A provincial state of emergency remains in effect due to numerous wildfires.
For wildfire related information, call the 24-hour info line at 310-4455 (available in 200+ languages) or visit alberta.ca/emergency.
A provincial state of emergency remains in effect due to numerous wildfires.
For wildfire related information, call the 24-hour info line at 310-4455 (available in 200+ languages) or visit alberta.ca/emergency.
Find out how your goals in life match career options and adult learning at Alberta post-secondary institutions.
It’s one thing to have a goal in life. It’s another to know how you plan to get there.
In Alberta, we refer to our learning process as a pathway. Everyone’s pathway is different, as they’re developed based on:
Your pathway doesn’t end when you finish your post-secondary education and start a new career. Instead, your plan continues to evolve as you do. When you reach one goal, you may want to set another for yourself to reach.
Every learner pathway starts with research. Before you can start working towards a goal, it’s important to know what your options are. For example:
All of the information you need to plan your future is available online, but it can be hard to know where to start. These resources can help:
Meet with someone who works in the field you're interested in. Most people are happy to talk about their jobs, and can give you good advice on what you need to do to get into their field.
Spend a day following around a professional in your field of interest. You'll get a behind-the-scenes look at a real work day, so you can figure out if this is really the career for you.
Some institutions offer student shadow opportunities where you get paired up with a current post-secondary student to learn about what life is like studying in your program of interest.
When you volunteer, you share your skills and time with people and organizations without expecting to be paid. Volunteering can give you chance to build your experience and skills, and demonstrate your employability. This is a great way to:
See if you can gain some experience working in the field that interests you. Want to be a journalist? Write for your community newspaper. Interested in a trade? Enrol in the RAP program or apply for pre-apprenticeship positions.
Visit a few post-secondary open houses to learn about the programs they offer and whether the institution would be a good fit for you.
Call the admissions office for the institutions you’re interested in attending, and ask for a facility tour. Ask to meet program staff or instructors on your tour, and talk to students while you’re there. This will help you get a sense of:
A credential is confirmation of your learning achievement. When you finish your post-secondary program, you receive an official document from your institution to certify that you’ve completed your diploma, certificate or degree.
There are different types of credentials, depending on the type of learning offered. For example:
When you’re researching learning options, it’s important to know what type of credential you can earn, and whether or not that credential can be transferred to another program.
Learn more about post-secondary credentials in Alberta.
If you’re going back to post-secondary after being away for a while, consider:
After you’ve explored your possibilities, you’re ready to choose a direction.
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