Graduate Certificate in Applied Network Infrastructure and System Administration - (Weekend Option)

at Conestoga College - Doon Campus Canada

Today's competitive, global businesses require office professionals to be responsible to manage the administrative tasks that support their challenging, dynamic office environments. Employers need office administrators with exceptional computer skills, efficient document processing skills, the ability to communicate professionally, and the organizational expertise to keep the office running smoothly.

In this two-year diploma program, students develop their technical, communication and interpersonal skills. With a wide variety of hands-on practical experience built into the program and emphasis on critical thinking, ethical decision-making and problem-solving skills, graduates are fully trained to meet the demands of today's challenging office environment. At the end of the program, students will have the opportunity to showcase their skills by participating in a 90-hour field placement position in a local business.

Design Foundations is an intensive one-year certificate program that is intended for students who are interested in exploring a career in applied design and communications. This foundation year provides an opportunity to create a competitive and individual design portfolio, demonstrating skills in 2D and 3D design, drawing, life drawing, colour theory, idea development, presentation skills, portfolio development, digital production, design history, and written communication. 

Students experience a year of goal-setting, guidance, skill development and refinement through a variety of hands-on projects. Students will plan, implement, and present visual communications in a wide range of media. Completion of this studio-based program will effectively prepare students for acceptance into a variety of programs leading to careers in the design and communication fields.

IT infrastructure, including both services and end user computing, continues to move to the data centre. Whether a company is providing that infrastructure for internal use, or to external customers as a service, the analysis, design, implementation and support of that environment is key. This four-semester accelerated program enables students to gain the knowledge and skills required to thrive in this highly dynamic environment. Skills will be developed in the critical IT areas of infrastructure planning, deployment and management. Students will apply new skills and knowledge in operating systems, networks and virtualization to standard industrial use cases and collaborative projects. To facilitate optimal learning and knowledge transfer for the workplace, all practical work is completed in learning labs that meet industry virtual and network environment standards. This program is suitable for individuals looking to add practical experience to their current education, or further develop and enhance their IT skills for advancement in their field.

The Occupational Health, Safety and Wellness (OHSW) graduate program provides a focused body of knowledge and skills for individuals interested in developing and building their knowledge and skills in occupational health, safety and wellness. In today's work environment, a balance of work and personal wellness is critical from both the personal and organizational perspective. The workplace is a priority target setting for health promotion initiatives as set out by the World Health Organization, with the end goals of protecting and promoting both individual and organizational well-being. Therefore, employers are required to manage occupational health, safety and wellness from a legal perspective, and have moral and ethical imperatives to do so. Additionally, there is an economic advantage to employers who seek to maximize productivity and engagement in the workplace since healthy workers are more productive, more engaged, and have lower absenteeism and presenteeism rates.

The program is designed to provide students with a solid foundation in how occupational health, safety and wellness initiatives can be developed and implemented in businesses and organizations to address these imperatives. Students will research and analyze existing health, safety and wellness trends and utilize that research to develop programs that address health, safety and wellness concerns within the workplace.

In an increasingly complex working environment, the services of a competent human resources professional are highly valued. Thriving organizations employ these practitioners to manage their most important resource: the people who make things happen. The optional co-op stream includes one co-op work term.

Courses in this program are based on the Human Resource Professionals Association (HRPA) competency framework and meet the academic requirements for the HRPA designation.

Applying to the Co-op Stream:

• All applicants apply to the non co-op program. Students will be informed of the application deadline and process to apply for the Co-op Stream. Labour market conditions determine co-op seats in optional co-op programs. Every student who meets academic eligibility requirements may not be admitted to the co-op stream.
• To be considered for admission to the co-op stream, students are required to achieve a minimum overall 85% session weighted average with no dropped or failed courses during the term that occurs two terms prior to the co-op work term.

