted.

So, in times like these, more scrutiny must be applied to the copy we put into a world that admittedly has more pressing concerns than reading our ads. This is truly our greatest opportunity to be subtle with sales, and double down on building relationships. Here’s how.

Keep your audience top of mind 

Keeping your audience at the forefront should always be your main tactic when writing copy – but it matters even more right now. Whether you are catering to a B2B or B2C audience, your readers have likely experienced pandemic-related impacts on professional and personal levels – whether that is job loss, incurred debt, general anxiety about the goings on, increased scrutiny on spending, and more. For businesses, many have the monumental challenge of surviving social distancing, having to lay off or furlough employees, cut spending, align their businesses with government-mandated health and safety practices, and manage frustrated customers – and they also may have to find ways to move into the ecommerce space. 

The point: right now, there is a seismic shift in your audience's challenges, needs, and pain points. So, we have to respond to these shifts with our copy in order to stay relevant and relatable.

Create empathetic copy

But you’re probably asking yourself: how do we respect my audience’s unique needs (personal, professional, and financial) in times of crisis, and support my bottom line with compelling copy? 

This is a big lesson right now: it is our job as copywriters to constantly shift gears, empathize, and present our pitches in ways that are actually helpful, and not just a hard sell. But for many businesses right now, their goal is to maintain their livelihood – and to keep selling and marketing. By ‘businesses’, I’m not talking just about big brands: I’m also referring to small shops and entrepreneurs. These businesses need to keep advertising with compelling copy to meet their bottom line. But what will help us strike the balance here? A few things:

• Research –constantly and daily– into your audience and the news of the day is going to be the most important aspect of your copywriting journey; never write without a keen sense of what’s going on around you.
• Make a list of the reasons that your product or service is especially of help right now.
• Try to remain tactful with the frequency and tone of your messaging; your audience may be in a sensitive position.
• Your audience knows full well you have to sell, but it can be done in a subtle way that doesn’t offend.
• When possible, have others edit your work and weigh in; gain different and diverse perspectives on your copy.

Don’t forget your audience when writing about yourself
It helps to use ‘you’ language, and write copy that speaks to an effortless solution to their problem. Moments where you can personalize can be helpful, and a bit of a break from the canned messaging bombarding your audience every day. Also keep in mind the ethics and various causes that your particular audience values.

Don’t overuse phrases 

Be aware of what terms and phrases you are using; too much repetition is always annoying for audiences, but this is especially true right now. And we’re seeing quite a bit of overuse these days across brands. Arguably, you could say that common phrases or repetition are strong in that they reinforce brands in our memories – but it could also be said that these phrases, when overused in abundance at the same time by different brands, can detract from the meaning. Overuse of phrases can ultimately make your message feel hollow and reduce impact. 

If you’re making claims like “We’re all in this together” – ask yourself, is it true? Are we in this together? How are we in this together, and what concrete actions are we taking to support the audience? This will have more impact than simply using a repetitive phrase. It will also help you differentiate.

Promote the helpful aspects of your business 

This can result in brand loyalty and repeat business in the long run. Are you having an extended free trial promotion? Are you making a catalogue or service free for the foreseeable future? Or, are you offering discounts for frontline workers, parents, teachers, or small business owners? Anything that is true, that helps right now, that values your audience, and gives back to them – put that front and centre. Make it the single message in your campaign. Remember, you want to help and incentivize, not just sell, sell, sell.

Respect your audience’s time 

Especially in a scenario where many are juggling kids, family responsibilities, pets, multiple jobs, and working from home, it’s best to give them a break on the reading. I am a big proponent of cutting down on word count, weeding out what you don’t necessarily need. The faster you get to the point, the more you take into consideration your reader’s attention span or time constraints – and the more likely it is that your copy will have impact. Challenge yourself to cut, first 5%, then 50%, and if you’re feeling dangerous, 75%. See how much you can remove without sacrificing the vital information. Keep in mind what Microsoft found in its 2015 study: you may only have up to around 8 seconds to grab your audience’s attention – and that’s not a lot of copy!

You’re a writer. We all can write. And when you write, you wield a devastating amount of power if you are in control of words being amplified on any public channel. Use this power wisely and compassionately, and try to have fun while doing it.

