Education

ToniHanson,RecordsandInformationManagementgraduate REGISTERNOWFORTHEWINTERTERM Getyourwintercoursescheduleatumanitoba.ca/extended/coned CONTINUING EDUCATION S A T U R D A Y , D e c e m b e R 6 , 2 0 1 4 By Holli Moncrieff For the Free Press S ome of the best business programs in the country are available in Winnipeg, whether you wish to earn an MBA or take a course in accounting. The University of Manitoba's Asper School of Business is AACSB accredited. AACSB Accreditation is the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide. "We've passed very rigorous quality-control checks. Only five per cent of business schools in the world have this accreditation, and we're the only school in Manitoba that has it," said Subbu Sivaramakrishnan, Associate Dean for the Asper School of Business. "The majority of our courses are taught by professors who have PhDs in their field. Our students often do projects for real companies." While the school is perhaps best known for its MBA program, it offers a number of courses designed for executives who are looking for additional training. "We offer multiple degree programs, but we also have executive education programs directed at people who are working in middle and upper management," Sivaramakrishnan said. "Many of our students are already working." The special student or occasional student designation allows adult students to take courses at the Asper School without working towards a degree. "We offer courses on negotiation, leadership, corporate governance, and branding. These are all designed for executives who want to learn more about a particular topic," said Sivaramakrishnan. "Anyone who manages a business would be interested in taking our core courses, which include introductory accounting and finance, marketing, and human resources." Red River College continues to offer its students the real- world experience they need to succeed in the business world. "Red River is known for the business and management programs we offer and the success of our graduates. We continue to be viable and position our graduates for career paths in the business world," said Debra Wutke, Business and Management Program Manager. The college has partnered with the University of British Columbia's School of Business to offer a certificate course in property assessment. "This course qualifies you for an entry level position at the City of Winnipeg or Province of Manitoba," said Sam Levy, Red River College's Trades, Transportation, Industry and Environment Program Manager. "The industry identified the need for trained people in this area. By offering the program here, we can give it a Manitoba context." Red River College has also developed a new course in Sport Management and Administration. Students will learn the fundamentals of sport management, including managing and motivating volunteers, marketing and media. "There's a need for a very special skill set when you're working in the sports industry. This course is taught from a management and administration perspective, not a coaching perspective," Wutke said. "Combining a BA with these courses will give students the skill set they need to be successful." The course has already attracted a high level of interest since it rolled out in April. "We've got the Grey Cup and 2017 Canada Summer Games coming. There are a lot of major events in this industry, and there's a great passion and volunteerism around sport in Winnipeg," said Wutke. "Sporting events create job opportunities." Two courses are still in development but are expected to be available next year. The Effective Meeting Management course teaches students how to run everything from AGMs to stockholder meetings. "Effective meetings are almost like unicorns — they don't seem to exist — and there's nothing people hate more than meetings that are a complete waste of time," Wutke said. "Not only will this course teach you how to make meetings effective, but you are also taught to recognize the liability of people who serve on boards. Graduates of the program will be able to ensure meetings are run effectively without risky personal liability." Red River is also developing a course in personal finance. The meeting management and personal finance classes will have open enrolment, with no prerequisites required. "There's lots of talk and interest about the level of indebtedness of our population. It's not unusual for students or adults to find themselves in a credit crunch, wondering how they got there," said Wutke. "There's a lot of allure for new graduates to get credit. We're motivated by instant gratification, but that's a hole they can dig for themselves." The personal finance course will teach participants how to understand their credit standing and what they can do to improve credit scores; how to transition from student to employee; how to access credit; and the debt- recovery process. "It shows you how to get back on your feet," Wutke said. ● A S U P P L E M E N T T O T H E W I N N I P E G F R E E P R E S S Business education Booming in Winnipeg Bryce North, CEO of AdVolve Media, a past grad of the Asper School of Business, speaks to students at the Asper School as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week. Photo by Darcy Finley

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