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Professional Development

Certificate in Practical Politics

The Certificate in Practical Politics has you complete a series of four (out of a possible six) "Practical Politics" skills-building workshops over the course of the academic year. These workshops will focus on skills-development in several areas that are of direct relevance for the job market.

Available in Waterloo.

Conducting Legal Research

The Certificate on Conducting Legal Research is run through the Faculty of Arts. These workshops will focus on doing Canadian Legal Research, the different levels of government involved in law making in Canada as well as the British side of things, and how to do firm level legal research.

Available in Brantford and Waterloo. 

Laurier Summer Institute of Research Methods

The Laurier Summer Institute of Research Methods (LSIRM) offers both introductory and advanced courses for training in research methods. These courses are designed for students, researchers, and professionals alike. The courses cover a variety of research methods and data analysis from both quantitative and qualitative research approaches. LSIRM is designed to enhance the skills of researchers through practical training from experts in the field. It is a great way for students, researchers, and professionals to learn new skills or build upon existing skills.

LSIRM is offered by the Centre for Community Research, Learning and Action (CCRLA).

Prism Resources

The Prism Resources program offers members training sessions on skills for the workplace. If you are a student in the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics, you are already enrolled. If you are in another faculty, you can a pay fee to enrol in the program.

  • Prism Audit (CaseWare) offers two audit courses (both must be completed) that teaches members what audits are, discusses common audit procedures and what to expect when working for a public accounting firm, and CaseWare that is a practical course where students learn to use the software commonly used by public accounting firms. 
  • Prism Bloomberg certifies members on the basic usage of the Bloomberg platform used in industry.
  • Prism Certiport is a platform offered by Microsoft and provides participants the opportunity to become certified in Excel, PowerPoint and Word.
  • Prism Excel VBA offers two courses in VBA where members are able to learn how to automate databases, record a macro, and more.
  • Prism x Library Research introduces students to the library resources useful for exploring industries and companies. Students learn essential research strategies and effective search skills through hands-on practice.
  • Prism Nielson is a two-hour module that was developed by Nielsen to teach students how to use Nielsen's MarketTrack Fundamentals through Answers Desktop.
  • Prism QuickBooks teaches students how to use the software to set up a new company, navigate the different types of transactions and how to record them, as well as, perform the various functions required for small and medium sized businesses.
  • Prism Salesforce provides an overview of the widely-used customer relationship management (CRM) software and teaches students to perform the common functions. It also introduces students to trailhead training modules.
  • Prism Statistics offers courses where students learn the basic functions of the program and then build off that knowledge. In the advanced module, students focus on manipulating regressions, hypothesis testing, generating variables and confidence intervals.
  • Prism Web Design offers two web design courses in which students learn about HTML and CSS, and combining the two of them to create a functional and visually appealing website.

Available in Brantford and Waterloo.