The math is as simple as it is attractive – invest the time and reap the rewards.
That’s just one of the many life-changing perks to be found in a trio of graduate certificate offerings from BCIT.
BCIT School of Business + Media is one of the largest business and media schools in Western Canada, with hands-on, specialized graduate certificates in business analytics, global leadership and business administration.
The programs are geared toward working professionals between the ages of 24 and 45 with a bachelor’s degree or above, looking to pursue a specialized graduate certificate.
Typically occupying entry or mid-level jobs, these professionals want to level up their skills so they can be in the same room as virtually anyone on the corporate ladder, from C-Suite executives to accountants to IT specialists.
The school offers three graduate certificates in cohort models to suit your future career and can be completed in just nine months.
“Our BCIT graduates do tend to stay close to home and work within the province due to BCIT’s reputation in B.C., but you could go anywhere in the world with these jobs,” explains Amy Goldlist, BCIT’s program head for the graduate certificate in business analytics.
The field of business data analytics takes a deep dive into the numbers game through math, statistics and technology.
Focusing on data analysis, this is a field where you’re utilizing a company’s data to make sound, practical decisions for your employer, with an eye on both the present and the future.
“All businesses are generating lots and lots of data: sales data, records on employees, records on customers and Google analytics data around what people do on the internet,” Goldlist says. “We use that to try to figure out how to make decisions that are beneficial to our business: increase profits, reduce expenses and make our customers more satisfied.”
As the title suggests, the Global Leadership Program is designed to shape leaders – graduates go on to effectively manage cross-cultural teams and operate businesses across the world.
“You’re not just dealing with working here in Canada, you’re dealing with a business that’s international where you might have suppliers and employees from other places, so you’re determining how to work in a global marketplace,” Goldlist describes.
Finally, the Business Administration Program represents the foundational skills of how to operate a business. Touching on economics, math, accounting and marketing, this certificate covers general business topics and helps master key competencies to manage a team and develop a strategic mindset.
And what happens upon graduation?
B.C.’s burgeoning tech sector is built around virtually every skill offered across these three programs, allowing graduates to stay close to home and work where they live, should they choose to.
A business data analyst, for example, has not only the technical know-how but also the practical knowledge to interpret complex data to properly inform shareholders and stakeholders within a company.
“Industries and organizations that used to just make decisions based on gut instinct, experience and doing what they think is right are turning to using data to make their decisions,” Goldlist says. “They’re changing their decision-making, which means that people all over the world are changing the way they do business.”
Released in February, the province’s Labour Market Outlook 2022-2023 Forecast shows that B.C. is expected to have more than one million job openings between 2022 and 2032 – of those, nearly 80 per cent will require some form of post-secondary education or training.
Additionally, it’s estimated that more than 600,000 people will leave the workforce over the coming decade.
It’s no secret that employers face challenges finding enough trained workers – as such, job seekers need to expand their skills and competencies as jobs continue to evolve.
“Tech companies are built on data and analytics and using that information properly, so there’s always going to be jobs there,” Goldlist says.
Each program follows a hybrid model, with students learning both online and in the classroom. Rolling admissions are open now for each certificate program and all three run from September to May.
To learn more or to apply, visit bcit.ca/appl.
The BCIT School of Business + Media is a place for “doers” with a career destination in mind. Whether you want to turn a hobby into a business, enhance job opportunities, earn a higher income, or simply get a job you love, the transformation you’ll go through at BCIT will accelerate your success.
