Overview:

For many Members in Training (MITs), getting a job that makes use of their education and gives them the experience they need to get a license is the primary professional goal upon graduation. After that, the question becomes “What’s next?” This workshop examines the professional challenges and opportunities that MITs are likely to face over the first few years of their careers. It provides insight into the unwritten rules of organizations so that participants can determine how to direct their professional efforts in a direction that takes into consideration both their interests and the overall economic conditions. Participants will leave this workshop with concrete tips and suggestions that they will be able to apply immediately in their work.

Learning Objectives:

At the completion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Describe the unwritten rules of Canadian organizations

• Recognize the impact of economic conditions on their professional options and plan their career accordingly

• Identify the steps they need to take to create an effective professional network

• Identify the direction they want their career to take

• Create a professional development plan that takes their career in a direction that matches their goals and personality

Lionel F. Laroche, Ph. D. (Registered as a P.Eng. in Ontario)
President, MCB Solutions

Over the past 12 years, Lionel Laroche has provided job search and career management services to over 5,000 people on four continents. Lionel specializes in helping technical professionals and organizations reach their professional objectives in rapidly changing and unfamiliar environments. He has written two books, “Managing Cultural Diversity in Technical Professions” and “Recruiting, Retaining and Promoting Culturally Different Employees”, which have both sold over 5,000 copies.

Lionel has worked with many organizations in the resource and energy sectors (Syncrude, Total, ConocoPhillips, Kinross Gold, Goldcorp, etc.) as well as engineering consulting firms (SNC-Lavalin, WorleyParsons, etc.). His work makes extensive use of his 12 years of international experience as a product / process development engineer.

Born in France, he obtained his “Diplôme d’Ingénieur Polytechnicien” from the Ecole Polytechnique de Paris, France and his Ph. D. in Chemical Engineering from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California, USA.

.

Learning Objectives:

After completion of this seminar, the participant will be able to:

• Describe the individual items of the Income Statement and Balance Sheet

• Explain basic accounting terminology and a number of generally accepted accounting principles as well as some salient International Financial Reporting Standards

• Complete a financial statement analysis using ratios and other tools

• Conduct basic budget preparation as well as incorporate costs in the budget formula/template

• Communicate more effectively with accounting and financial professionals

Frank J. Saccucci, B.Comm., MBA

Frank has been delivering seminars for over 25 years and brings a wide spectrum of experience to his seminars. His professional experience ranges from public auditing, management consulting, commercial banking and venture capital. He currently holds a continuing faculty position in the School of Business at Grant MacEwan University.

Frank has delivered seminars to participants with varied backgrounds. He is well known for his ability to deliver complex material in a direct, relevant, simple and “digestible” manner. As well as providing seminars on site at the University, he has also delivered seminars to midsized and large multinational corporations on their respective sites.

This one-day business writing overview, designed specifically for Members in Training, will improve your skill and confidence in planning, writing, and editing your business documents. This succinct and practical one-day seminar will help you do a better job every time you sit down to write, whether it’s an e-mail, a letter, or a set of instructions. Through a comprehensive mix of presentation and practice, you’ll acquire the tools and understanding you need to become a strong and assured business writer. Reference materials are included.

We’ll begin the morning with a quick grammar refresher that will help you identify and avoid the most common grammatical blunders. Then we’ll move on to a review of key style principles specific to business writing that are guaranteed both to invigorate and clarify your writing.

In the afternoon, we’ll turn our attention to the all-important planning process: assessing purpose, audience, and context. We’ll also examine how you can create your own planning tools (e.g., checklists, schedules, and style sheets) to make major writing projects more manageable. We’ll follow this with a review of how to structure and write effective emails and letters. We’ll conclude the day with a discussion of resources and strategies that will help you develop strong lifelong writing habits.

Upon completion of this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Correct the most common grammatical errors

• Write with more clarity and precision

• Explain purpose, audience, and context and how they drive the writing process

• Apply specific tools to manage writing projects such as reports and proposals

• Write effective emails and letters

• Present themselves as professionals through their writing

Margaret Chandler

Margaret Chandler is an award-winning nonfiction writer, freelance editor, and teacher. For over ten years, she has taught a variety of communication courses including grammar, style, editing, freelance writing, and magazine publishing at the University of Calgary and Mount Royal University. She also delivers diverse communication workshops to the private and not-for-profit sectors. An enthusiastic and articulate teacher, Margaret believes that becoming a better writer requires awareness, practice, and resolve. It’s a lifelong adventure, so buckle up and enjoy the journey!

