Whether you join a student group, find a campus job or start volunteering, there are plenty of ways to build your resume and your skills in your time as an undergrad. But did you know that your UASU has a couple of ways for you to earn microcredentials that can be valuable in your future career?
If you’re not sure what a microcredential is, here’s what you need to know. A microcredential is basically a certificate that you can earn through an accelerated program of direct relevance to your interests or career ambitions. Microcredentials are presented as digital badges, which makes them more readily viewable over the web to future employers as opposed to traditional paper transcripts.
Your UASU currently runs two programs that grant microcredentials:
Foundations Summit for Sustainability & Leadership (FSSL)
The Foundations Summit for Sustainability & Leadership is planned by students, for students. It’s a one-day sustainability and leadership conference designed to help students cultivate leadership skills, while building community, and driving action, along with addressing real-world challenges with a sustainable mindset. Post-secondary students everywhere are welcome to register!
We focus our leadership practices at individual, group, and community levels through seeking an understanding of our purpose as leaders. By attending the conference, students will earn digital certificates that can be included on resumes, CVs, and LinkedIn. Get your tickets now for the FSSL conference happening November 30, 2024!
Stride Campaign School
Gender representation in governance matters. The Stride Campaign School is a cohort program aimed at encouraging greater participation/involvement of marginalized genders from all backgrounds–race, ethnicity, Indigeneity, sexuality, and ability–in student governance. Around 56% of UAlberta undergraduate students are women and gender minorities. In the past 10 years, women and gender minorities have only made up 48% of Students' Council and 40% of UASU Executives. While this is significant progress from the previous decade (about 30% of Council and 18% of Exec), there is more work to be done.
That’s why Stride is designed to equip participants with the knowledge, skills, and network to run for a variety of student government positions and make meaningful change on campus. It will address challenges and opportunities that individuals from under-represented groups in student governance face, while giving participants the tools and resources necessary to overcome them. Stride registration opens every September, with sessions typically running October through January.
Looking for other ways to earn digital certificates for your resume? Check out these other microcredential programs through the UAlberta Faculty of Extension!
Post updated; original publication: Oct 19, 2023