Samantha Mehra (MA) is a senior copywriter and content strategist in Toronto, and an instructor at The University of Toronto's School of Continuing Studies. With a diverse background in technology, history, and arts journalism, her writing credits include The Canadian Encyclopedia, Feathertale, Oxford Journals, and Routledge Encyclopedia of Modernism. She is a National Magazine Award nominee, and enjoys puns. Samantha instructs courses in our Certificate in Strategic Copywriting.
 

Returning to work in an office space or building after COVID-19 has its challenges, but offers Facility Managers the opportunity to let everyone know the importance of facility management (FM).

Don’t forget that FM has always been an essential service during COVID-19. Buildings don’t care about a pandemic, they continue to have important needs! It’s been our responsibility to:

• Ensure customers, clients, and our buildings are safe.
• Keep buildings functioning at top capacity and performance.
• Stay on top of critical maintenance and address outages
• Make sure sufficient PPE is available, and social distance measures were in place.
• Set social distance rules for staff/students/clients who require access to facilities/buildings.
• Leverage remote contact devices for meetings and maintenance.

So, now that we can see the light, how do we prepare to ease a large portion of the workforce back into our buildings? How can we help them feel safe in their work environment? Here are five things Facilities Managers can do to help ease people's transition to in-person work:

1. Safeguard the well-being of your workforce.

Ensure PPE protocols continue to be placed and followed. Adhere to COVID rules, make sanitizers available, ensure people wear masks when appropriate, and keep social distance measures in mind when designing workspaces.

2. Ensure regular routines are maintained with heightened awareness of sanitization.

Buildings need to be kept in good condition to mitigate business disruption and risk (ie. air circulation systems).

3. Be empathic

Keep your staff needs in mind, as some may be returning to the office environment with stress and uncertainty. Remember that this transition will feel different for everyone.

4. Develop a staged approach on returning to the workplace.

Develop a gradual return to the workplace plan. Start asking staff to return to the office 1-2 days or alternate days a week. Changing this plan will be dependent on workspace availability and staff risk tolerance.

5. Communicate!

Ongoing communication for customers and staff on your company’s back-to-work plans is critical. Keep everyone informed, and use language that is accessible to everyone. Be clear, honest, and transparent in your communication.

Facilities Management plays a crucial role in how we experience this migration back to work, whether full time or in a hybrid model. By leading and communicating with empathy, while ensuring important safety measures are in place, we can support a calmer, easier, and healthier transition.

Marcia O’Connor is a strategic-minded leader with more than 25 years of progressive experience in corporate real estate and integrated facilities management Marcia has impressive credentials and a passion for working in high-energy, fast-paced growth companies in the non-profit, private and public sector, building high-performance teams, mentoring young professionals, and helping people, teams, and organizations see their potential.

Marcia has been accredited in pioneering the first Facilities Management Certificate Program at the University of Toronto, where Marcia also leads the new Health Care Environmental Service Management Course, Advanced FM Course, Accessibility, Health and Safety for Building Professionals as well as the Disaster Recovery for Building Professionals course offered at SCS.

Marcia has also been recognized by her peers and awarded “Facility Manager of Excellence” through the Toronto IFMA Chapter. This award was a nomination from her peers and recognized Marcia as an outstanding contributor to the FM profession.

Marcia currently provides program expertise and is the lead instructor for the Facility Management Certificate Program at SCS. Her Advanced Facilities Management course starts March 28, 2022.

You probably already know that our DNA carries all the instructions for life. 

There are a lot of interesting tidbits about DNA that are fascinating. I’m happy to share a little more about this fundamental molecule of life.

1. DNA is our genetic material and carries all the instructions from generation to generation.

2. The DNA is stored in a specialised and enclosed part of our cells called the nucleus (plural: nuclei).

3. Our red blood cells have no nuclei and no DNA. This is an adaptation which allows the red blood cell to carry more oxygen molecules to various parts of the body. 

4. Other types of blood cells do have DNA. In fact, DNA was discovered by Swiss researcher Friedrich Miescher in 1869. He was trying to study the composition of white blood cells, but instead, he isolated a new molecule containing DNA.

5. If you were to collect the DNA contained in a single cell and stretch it out, it would be over two metres long! 

6. To fit into cells, DNA is condensed, packed, and folded many times over and finally fits into a space of approximately 6/millionths of a metre. 

7. All genes are made of DNA, but not all DNA is genes. In fact, less than 2% of our DNA is genes. The genes are scattered throughout our DNA with tons of “non-gene” DNA in between them.