Co-op Information:

• Co-op programs add value to your education. Earn while you apply what you learn in a real workplace environment. See the Co-op webpages for more details.
• The College cannot guarantee co-op employment. All co-op students are required to conduct an independent co-op job search in addition to the supports and services provided by the Department of Co-op Education.
• Students are responsible for their own transportation and associated costs in order to complete work term requirements. Work locations may not always be readily accessible by public transportation.

The two-year Office Administration - Legal program provides students with a specialization in legal administrative procedures and processes to meet the needs of an increasingly global and technologically advancing legal industry. 

In the first year, students build strong technological, administrative, and communication skills, and are introduced to office procedures specific to the legal environment. Students begin their legal studies with an introduction to civil litigation and legal accounting.

In the second year, students continue to apply substantive and procedural law to the production of legal documentation in the areas of family law, litigation, real estate, wills and estates, and corporate law. Students receive extensive administrative training, with an emphasis on problem-solving skills, by completing client files and accounting procedures, integrating a variety of current computer programs and specialized legal software.

Throughout the program, students are exposed to a wide variety of hands-on practical applications with an emphasis on organizational, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. As a capstone to the program, students showcase their skills by completing a 90-hour work placement.

Conestoga's Police Foundations (PF) program offers a two-year integrated learning experience to help you develop the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values of a preferred candidate in public sector law enforcement. This program focuses on understanding justice though a lens of social equity and modern policing and has been designed to provide an overall base for a variety of careers in criminal justice and public safety. In this program, you will be exposed to the many complexities that are facing modern day policing. Through a combination of theory and simulation-based experiences, you will experience a person-centered approach to community policing. This program will prepare you for the acquisition ofknowledge and skills relevant to entry-level positions in public sector law enforcement.

Completion of this three-year program will allow students to obtain an Ontario College Advanced Diploma in the field of financial planning. The program will provide students with all of the educational requirements to challenge the Financial Planning Standards Council (FPSC) Level 1 and Level 2 Examinations (for CFP Professionals) and optional licensing opportunities with industry regulators such as the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC), the Mutual Fund Dealer Association (MFDA) and the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO) for insurance licensing purposes. The progressive course of study combines courses designed at Conestoga with those originating from industry standard setting organizations to prepare students for employment opportunities in banking, insurance, private wealth, brokerage and/or independent practice.

Process Quality Engineering
This advanced-level graduate certificate program provides individuals with the knowledge and techniques to improve the delivery and quality of products and services. The material that is taught in this program can be applied within any area of an organization. The focus of this program is on the achievement of performance excellence through the use of modern quality improvement methods. The program develops the skills required to perform process quality roles in a broad range of organizations and sectors.The program content aligns favourably with selected American Society of Quality's (ASQ) Bodies of Knowledge. This program is non-industry specific as it provides the proficiencies demanded by organizations in today’s market place.

Financial Technology
The field of financial technology is evolving as it responds to the challenges facing the 21st century financial sector. This means that professionals employed in the field must be equipped to support diverse client groups such as individuals and company-based financial institutions. If you have a background in the computer industry, finance or other related fields, and are ready to attain in-depth competencies to help consumers and businesses track, manage, and facilitate their finances, this Ontario College Graduate Certificate program will be of interest to you. Through a variety of projects, case studies and interactive learning opportunities, and using current and relevant resources to support the latest trends in financial technology, you will develop the skills needed to help individuals and businesses secure their finances. You will study topics such as applications, emerging market trends, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship and management. In just eight months, graduates will be job-ready to take the lead in the financial technology industry in various roles such as Business Analyst, Blockchain Business Analyst, Financial Technologist and other roles related to financial technology.

This four-level English for Academic Studies program focuses on the listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills required for college/university studies. Students start at a level determined by scores on an in-house placement test or an internationally-recognized English language test such as TOEFL or IELTS. In levels 2 and 3, students reinforce English skills through Canadian Perspectives courses, as well as through core English skills courses. Concurrent with English studies in Level 4, students take post-secondary credit courses including Student Success for Higher Learning. 

Domestic students (Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and refugees or convention refugees) wishing to pursue English language studies should enrol in General Arts and Science: English Language Studies.