EIT launches new bite-sized professional development

43 seconds ago

From July, EIT’s School of Health and Sport Science will offer a suite of micro-credentials targeting working professionals in the education and health & wellbeing industry:

• “Rapport 101 – Communication for Practitioners and Educators”,
• “Supporting positive change”,
• “Working with Whānau and Families”,
• “Working with Diverse Populations”,
• “Working with Groups” and
• “Working with Communities: Social connection & Recovery Capital”

Micro-credentials are bite-sized, stand-alone qualifications. Instead of completing a larger qualification, micro-credentials allow people to efficiently broaden their skillset needed for their specific job. Each of the above micro-credential comprises five credits. They will be delivered through a combination of face-to-face contact (block courses) and online learning.

“The idea to offer micro-credentials is in response to our stakeholders’ need for a new style of professional development,” says Assistant Head of School, Kirsten Westwood. “Busy people can now engage in learning in a smaller more manageable way; improving skills such as emphatic listening, goal setting and engaging with whānau. All these skills are highly valued by industry, employers, iwi and the community and add to a person’s employability.”

Senior lecturers Edmond Otis and Chris Malcolm will be teaching on the courses. Both believe that “better connection equals better outcomes. It’s about upskilling people in our community, providing them with the tools and soft skills to better engage with diverse populations, advance their communication, improve relationships and support positive change,” they say.

The first micro-credential “Rapport 101 – Communication for Practitioners and Educators” starts on July 20. Course fees: $ 280 per course. For more information, contact programme coordinator Patrick Lander at 06 974 8000 ext 5471 or PLander@eit.ac.nz at the School of Health and Sport Science.