8. The 98% non-gene portion of our DNA used to be called “junk DNA” or “dark DNA” because of how little it was understood, but scientists are now learning that it plays a very important role in controlling genes and how they act. This emerging field is known as epigenetics (epi=above).

9. Genes are the instructions for how to make proteins. Proteins are the workers of every cell and carry out all the functions and tasks of our cells.

10. Genes make proteins through an intermediary called messenger RNA or mRNA. Without mRNA, there would be no proteins and no life. 

11. "DNA makes RNA, and RNA makes protein" is known as the central dogma of molecular biology, or just the central dogma since it is so fundamental to our current understanding of biology. It explains the flow of genetic information within biological systems.

12. DNA is made up of “letters”, represented as A, T, G and C. These letters are short for the chemical compounds they constitute.

13. There are 3 billion DNA letters contained in every cell.

14. Genes are like words in the alphabet of the DNA. Genes always start with the same set of 3 letters (ATG). That is how scientists know it’s a gene, and they can literally be read by an instrument known as DNA sequencer.

15. We have approximately 25,000 genes, and these can be found in every cell. 

16. Not all genes will be used by every cell because some are highly specialised for organs (such as the brain, or the heart). Epigenetics dynamically control which genes are on and which are off.

17. The human genome, which is our total DNA, was first sequenced completely in 2003. The effort took 13 years and cost three billion U.S. dollars.

18. The human genome can now be sequenced for $1000 in less than two weeks.

19. Human DNA is divided into 23 pairs of discrete units (a total of 46). These are known as chromosomes. Each of the 23 chromosome pairs are matched up and have the same set of genes, so we have two copies of each gene.

20. The human germ cells (sperms and eggs) have only 23 DNA molecules, not 46. This is so that when an egg and sperm fuse, they can complete the set of 46. This also explains how we inherit genes from biological mum and dad.

21. In 1953, the combined work of scientists Rosalind Franklin, James Watson, Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins uncovered that our DNA is shaped like a corkscrew or a double helix. This discovery had massive implications for understanding how DNA functions.

22. Every time a cell divides in two (which can be as often as every 4-8 days in some organs such as the intestinal lining), the entire DNA within each cell copies itself exactly, making less than one in a million copying mistakes (mutations). This is how our genetic information is preserved over time.

23. Despite all the genetic differences between human beings that account for differences in how we look, behave, or are susceptible to disease, humans are 99.9% identical in their genetic makeup. 

At first glance, understanding DNA can seem a bit intimidating. But when we break it down, it’s clear that digging into the basics can be fun and accessible to anyone interested! 

Kinjal Desai has been a cancer researcher for over a decade and is currently a postdoctoral research fellow at the Hospital for Sick Children. She works on pediatric brain cancer. Kinjal believes that good research is incomplete without the effective communication of the findings to the community at large. She, therefore, volunteers with an information outreach group, where she leads talks about cancer research to patients, survivors, and caregivers as well as to high school students. When not researching or teaching, Kinjal enjoys baking, tennis, and stand-up comedy.

Her course, Cancer: The Enemy Within starts April 6, 2022.

Oscar season is here again and, for those of us writing screenplays, it can be a useful exercise to see which films make it to that coveted ‘Best Films’ list, and to unpack some reasons why.

We all know that no bag of tricks can absolutely guarantee an award-winning film. In fact, getting a screenplay produced and then bringing it to the big screen is its own classic hero’s journey (there will be mountains to climb, dragons to slay, and copious tears to shed). 

However, there are a few ‘keys of storytelling’ that most successful films share.

#1: An Interesting Vision

You, as the writer, will need to stay inspired as you write not just a first draft, but likely several drafts over several years (or decades in some cases). If you’re excited by the central storyline or question or premise—if you’re confident you can keep coming back to the page over and over again—then there’s a far greater chance that a team of industry professionals will be inspired to take on your project. Not to mention an audience full of viewers! We call this vision the ’what if’ or the ‘hook’ of the story.

#2: Compelling Characters

What makes a character compelling? And let’s not confuse ‘compelling’ with ‘likeable’. Compelling characters are challenged to take something on within a story, whether it’s an external dramatic adventure, or a tense internal push to grow, or both at once. We, as viewers, are drawn to the universal struggle of change. We look to stories to validate our conviction that change is hard, and to show us that it is also possible. 

