Free Career Modules for Students

Student using a laptop to work on modules

Enhance your career-ready skills with FREE online modules. Complete all five to earn the Future Ready Premium Program Student Micro-Certificate.

Future Ready Premium Program Student Micro-Certificate

mohawk future ready premium program badge

Learn how to take the skills and knowledge you’ve gathered throughout your work, volunteer and educational experiences and present them to your future employer.

Available to current students and recent alumni (up to one year following graduation), this FREE program covers:

  • Employability Skills
  • The Job Search
  • Professional Communication
  • Professional Brand
  • Professional Competencies
  • Exclusive Information about our Premium Employers

Students who complete all five required modules will receive a micro-certificate and gain access to job search advising after graduation.

Enroll now

To receive support with Future Ready Premium Program course learning materials and activities:
Contact the Student & Graduate Employment Team: success [at] mohawkcollege.ca (success[at]mohawkcollege[dot]ca)

College-student-employer relationship redefined

Mohawk has joined forces with leading employers in the Hamilton Region to create the Future Ready Premium Employer Program. This initiative is designed to more actively engage industry and community partners in the training of job-ready college graduates.

Enrolled students will have opportunities to network with local employers.

Explore the Future Ready Premium Program modules

Module 1: Employability Skills

employers discussing at table

The purpose of Module 1 is to help you develop the skills and knowledge you will need throughout your career. You will develop an understanding of your accomplishments and interests and how they impact your skills. You will learn how the skills you possess impact the value you offer to employers.

To accomplish this, you will complete a career self-assessment; reflect on your skills, accomplishments and interests; and create a plan for further developing your employability skills. You will define your transferable skills to better understand their value.

Enroll now

Read more about Module 1: Employability Skills

Purpose:
  • Learn about employability skills.
  • Develop an understanding of how your accomplishments and interests impact your skills.
  • Learn how the skills you possess impact the value you offer to employers.
Learning Outcomes:
  • Reflect on skills you possess.
  • Outline a plan for developing their employable skills.
  • Recall your accomplishments and interest.
  • Outline your transferable skills.
  • State your skills and value to employers.
Topics Covered:
  1. Employability Skills
  2. Interests and transferable Skills
  3. Developing your employability Skills
  4. Communicate & develop skills statements
Assessment:
  1. Identifying Your Skills Worksheet – reflect on skills you possess, skills you would like to develop, and strategies to develop your skills;
  2. My Accomplishments Worksheet – list all of your accomplishments; write a skills statement for each accomplishment using a formula (action verb, description, result)
  3. Meeting with a career coach to review My Accomplishments Worksheet
Co-Curricular Record Description:

This student completed Module 1 of the Future Ready Premium Program. They were responsible for completing a career self-assessment, reflecting on their skills, accomplishments and interests and creating a plan for further developing their employability skills. They were responsible for defining their transferable skills based on their skills, accomplishments and interests to better understand their value. Finally, they were responsible for meeting with a Career Coach to discuss the completion of their Skills and Accomplishments activities.

Co-Curricular Record Learning Outcomes:
  1. Continuous Learning / Intentional Learner
  2. Continuous Learning / Planning and Organization
  3. Continuous Learning / Technical Competence

Module 2: The Job Search

person on mobile phone

The purpose of Module 2 is to learn job search strategies, understand the components of a resume, cover letter and reference page, and develop resume and cover letter writing skills.

To accomplish this, you will reflect on your current and future academic and career journey to create a job search goal and plan. You will develop a resume and cover letter by reflecting on your past experiences in order to translate these experiences into accomplishments.

Enroll now

Read more about Module 2: The Job Search

Purpose:
  1. Learn strategies for completing a job search
  2. Gain an understanding of the different components of a resume, cover letter and reference page
  3. Develop skills necessary for writing a resume and cover letter

Learning Outcomes:

  • Create a job search goal.
  • Develop a job search plan.
  • Create a resume relevant to your career interests and work experience
Topics Covered:
  1. Finding and evaluating job opportunities
  2. Writing a resume & reference page
  3. Writing a Cover letter
Assessment:
  1. The Job Search Action Plan – Develop a job search plan, specifying the actions, timelines, resources and outcomes.
  2. Resume Template - Download a resume template and begin preparing your resume
Co-curricular Record Description:

This student completed Module 2 of the Future Ready Premium Program. They were responsible for reflecting on their current and future academic and career journey in order to develop a job search goal and a job search plan. They were responsible for developing a resume and cover letter by reflecting on their past experiences in order to translating these experiences into accomplishments.

