ASPIRE: Skills Training and Professionalization

Earn the ASPIRE Professional Development Certificate

Invest in your future and earn the ASPIRE Certificate, which is designed to complement your academic program by providing opportunities to develop a range of skills and competencies. 

To earn the certificate, complete five workshops in at least two ASPIRE pillars.

Learn more details about the ASPIRE Professional Development Certificate.

Wellness

Take charge of your personal well-being. Our workshops provide you with the skills to manage your time, mental health, and work-life balance. Foster self-awareness and mindfulness in your personal, scholarly, and professional life.

All sessions are virutal, 1 hour in length and open to all students.

Understanding Perfectionism | May 22 at 2:30 p.m.  Register in Advance

Learn about perfectionism and its associated thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. Together we will explore the benefits and challenges of perfectionism and how perfectionism shows up in our lives. This workshop is one of four workshops in our Overcoming Perfectionism series. You do not have to attend all four sessions, but it is highly recommended. This workshop counts as an elective in the Wellness Education Certificate. 

Interrupting the Cycle Perfectionism | May 29 at 2:30 p.m. Register in Advance 

Learn about factors that support and maintain perfectionism. This workshop will explore beliefs around perfectionism that impact our thoughts and behaviours and what happens when we don’t meet our own standards. This workshop is one of four workshops in our Overcoming Perfectionism series. You do not have to attend all four sessions, but it is highly recommended. This workshop counts as an elective in the Wellness Education Certificate. 

Challenging Perfectionist Thinking | June 5 at 2:30 p.m.  Register in Advance

Learn strategies for challenging perfectionist behaviours and thinking patterns. Together we will explore skills for coping with the consequences of perfectionism and how self-compassion can act as an anecdote to perfectionism. This workshop is one of four workshops in our Overcoming Perfectionism series. You do not have to attend all four sessions, but it is highly recommended. This workshop counts as an elective in the Wellness Education Certificate.

Changing Perfectionist Thinking | June 12 at 2:30 p.m. Register in Advance

Learn strategies for changing perfectionist behaviours and thinking patterns. Together we will explore skills for coping with the consequences of perfectionism and how self-compassion can act as an anecdote to perfectionism. This workshop is one of four workshops in our Overcoming Perfectionism series. You do not have to attend all four sessions, but it is highly recommended. This workshop counts as an elective in the Wellness Education Certificate.

Positivity in Practice | July 10 at 2:30 p.m.  Register in Advance

Learn about Positive Psychology and the secrets to increasing positive emotions, decreasing negativity, and creating daily satisfaction. Practical exercises and strategies will be the focus of this workshop, so that you come away with tools to foster a positive and growth oriented mindset. This workshop is run by a clinical counsellor from the Student Wellness Centre and counts as an elective toward the Wellness Education Certificate. 

Exam and Performance Anxiety | July 24 at 2:30 p.m. Register in Advance

Learn ways to handle performance anxiety, improve your mental game, and find inner calm during midterms and exams.  This workshop will also address the additional stresses caused by online exams. This workshop is run by a clinical counsellor from the Student Wellness Centre and counts as an elective toward the Wellness Education Certificate. 

Teaching Development 

• Presenting for Everyone: Delivering Inclusive and Dynamic Presentations | Self-paced Microsoft Stream Recording

Professionalization and Communication

In any academic or professional environment, strong communication and leadership skills are critical. Perfect your writing and oral presentation skills with help from specialists in the field.

Please Note: If you do not have access to the MyLearningSpace self-directed course, make sure you register for the workshops course first: 

1. Log in to MyLearningSpace.
2. Select Self Registration.
3. Select the applicable course or module.
4. Select Register.

Details for each session and registration links can be found on the Graduate Tab of the Writing Service Workshop site. 

• Writing Literature Reviews | May 15 at 1 p.m. 
• Overcoming Writer's Block | June 5 at 1 p.m. 
• Writing wih Imposter Syndrome | June 13 at 11 a.m.
• Writing wih Imposter Syndrome | July 9 at 2 p.m.
• Scholarship Proposal Writing | August 7 at 10 a.m. 
• Scholarship Proposal Writing | August 13 at 1 p.m. 

On-going self paced learning:

• Planning a Literature Review | Self-paced MyLearningSpace Module
• Academic Integrity Module | Self-paced MyLearningSpace Module

Career

Move successfully into your next career phase. ASPIRE workshops, run by Career Centre professionals, can help you to market your transferable skills, build your resumé, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile, and network and interview with confidence, among many other skills.

Spring 2024 (all sessions are virtual on Zoom)

• Career Planning | May 10 at 9:30 a.m.
• Resumé & Cover Letter Writing | May 17 at 9:30 a.m.
• Navigating the Canadian Job Search for International Graduate Students | May 24 at 9:30 a.m.
• Job Search Strategies | May 31 at 9:30 a.m.
• Interview Success | June 7 at 9:30 a.m.
• LinkedIn | June 14 at 9:30 a.m.
• Network with Confidence | June 21 at 9:30 a.m.
• Transferable Skills | June 28 at 9:30 a.m.
• Thrive in the Workplace | July 5 at 9:30 a.m.
• CV Writing for Academic Jobs | July 12 at 9:30 a.m.
• Academic Job Search | July 19 at 9:30 a.m.
• Academic Interview Strategies | July 26 at 9:30 a.m.

Research

Research is a huge component of many Masters, PhD and Postdoctoral Fellow programs. Workshops in our research pillar can help you to complete the work that you are doing at Laurier and help prepare you for future research opportunities. Through workshops ranging from how to develop a research question, to managing your data, our research experts will teach you how to translate your technical work for non-specialist audiences.

Please Note: If you do not have access to the MyLearningSpace self-directed course, make sure you register for the workshops course first: 

1. Log in to MyLearningSpace.
2. Select Self Registration.
3. Select Library Research Workshops or EDI workshops (depending on which one your interested in)
4. Select Register.

• Accessing Statistics Canada Data for Your Research | Self-paced MyLearningSpace Module 
• Citing Insights: Tools to Help You Cite | Self-paced MyLearningSpace Module
• Develop a Research Question | Self-paced MyLearningSpace Module
• Introduction to Inclusive Research | Self-paced MyLearningSpace Module