Course Description

This General Education course provides an overview of the broad range of employability skills required as a foundation for success in today's constantly changing workplace. Through participation in discussion, experiential exercises, journal writing, assignments and group presentations, students will examine and/or analyze: the changes in values and the work ethic over the past 25 years; the techniques and strategies of both critical and creative thinking; the significance of teamwork, group dynamics, interpersonal relations, and learning styles in the workplace; and the necessity for personal on-going career management.

General Education Theme Area(s)

This is a General Education course that supports learning in the following theme area(s):

Essential Employability Skills

This course contributes to your program by helping you achieve the following Essential Employability Skills:

EES 6 Locate, select, organize and document information using appropriate technology and information systems. (T, A)
EES 8 Show respect for diverse opinions, values, belief systems and contributions of others. (T, A)
EES 9 Interact with others in groups or teams in ways that contribute to effective working relationships and the achievement of goals. (T, A)
Assessment Levels —T: Taught A: Assessed CP: Culminating Performance 

Course Learning Outcomes / Elements of Performance

When you have earned credit for this course, you will have demonstrated the ability to:

1. Develop and maintain a personal vocational profile

1.1
identification and assessment of factors that affect employability Completion of academic, interest, aptitude, personality and/or other vocational assessments. Discussion and recording of assessments for on-going reference.

2. Identify continuing learning needs based on personal vocational profile

2.1
Identification and utilization of resources available through community-based agencies, private trainers, educational institutions, and /or workplace training to meet individual needs Identification and recording of both present and desired specific personal generic and occupational employability skills

3. Identify significant changes to Canadian workplace values and ethics that have occurred over the past 25 years and determine how these changes affect both employer and employee in today’s work environment.

3.1
Investigation of various resources to obtain data relating to values and ethics in the workplace, including factors such as: economic cycles, global competition, environmental issues, and shifting demographics Discussion of both positive and negative results of the changes in workplace values and ethics

4. Select and employ strategies contributing to effectiveness in the changing workplace

4.1
Identification of both settings in which teamwork enhances productivity and ways in which group dynamics affect productivit Recognition of interactive skills required for working effectively as a team member Analysis of the effects of judging others on the basis of perceived deficits, cultural backgrounds, or personal values; discussion and application of strategies employed to appreciate/accommodate differences Discussion/development of strategies used to respond to changes in the workplace in a positive and productive manner

5. Formulate a comprehensive plan for on-going career management

5.1
On-going revision of personal inventory/portfolio regarding job-related values, interests, skills and aptitudes; examination of employer’s expectations of employees Examination of personal expectations from employment Identification/discussion of workplace employment legislation relating to worker’s rights and responsibilities Employment of effective career research skills in determining career goal or employment objective Development of personal action plan for achievement of career goals Investigation of at least one prospective employer (associated with program focus) with respect to history of company, hiring policies, products/services provided by the company, opportunities for graduates of this program; presentation of information both orally to class and in written report format Design of framework for on-going career planning that reflects an awareness of the need to respond to current and future workplace trends, economic conditions, and personal expression Discussion/application of effective job retention skills

6. Develop and use effective job search skills

6.1
Design of an effective resume, to be updated on a regular basis Creation of sample cover letter to include in portfolio for future reference Determination of research necessary in preparation for an interview with a prospective employe Determination of factors affecting interview success Recognition of possible obstacles to success and development strategies to overcome them

Pre-defined Evaluation / Earning Credit

The following list provides evidence of this course's learning achievements and the outcomes they validate:

Learning Resources

There is no required textbook, class notes will be posted on Blackboard.

Learning Activities

Lectures
Computer lab time
Group activites and discussions

Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition

Students who wish to apply for Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) need to demonstrate competency at a post-secondary level in all outlined course learning outcomes. Evidence of learning achievement for PLAR candidates includes:

Other Information

Grade Scheme

Final Grade Mark Equivalent Numeric Value Final Grade Mark Equivalent Numeric Value
A+ 90% - 100% 4.0 A 85% - 89% 3.8
A- 80% - 84% 3.6 B+ 77% - 79% 3.3
B 73% - 76% 3.0 B- 70% - 72% 2.7
C+ 67% - 69% 2.3 C 63% - 66% 2.0
C- 60% - 62% 1.7 D+ 57% - 59% 1.4
D 53% - 56% 1.2 D- 50% - 52% 1.0
F 0% - 49% 0 FSP 0 0

Course Related Information

Please refer to the Course Section Information (CSI) / weekly schedule for specific course-related information as provided by your professor.

Program Information

College Related Information

Algonquin College’s policies have been developed to ensure the health, safety and security of all students, faculty and staff, and the proper and fair operation of the College as an academic institution and employer.  Please refer to the Algonquin College Policies website for the most current policy information available at http://www.algonquincollege.com/policies/.

Students are especially encouraged to be aware of the following College expectations

Academic Integrity 
Algonquin College is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity, and students are expected to uphold these standards as part of the learning process. Any academic work submitted by a student is expected to be their own work, unless designated otherwise and all sources must be attributed. All students should be familiar with the Algonquin College policy AA48: Academic Integrity .  In some courses, online proctoring may be used to discourage cheating. Additional information can be found at https://www.algonquincollege.com/studentsupportservices/student-learning-kit/preparing-to-learn-online/. Students with any questions about the course expectations for academic dishonesty and plagiarism are encouraged to speak to their professor.

Centre for Accessible Learning
Students with visible and/or non-visible disabilities are encouraged to register with the Centre for Accessible Learning (CAL) in order to be eligible for appropriate learning supports and/or accommodations.  Students are strongly encouraged to make an appointment at the Centre for Accessible Learning as early as possible when starting a program. Once your needs are identified, a Letter of Accommodation (LOA) will be issued which you can share with your professors. If you are a returning student, please ensure that professors are given a copy of your LOA each semester.

College Email
Students at Algonquin College are provided with a college email account. This is the address that will be used when the College, your professors, or your fellow students communicate important information about your program or course activities.  Your network credentials can be found in the ACSIS portal and you are expected to check your Algonquin email regularly and to use it to send and receive college-related email. Support is available through the college Information Technology Service (ITS) at: https://www.algonquincollege.com/its/

Retroactive Accommodations
Students are expected to meet evaluation and completion deadlines as stated in course outline and course section information documents. In circumstances where evaluation and/or completion deadlines are missed or student performance has been affected by a temporary or permanent disability (including mental health), interim or retroactive accommodations may be considered. In such instances, please consult your course faculty member. For other situations where deferral of evaluations may be warranted, please consult Algonquin College Policy AA21: Deferred Evaluation.

Student Course Feedback
Algonquin College’s invites students to share their course experience by completing a student course feedback survey for each course they take. For further details consult Algonquin College Policy AA25: Student Course Feedback.

Use of Mobile Devices in Class
With the proliferation of small, personal mobile devices used for communications and data storage, Algonquin College believes there is a need to address their use during classes and examinations. During classes, the use of such devices can be  disruptive and disrespectful to others. During examinations, the use of such devices may facilitate cheating. For further details consult Algonquin College Policy AA32: Use of Mobile Devices in Class

Technology Requirements
As Algonquin College continues to respond to public health guidelines, many courses will be offered through remote delivery. As such, students will be required to have access to a computer and to the internet. There may also be additional technology-related resources required to participate in a course that are not included in the course materials fee, such as headphones, webcams, specialized software, etc. Details on these requirements can be found in the Course Section Information of the course outline for each course available on Brightspace.

Transfer of Credit
It is the student’s responsibility to retain course outlines for possible future use to support applications for transfer of credit to other educational institutions.