“I can’t wait to be the pride of the family, to drag my children, my mother and my father to my graduation. To show them that there is no age limit to continuing to learn and to satisfy this feeling of personal and professional accomplishment. It took me longer, but I did it.” Geneviève Richard began her career with a college certificate in media communications in her pocket. She climbed the ladder in the companies that employed her until she became the coordinator of the admission and customer contact centre at the Réseau de transport de la Capitale. Two years after being hired, with the support of her superior and a human resources advisor, she began a certificate in change leadership from Continuing Education at Université Laval. “My two children, aged 13 and 6, had grown up and I was looking for a way to balance work, family and studies in order to obtain the diploma that would allow me to access higher positions,” says the 41-year-old woman. “The hybrid mode of part-time courses was therefore ideal for me.”

These courses are offered to practicing managers or people in management situations, whether they are executives, supervisors, entrepreneurs. Attendance at a workshop in class is required* once a month. “I take advantage of my daughter’s hockey training to do the readings and small exercises to complete in the two weeks before the course,” explains Geneviève Richard. “And the two weeks following the course, we are in the process of applying what we have learned in our respective organizations.”

CONCRETE LEARNING

Connected to the needs of the job market, the teachers and trainers of the credited programs have extensive experience in management. “They are available and willing to really help us,” the student attests. “They are interested in our discussions, share their experiences and always come to us with the right question. I found real mentors in them.”

“The courses are concrete, practical, close to the professional reality of managers,” explains Josée Proulx, head of practical training at the UL’s Directorate General for Continuing Education. “They appreciate the rich exchanges with their colleagues and the interactive plenary sessions in large groups. The role-plays are based on what the students experience in their organizations, their needs and their concerns. The transfer exercises allow them to really make progress in their files and projects at work. When they return to class, they are all eager to tell their stories and find out how others have progressed.”

Time for yourself

After her certificate in change leadership, Geneviève Richard began a certificate in organizational management . In the fall, she will begin a certificate in project management . Ultimately, she will obtain a multidisciplinary bachelor's degree made up of three certificates. "Looking back, I see how much easier it is than I thought. Sometimes, I even wish it would go faster! The challenge is to discipline yourself and stick to a schedule. We all have the syndrome of the manager who puts others before yourself, but you have to choose yourself and take this time for yourself."

“The pace of the programs allows you to prepare, reflect, and take a step back, in short, to enjoy your development,” explains Josée Proulx. “It’s really about professional development. It’s admirable to see students transform, become better in their management practices. There’s depth in the reflection. They come out transformed as managers, but also as people, spouses, and even parents. It’s not me who says it, but the students who frequently testify to it.”

* Given the exceptional circumstances of COVID-19, in-class workshops for the summer session will be offered on the scheduled dates, but in virtual classrooms. If the situation persists, the necessary adjustments will also be made for the fall session.

Continuing Education at Université Laval offers more than 200 short-term professional development programs and activities , including part-time undergraduate and graduate credit programs . A team of advisors is also available to assist businesses in their thinking, choice or creation of training to meet their organizational needs throughout Quebec. To learn more, click here .