#3: Meaningful Objectives

We don’t sit back and watch a story unfold about characters who sit back and watch a story unfold. We watch because the lead character/s will be motivated (for believable reasons) to take action. Any character who wants something and tries to get it (whether they are leads or supporting characters, whether they are working together, or, more likely, working in opposition to each other) will immediately capture our attention. Successful stories are activated. A strong, meaningful objective is the gas in the engine. A confident writer will decide how obvious the objectives are to the viewer, and at what point they’re revealed. They will always know each character’s fundamental needs, goals, and desires.

#4: Escalation

A compelling story doesn’t ride a flat line. The gears ratchet tighter and tighter, regardless of what kind of story it is. Even quieter films are imbued with intentions that eventually, perhaps repeatedly, go off the rails. A winning script integrates events that get harder to navigate, convictions of purpose that are challenged, and problems that are finally overcome. Or, and perhaps more compellingly, it might escalate to a devastating defeat (see Key #2: ‘change is hard.’)

#5: Unexpected Inevitability

This is that thrilling feeling we get as viewers when the story somehow fulfills its promise to us, while also surprising us with unexpected twists and turns. We choose our stories based on our tastes and preferences, and so expect the story to behave, in a way, like ‘that kind of story’ behaves (usually inherent to the genre and/or the advertised premise). But we still want to be surprised and shaken by the way the story unfolds. How this is achieved is impossible to prescribe. The shape will be unique to every successful story. Like a fingerprint. 

The magical alchemical reaction between a good film and its viewer is one of the reasons we keep going back to the movies, despite most of them not being close to Oscar-worthy. That buzz we get when we watch a special story is the best, most effective buzz there is. It’s the signal that we’ve submerged into a parallel reality where fictional people who come to mean something to us must navigate the treacherous waters of our complex worldly experience, and we have nothing to do but watch them.

Each of us will have our own list of ‘best films,’ the stories that have had the most impact on us, our own private Academy Award presentations. Understanding how writers achieve that effect is not always easy or obvious, but it is worth investigating and certainly deserves celebrating.

Barbara Radecki started her career as an actor, and is probably best know for voicing Sailor Neptune in the original English dub of the popular Sailor Moon series. She has since transitioned to writing, with a focus on full-length fiction and screenplays. Several of her screenplays have been optioned or sold, including one she co-wrote—a modern adaptation of Jane Austen’s Persuasion—which filmed in New York City, and co-stars Alicia Witt and Bebe Neuwirth. Her first novel, The Darkhouse, came out to acclaim, including a Kirkus star, and she was shortlisted for the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize in 2017. Her second novel, Messenger 93, came out in Spring 2020. Her almost two decades’ experience with the writing process—creating, developing, editing, collaborating, and producing—gives her a unique perspective to share with writers studying at UofT SCS.

Her course, Screenwriting-Introduction, starts March 2022.
 

This International Women’s Day, SCS Dean Dr. Catherine Chandler-Crichlow reflects on the past two years, their impact on women’s careers, and how continuing education can support women in their successful return to the labour force. 

Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic we are still learning what the long-term impacts of the virus will be on our society. One thing we do know for certain is that when it comes to careers and income, women have been disproportionately impacted.

According to Oxfam, The COVID-19 crisis cost women around the world at least $800 billion in lost income in 2020 alone. Globally, women lost more than 64 million jobs that year —a 5 percent loss, compared to 3.9 percent loss for men.

RBC Economics reported that in just the first few months of the pandemic, Canadian women’s participation in the labour force went from a historic high to its lowest level in over 3 decades. Between February and October of 2020, while nearly 68,000 men joined the Canadian labour force, 20,600 women fell out of it entirely. 

While women in Canada have since been making their way back into the labour force, RBC Economics says there is still a nearly 8 percentage point disparity between working age men and women’s participation rates. And that gap is twice as wide for parents of young children.

The reasons for this disparity are not new. We know that women, and particularly racialized women, are over-represented in the industries hardest hit by the pandemic, as well as in sectors offering low wages, low security, and few benefits. 

According to Statistics Canada, before the pandemic, women tended to perform a larger share of parental tasks than men.

While they existed before, these inequities have been thrown into sharp relief and exacerbated by the pandemic. 