Module 3: Professional Communication

professionals discussing in meeting room

The purpose of Module 3 is to develop an understanding of the ‘professional voice’ in verbal, non-verbal, and written workplace communication. You will gain skills necessary for communicating with different levels in an organization.

To accomplish this, you will participate in a simulation learning activity that replicates a real-life scenario in which you practice using your ‘professional voice’. Within the simulation, you will take instruction, initiate collaboration, and use conflict management strategies to deal with uncomfortable situations.

Enroll now

Read more about Module 3: Professional Communication

Purpose:
  • Develop an understanding of ‘Professional Voice’ in verbal, non-verbal, and written workplace communication
  • Gain skills necessary for communicating with different levels in an organization, initiating collaboration, and dealing with bad news.
Learning Outcomes:
  • Apply professional communication strategies in an interactive workplace simulation
    • Compose appropriate emails when communicating with colleagues at various levels in a company hierarchy
    • Initiate collaboration with colleagues
    • Use conflict management strategies to resolve uncomfortable situations
    • Construct a professional summary
Topics covered:
  1. Professional Communication
Assessment:
  • Ametros Simulation on Professional Communication
  • Students must complete four tasks including:
    • Accepting a task from a supervisor
    • Soliciting input from a colleague
    • Responding to conflict / bad news
    • Drafting an appropriate brief response
Co-curricular Record Description:

This student completed Module 3 of the Future Ready Premium Program. They were responsible for participating in a simulation learning activity that replicated a real-life scenario in which they had to practice using their ‘professional voice’ to communicate within different levels in an organization. They were responsible within the simulation to take instruction, initiate collaboration, and deal with an uncomfortableness.

Co-Curricular Record Learning Outcomes:
  1. Collaborator / Teamwork
  2. Collaborator / Interpersonal Relationships
  3. Collaborator / Effective Communication
  4. Continuous Learning / Planning and Organization
  5. Continuous Learning / Technical Competence
  6. Continuous Learner / Adaptability & Flexibility

Module 4: Professional Brand and The Interview

person on phone having an interview

The purpose of Module 4 is to develop an understanding of how to create your “professional brand”. You will consider the benefits of developing an ePortfolio and gain an understanding of how networking can be an effective job search strategy. You will also gain the necessary skills to prepare for and complete a successful interview.

To accomplish this, you will reflect on your personal brand, aligning it to your online presence; develop networking strategies including preparing a 30-second elevator pitch; and develop personalized responses to common interview questions by applying the Situation, Task, Action, Response (STAR) method.

Enroll now

Read more about Module 4: Professional Brand and The Interview

Purpose:
  • Develop an understanding of how to create a personal “professional brand”
  • Consider the benefits of developing an ePortfolio to showcase your learning journey
  • Understand the importance of networking as an effective job search strategy
  • Gain skills necessary for preparing for and completing a successful interview
Learning Outcomes:
  • Reflect on your person “professional brand”
  • Compare your developing “professional brand” with your current online presence.
  • List networking strategies you plan to use as a job search strategy
  • Describe the benefits of networking for seeking professional opportunities
  • Compare and contrast different interview types and formats
  • Prepare effective, personalized responses to a variety of common interview questions
  • Apply the Situation, Task, Action, Response (STAR) method to respond to behavioural interview questions
Topics covered:
  1. Professional Brand
  2. Networking
  3. Interviewing
Assessment:
  1. 30 second commercial - write/record a 30 second commercial that can be used to network with potential employers
  2. STAR Method - Apply the Situation Task Action Result interview question response method to answer two interview questions
Co-curricular Record Description:

This student completed Module 4 of the Future Ready Premium Program. They were responsible for reflecting on their personal brand and aligning it to their online presence. They were responsible for preparing a 30-second elevator-pitch for learning how to network. Finally, they were responsible for developing personalized responses to common interview questions by applying the STAR method.