What is one of the first things someone sees; is it an e-mail, a text, a report, a presentation or just a casual passing in the hallway? You only have a few seconds to catch someone's attention in whatever communication you need to use. How can you make that first impression lasting and meaningful? How can you make it a success? This one-day course will discuss verbal and non-verbal communication skills; written communication and how the written word reflects our personality and strength; speaking up at the appropriate time with confidence; and making sure the first impression is a lasting one.

Upon completion of this seminar, the participant will be able to:

1. Explain why first impressions can be lasting impressions and how they can have positive or negative impacts on your company.

• List the components that go into making a first impression.

• Explain how our communication can reinforce or alter a first impression.

2. Identify the various verbal and non-verbal communicators.

• Understand and explain how the content of a verbal message represents only 10% of what is "said".

• Effectively identify the numerous non-verbal communicators that make up as much as 90% of what the receiver "hears".

• Interpret the messages of non-verbal communications shown in groups, audiences and meetings.

• Use the skills learned to elicit participation of individuals that are showing negative non-verbal messages and bring them back into discussions.

• Explain why listening and observing is so hard.

3. Speak with confidence.

• Identify and explain the three components of a presentation.

• Explain the importance of preparation, practice and presentation - the three "P's".

• Demonstrate that "winging it" is not an effective way to participate. "Note less is not plan less".

• Identify and practice breathing and articulation exercises.

4. Understand the similarities between written and verbal communication and identify those similarities

• Identify the power of words that need to be used and how they can be effective.

• Know who the audience of the information will be and create the message for that purpose.

5. Combine the learned skills to make a lasting impression on the "receiver" of their "messages".

Gary Peckham

Gary is well-known for his enthusiastic, informative and stimulating presentations and seminars. His sessions furnish valuable lifetime tools usable not only for the workplace but also for our personal lives. He has provided workshops and presentations as well as instructed at numerous organizations, businesses and educational institutions.

In addition to operating his own communication business, Peckham Communications, Gary is a member of the Alberta Transport Safety Board. He is also the Vice Chair of the Strathcona Bylaw Enforcement Review Committee. He is a qualified Arbitrator and has a love for mediation and community service. Prior to retiring, he was employed with the Government of Alberta for over 34 years. He has been honored to be the recipient of the Alberta Achievement Award, three Premier Awards of Excellence and the GTEC Gold Distinction Award.

Overview:

All industries can best cope with the demands of today’s continually changing environment through management by project. Project management techniques have been used successfully in a wide range of fields such as engineering and construction projects, product development, entertainment events, software development and organizational change.

The purpose of this course is to introduce an effective project management framework which can be usefully applied to technical and non-technical projects.

Learning Objectives:

Upon completing this seminar, participants will be able to:

• Formulate and communicate project plans effectively

• Develop project schedules, cost estimates and responsibility charts

• Apply techniques of project controls such as schedule control and change management

Participants will have an opportunity to discuss the use of several tools that are essential for successful project management with focus on the front-end planning, communication and alignment. Using case studies, workshops and class discussions, participants will apply their knowledge of project management tools and skills to practical problems.

Dr. George Jergeas, P.Eng.

George is a Professor of Project Management in the Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary, where he has been involved in both the teaching of and research into project management since 1994.

He has over thirty-five years of experience, principally in infrastructure projects and claims and disputes. He is also an active project management consultant for both public and private sector organizations in Canada and has provided extensive project management training to many Canadian, American and international companies.

George’s research and teaching focuses on improving project alignment and building and sustaining project teams, productivity and contractual arrangements. He also works as a coach and trainer for managers and executives. He assisted project teams in oil sands developments, hospitals, roads and bridges, tunneling, LRT expansions and mining projects. As a claims consultant investigating many construction projects, both in Canada and the USA, George gained insight into the fundamental causes of project success and failure. Through his experience and research, George has developed a strong interest in improving project success founded upon improving the effectiveness of project teams.