Many women who worked in industries such as hospitality lost their jobs entirely, and those in frontline positions deemed essential faced risking their health and the health of their families for low wages. 

Meanwhile, daycare and school closures meant those parental tasks that fell to women before, now included additional, time-consuming responsibilities such as homeschooling. 64% of women reported to Statistics Canada that they mostly performed homeschooling or helping children with homework, while only 19% of men reported being mostly responsible for this task.

It is easy to see why many women’s careers and incomes were affected negatively. What may be less clear is how we can move forward and support women in bolstering their careers as they re-enter the workforce.

Of course, we must work to address pressing issues such as the gender pay gap, daycare funding, paid sick days, and creating more flexible work environments (allowing for flexible hours and work-from-home arrangements wherever possible) so that fewer women might be forced to leave the workforce entirely to take on family care requirements.

I believe continuing education also has a vital role to play in ensuring the incredible resilience women have displayed over the past two years (and beyond) is reflected and built into their careers. 

With a variety of in-class and online part-time courses, continuing education at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies offers a flexible, affordable, and accessible way for women to learn new skills or update the skills they may have stopped practicing. And they can do so in a way that works around their existing employment and family responsibilities. 

The important networking opportunities women may have lost in their time outside of the labour force can be found with both industry expert instructors and classmates with similar professional interests. 

And finally, we are here to support women in reflecting on what their existing strengths are and how those strengths might be applied to a variety of positions and industries they may not have previously considered. This in turn can help prepare them to seize new opportunities and successfully adapt in times of adversity. 

Helping women return to and thrive in the labour market is not just important for women themselves, it is an economic imperative. When women are able to bring their strengths to the table, everyone benefits. 

As RBC Economics reports, “The benefits of women participating in the labour market equally with men would provide a lift to economic output of about $100 billion per year. COVID-19 has created a hole which will take a long time to fill – ensuring that women return to the labour market is critical to Canada’s recovery and ongoing success.”

Women’s inspiring resilience has carried them through the past two years of extreme challenge, now we need to support them in building that same resilience into their career paths.

With innovations driven by the Fourth Industrial Revolution’s (4IR), project management has evolved from simply a way of managing resources and stakeholders, to a set of coveted skills that can make or break an organization. Today, companies are seeking agile project managers who can adopt and adapt to help them navigate the unknown, and the changing nature of industry. This is where upskilling comes in; keeping on top of new trends, skills, tactics, tools, and strategies is what sets one project manager apart from the rest. Here are some top reasons why project manager must embrace lifelong learning.

1. Explore different methods and strategies

It’s is essential to understand the traditional methodologies, but it’s even more critical to expand your understanding of various frameworks. Continuing education gives you the up-to-date skills to manage and facilitate project work, set expectations, and ensure project success. 

2. Gain practical insights 

Whether through learning opportunities that demonstrate real-world projects/cases, or by networking with others project management professionals, continuing education empowers you to gain practical hands-on experience. These are skills you can apply immediately at work. 

3. Get out of your comfort zone 

Lifelong learning requires that you push past boundaries, and let go of limiting beliefs. Lifelong learners are change-makers. 

4. Expand your career opportunities 

Growing your project management skillset is one of the best ways to ignite forward momentum in your career. Continuing education can enhance your resume, increase your connections within the industry, or lead to earning a professional designation. But most importantly, your new skills speak for themselves; whether you aim to thrive in your current role, or explore new opportunities, lifelong learning is the way forward.

5. Design your journey

This is YOUR learning journey, and it’s yours to create. Whether you are looking to enhance or refresh your skills, or learn something completely new, continuing education puts you in the driver’s seat.

We are witnessing unprecedented transformative changes in how we work, study, shop, and communicate. Project management professionals must continue to upskill to be competitive and own their future.

Dr.Waffa Adam has 20+ years of experience across management consulting, financial services, IT, Project management, and Education industries focusing on organization change management, digital transformation, Agile and Lean adoption and sustainability, strategy execution, Program, Portfolio, and project management office (PMO). She led numerous PMO's and PPM ranging from $100 million to a Billion to help organizations address complex business and enterprise initiatives. Waffa is a change agent who brings together pragmatic solutions aligned with organizations' strategic planning to help organizations optimize their resources and product delivery to achieve operational excellence. She is an Agile Coach certified, SAFe Agilist certified, PMP certified, ACP certified, and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certified. She holds a Bachelor of Computer Science and Minor in Business Administrations, a Master's in Information Technology and a Ph.D. in Strategy and program management. Waffa is an instructor at U of T SCS, where she develops, enhances, and contributes to various course offerings. Waffa authored two books about the PMO; one is used as the framework for this course. 