Co-Curricular Record Learning Outcomes:
  1. Collaborator / Interpersonal Relationships
  2. Continuous Learning / Intentional Learning
  3. Responsible Citizen / Self-Awareness & Positive Attitude

Module 5: Professional Competencies

Person giving a presentation to a group of people

The purpose of Module 5 is to review key learning from Modules 1 to 4 in order to develop an understanding of what you need to know and do to be successful when starting your career. You will reflect on areas for growth and plan for engaging in continuous learning and professional development. You will make connections between the Future Ready Premium Program, your academic studies and career goals.

To accomplish this, you will identify different workplace cultures in practice; set relevant and attainable professional development goals; develop a professional development plan; and create a representation of the connection between Future Ready Premium Program learning, classroom learning, and future career goals. You will describe a plan for implementing new learning from the Future Ready Premium Program.

Enroll now

Read more about Module 5: Professional Competencies

Purpose:
  • Review key learning from Modules 1 – 4
  • Develop an understanding of what you need to know and do to be successful when starting your career
  • Reflect on areas for growth and plan for engaging in continuous learning and professional development
  • Make connections between the Future Ready Premium Program, your academic studies, and your career goals
Learning Outcomes:
  • Identify different workplace cultures in practice
  • Set relevant and attainable professional development goals
  • Develop a professional development plan
  • Synthesize prior learning from the Future Ready Premium Program.
  • Create a representation of the connection between Future Ready Premium Program learning, classroom learning, and future career goals
  • Describe a plan for implementing new learning from the Future Ready Premium Program
Topics Covered:
  1. The first 30 days
  2. Teamwork
  3. Continuous Learning & Professional Development
Assessment:
  1. Professional Development Planning – Reflect on Professional Development goals and develop an action plan
  2. Summative Reflection - Reflect on and synthesize learning from the Future Ready Premium Program with course/classroom learning and career goals
Co-curricular Record Description:

This student completed Module 5 of the Future Ready Premium Program. They were responsible for participating in a workplace cultures activity, and for creating a professional development plan that required them to set goals and monitor their progress toward their continuous learning journey. Finally, they completed a summative reflection that asked them to consider the connection between their academic program and their career goals.

CCR Learning Outcomes:
  1. Collaborator / Teamwork
  2. Continuous Learner / Intentional Learning
  3. Continuous Learner / Planning and Organization

Module 6: Premium Employers

Module 6 is a unique resource available only to Mohawk College students and recent graduates enrolled in the Future Ready Premium Program micro-certificate course. These modules provide an insider view of our Future Ready Premium Program Employer Partners:

  • Learn about each organization's vision, mission, and values
  • Discover their commitments to sustainability, equity, diversity, and inclusion
  • Explore fun facts about the company and their history
  • Consider the unique professional development opportunities these companies offer their employees

We recommend reviewing these employer modules before formally connecting with any of the employer partners. The content will give you a distinct advantage during networking or interviewing opportunities. Our employer partners have generously shared this information with our team to support your career development. We hope you will take full advantage of this fantastic career development resource!

We also encourage you to review each employer module, even the employers that may seem outside of your academic program or industry. Remember - every organization hires for many different roles, not just one. Be Future Ready by increasing your knowledge of a diverse range of industries and organizations, including our Future Ready Premium Program employer partners.

Read more about Module 6: Premium Employers

Employer Modules:
  • Gerrie Electric
  • Hamilton Health Sciences
  • KF Aerospace
  • L3Harris
  • Lawrie Insurance Group
  • Mohawk College
  • Stelco
  • Thrive Group
  • Walters Group
  • The City of Hamilton
  • More employer modules coming soon!
Learning Outcomes:
  • Increase knowledge of Mohawk’s FRPP Employer Partners
  • Identify current trends in the labour market across multiple industries

Register for Micro-Certificate