Her SCS course, Project Management Office, starts in March 2022.

According to Hallmark, Valentine’s Day is the second-largest holiday for sending greeting cards. In case you need some inspiration for what to write to your loved ones, this Valentine’s Day we’ve asked some of our language instructors to share how people express love with different words and customs around the world. Here’s what they shared with us. 

French 

In French “je t’aime” means “I Love you”, “je t’adore” means “I adore you”, “tu es l’amour de ma vie” means “you’re the love of my life”, and “je suis fou amoureux de toi” means “I’m madly in love with you.”

“Mon chou” literally means “my cabbage” but it is used as a term of endearment like “my dear” in French. 

People express their love much more freely in France than in North America, says SCS French instructor Andrew Furegato. “They do something called ‘la bise,’ which consists of kissing each other on the cheek upon greeting a person,” he says. “In some regions of France, it is done twice (one kiss for each cheek) and in others thrice, even four times. Each region has its own particular style.” 

Japanese 

In Japanese, “「すっごく好き！」” or “Suggoku suki!” means “I really like you,” while “「愛してる。」”or “Aishiteru” means “I love you.” 　
“「私と付き合ってください」” or “Watashi to tsukiatte kudasai” translates to “please go out with me.” 

According to SCS Japanese instructors Yoko Galloway, Yasuyo Tomita and Akiko Maruoka, the exchange of sweets for Valentine’s Day is spread out over February and March. 

“On Valentine’s Day in Japan, women usually give chocolates and sweets to men; this includes sweets to colleagues and bosses (obligatory chocolate), and friends in general,” explains Galloway. “Then there’s so-called “White Day” a month after Valentine’s Day, on March 14th, when men return women's affection by giving them sweets or presents.”

German 

“Ich liebe dich” means “I love you” in German. “Ich mag dich wirklich” means “I really like you” and “Ich bin verrückt nach dir” translates to “I’m crazy for you.” 

In Germany, Valentine's Day is still a relatively recent custom, says SCS German instructor Zoia Novikova. “It was introduced by US soldiers stationed here,” she explains. “Red roses and Valentine's cards are among the most popular Valentine's gifts among lovers in this country. Sweets are also very popular and an invitation to a restaurant with a candlelight dinner is not uncommon.”

Italian 

“Ti amo” means “I love you” and is specifically used to indicate romantic love. 

“Ti voglio bene” also means “I love you” but can be used for platonic relationships. “It is said between two people who are friends or family members,” explains Italian instructor Lorenzo Sclocco, “but also between two people who are starting to develop feelings.” 

“Mi piaci un sacco” is a way to tell someone you like them a lot and literally translates to “I like you a sack,” while “Ci tengo a te” directly translates to “I keep you” and is used to tell someone they are special to you.  

Usually for Valentines Day in Italy, people give each other chocolate, especially Baci Perugina (the pralines), says Sclocco. 

Turkish 

“Seni Seviyorum” is how you say “I love you” to friends, family, and romantic partners alike in Turkish. 

“A common endearment phrase would be ‘canım’ which means “my life” and is also used very commonly for romantic, platonic and within close family relationships,” says Turkish instructor Özen Vekiloglu.  

Dutch

“Ik hou van jou” means “I love you” in Dutch. 

There's also “I am fond of you” or “ik ben dol op je”; “I am mad about you” or “ik ben (stapel)gek op je”. “Stapel” means “pile”, says Dutch instructor Marianne Verheyen. “Think a pile of pancakes!”

While Valentine’s Day is not a traditional Dutch holiday, it is slowly gaining ground, Verheyen says, and customs around love and romance tend to be part of folklore and history. For example, on the island of Marken in The Netherlands, hopeful fisherman grooms would create intricately-carved clogs for their brides while they were away at sea.

Latin and Ancient Greek 

In Latin, “tē amō” means “I love you.” The Latin verb amāre can be translated as like or love.

In Ancient Greek “ἐρῶ σοῦ” means romantic love (Eros was the Greek equivalent to the Roman god Cupid). “σε φιλῶ” indicates deep friendship or brotherly love, and “ἀγαπῶ σε” means a selfless love for all people (“ἀγάπη” was translated in the Latin of the Vulgate as “caritas,” which became the English word “charity”).

Latin and Ancient Greek instructor Mary McBride shares that Roman wedding rings were typically made of Iron, as this metal symbolized strength and permanence. “The Romans believed that a nerve ran from the fourth finger or ring finger on the left hand directly to the heart, so wedding rings were worn on that finger as they still are in Italy today,” she says. 

Roman poet Catullus wrote : 

dā mī bāsia mīlle, deinde centum

dein mīlle altera, dein secunda centum 

or 

“Give me a thousand kisses, then another hundred,

then another thousand, then a second hundred.” 

Want to learn to express love (or anything else) in a new language? Our expert instructors can help you meet your goals in over 20 languages.  

Ki-Youn Kim was making a big career change. After years of working in the non-profit sector, she decided to pursue her dream of becoming a freelance Science Communication Specialist. With two Bachelor’s degrees (one in biology with a minor in politics, and one in neuroscience), and a Master of Science Communication, she holds a unique skillset. “My passion is making science accessible for all audiences, and deconstructing complex scientific information, so anyone can easily understand its importance and impact,” says Ki-Youn. “I recently took the leap and started my own freelance business, which is exciting and overwhelming all at the same time. In my graduate degree, I gained a strong set of multimedia skills, and learned about podcasting. Now that I’m self-employed, I decided to further explore this 
communications tool, and enhance my podcasting skills. That’s why I came to the School of Continuing Studies (SCS).” 

In Fall of 2021, Ki-Youn started taking Podcasting: Strategy and Success with instructor Fatima Zaidi. “I love learning from industry leaders. Fatima taught us how to be strategic podcasters, but she also explored how there needs to be more diversity and inclusion in podcasting. She encouraged us to get your voice out there,” recalls Ki-Youn. “For years I’ve had a podcast idea in my head. But I don’t want to just talk about science, I want to provide stories so listeners can learn about STEM without it being hard-core science or inaccessible. Scientific content can be fun and entertaining, and this course made me realize that a podcast really is the right medium to share my ideas once they’re ready to go.” 

When it comes to continuing education, Ki-Youn says learning from experts is the fastest way to grow and meet your goals. “Taking the opportunity to learn from someone who is an expert just expedites your journey; it makes so much sense to learn from their mistakes and grow from their experiences,” reflects Ki-Youn. “It’s such a benefit to learn strategies and shortcuts from people who have been there. That’s the benefit of learning from an expert, and that’s how I approach professional development. Even though it’s a commitment, it’s saving me time in the long run because I can be more strategic in what I do, and ideally make fewer errors along the way.”

Next, Ki-Youn aims to grow her freelance business, launch her podcast, and pursue an MBA. “This course helped me think bigger picture, and encouraged me to leverage podcasting as a tool in my marketing and branding efforts,” she says. “These skills will help me grow my business, as I find new ways to tell stories, communicate my message, and support my clients.”

Project management was once called an accidental profession In fact, it was viewed as an administrative function that a professional performed off the side of their desk. Today, we know this is far from the truth. Project management is a career in and of itself, often garnering strong salaries, dynamic career paths, and opportunities to grow into senior management role within an organization. Project management is now regulated, and professionals can earn a coveted certification such as the PMP, or ACP from PMI (the Project Management Institute). Ongoing self-investment in lifelong learning, such as earning a certification or recertification in project management, ensures that project managers possess specific skills and can deliver on promised value for their organizations. As the discipline continues to grow, and expectations of project professionals become demanding, it is more important than ever that project management professionals remain committed to upskilling and reskilling to ensure competitiveness and career advancement, or the ability to shift sectors. 

According to a recent report at the world economic forum, 54% of employees will need fundamentally new skills by 2022, and 35% of those employees will require more than six months of training. 

Indeed, the pandemic has resulted in massive changes in the workplace, increasing the need for project managers to remain agile in their problem-solving, self-management, and leadership skills. 

Project management professionals, and any worker looking to grow their skills, should start by asking themselves some key questions before selecting the continuing education opportunity that is right for them. 

What is your learning objective?

1. What is my goal (new job, promotion, flexibility, career change, etc.)?
2. How long will it take me to accomplish these goals?
3. How much will it cost me, and will I get my return on investment (ROI)?
4. What motivates me (work life balance, money, reward, work remotely)?
5. Do I have a support system at work where they invest in my professional development?

What do you want out of a learning experience? 

1. Is there a strong selection of courses and a diversity of learning options?
2. Is there learner support from school administration and instructors?
3. Are you seeking flexibility in learning modality (in-person, online, self-paced, instructor-led, hybrid, etc.)?
4. Will there be practical assignments of real-world cases?
6. Will there be an opportunity to network with industry peers?

Lifelong learning is critical, especially for those working in project management. Keep these important questions in mind when choosing your next educational adventure. 

Dr Waffa Adam has 20+ years of experience across management consulting, financial services, IT, Project management, and Education industries focusing on organization change management, digital transformation, Agile and Lean adoption and sustainability, strategy execution, Program, Portfolio, and project management office (PMO). She led numerous PMO’s and PPM ranging from $100 million to a Billion to help organizations address complex business and enterprise initiatives. Waffa is a change agent who brings together pragmatic solutions aligned with organizations’ strategic planning to help organizations optimize their resources and product delivery to achieve operational excellence. She is an Agile Coach certified, SAFe Agilist certified, PMP certified, ACP certified, and Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certified. She holds a Bachelor of Computer Science and Minor in Business Administrations, a Master’s in Information Technology and a Ph.D. in Strategy and program management. Waffa is an instructor at U of T SCS, where she develops, enhances, and contributes to various course offerings. Waffa authored two books about the PMO; one is used as the framework for this course. 

Her SCS course, Project Management Office, starts in March 2022.
 

After almost two decades of managing workplace investigations, Pamela Salhani knows that approaching situations with empathy and respect is key to dealing with workplace conflict. Her background in human resources, social development, corrections, and working with marginalized communities has afforded Pamela a deep insight into the value of mediation. “As a former Director of Employee Relations for a large Ontario non-profit organization, it’s clear to me that there are ways to resolve conflict or disagreements that honours the dignity of all those involved. Through mediation strategies, we can make sure everyone feels heard,” she says. “Peace is key to a healthy workplace. Organizational data has shown that more complaints can be resolved through mediation and conflict resolution strategies, instead of formal investigations.”

When she came across the Specialized Certificate in Managing, Investigating, and Resolving Workplace Harassment Complaints at the School of Continuing Studies (SCS), Pamela was inspired to further enhance her mediation and investigation skills, and explore innovative ways to create a psychologically safe work environment. “I wanted to grow my skills at SCS because I truly believe we need to learn and grow in investigations. More importantly, I wanted to shift organizational thinking around how we manage investigations, and how we can address and resolve conflict in proactive ways,” asserts Pamela. “My instructor for Identifying, Addressing and Effectively Managing Workplace Harassment Complaints, Jennifer Pernfuss, contends that empathy is a key skill in effectively managing workplace complaints, early interventions and conflict resolution. Growing trust, and building mutually respectful workplace relationships, allows for a much calmer and less stressful path to resolution. Of course, this isn’t possible in all circumstances, and we have important legal obligations, but Jennifer’s perspective on informed trauma, fear, respect, and communication really aligned with my ideas around peaceful resolutions.”

Pamela appreciated the very hands-on approach to online learning at SCS, which included breakout sessions, case studies, and multimedia content. “The curriculum was very applicable. I will implement tools, assessments, and checklists I learned in class in my practice. “I was faced with some challenges, specifically in regards to using some new technology, and had to step outside my comfort zone. But Jenifer was really there for us, and clearly wanted us all to succeed. I felt very supported, and am grateful for this challenge and learning experience.”

This winter, Pamela will start the second course in the certificate, Conducting Workplace Harassment Investigations. “Throughout my career, I’ve witnessed first hand that investigations can not only be costly, but they can cause great discomfort and mistrust between parties, and often they can be punitive, resulting in discipline, termination, feelings of shame, or relationships that don’t improve. I know we can do better than this, and I’m committed to creating safe spaces for people to be themselves. The first course in this certificate was very congruent with my values both personally and professionally, and I’m excited to start the second course soon,” she says. “I’ll be taking the third and final course, Resolving Workplace Harassment Complaints Pre and Post Investigation, this spring, and am confident that the skills I am learning will help me not only better support my practice, but open up new doors for me professionally.”