Upcoming Courses

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• Economic Development for Elected Officials - In Person

  • When
    February 10, 2023
  •  
    9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
  • Location
    Fort Macleod Course Location TBD

  

  Elected officials require solid leadership skills to set the vision for economic development in a clearly defined path. Each community, organization, or volunteer approaches community economic development differently. Council members are the leaders of this process, setting the direction for Economic Development to occur.

  This course will provide elected officials with the foundational knowledge and skills needed to set a clearly defined path for prosperity and gain the necessary support from your community.

  By completion of this course, successful students will be able to:

  ·        Define Economic Development

  ·        Discuss how elected officials fit into these functions: Governance vs. Operations

  ·        Explore how Council members can best serve their community as Economic Development leaders

  ·        Examine the principles and theories of economic development

  ·        Distinguish between the concepts of community economic development (CED) and traditional economic development

  ·        Describe the elements of a community strategic plan and how it links to an economic development strategic plan

  Host: AlbertaSW - Bev Thornton
  

  Trainer: Natalie Gibson

  
  

  Show details
• Business Retention & Expansion - Online Course

  • Start
    February 14, 2023
  • End
    March 20, 2023
  • Location
    Online through the University of Calgary

  Business Retention and Expansion

  Register Here 
  

  Business retention and expansion (BR&E) is a primary economic development strategy. BR&E supports and fosters the development and growth of the business community.

  

  The result of a strong BR&E strategy is a healthy and thriving business community which in turn provides a long term sustainable community foundation. Long-term BR&E programs are a means of connecting businesses with resources and opportunities that will improve their competitive position, market networks and ultimately their profitability.
  

  
  

  
  

  If you wish to have credits applied to Continuing Education’s Professional Management Certificate – Economic Developers, you will need to contact our office at 403-220-2866 .

  Credits for the Community Economic Development courses equals 2/3 of the instruction hours to a maximum of 30 hours, i.e. for a 15 hour course you will receive 10 hours credit.

  Instructor: Natalie Gibson 

  
  

  Show details
• Economic Development for Elected Officials - Virtual

  • When
    February 28, 2023
  •  
    9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
  • Location
    Virtual

  

  Elected officials require solid leadership skills to set the vision for economic development in a clearly defined path. Each community, organization, or volunteer approaches community economic development differently. Council members are the leaders of this process, setting the direction for Economic Development to occur.

  This course will provide elected officials with the foundational knowledge and skills needed to set a clearly defined path for prosperity and gain the necessary support from your community.

  By completion of this course, successful students will be able to:

  ·        Define Economic Development

  ·        Discuss how elected officials fit into these functions: Governance vs. Operations

  ·        Explore how Council members can best serve their community as Economic Development leaders

  ·        Examine the principles and theories of economic development

  ·        Distinguish between the concepts of community economic development (CED) and traditional economic development

  ·        Describe the elements of a community strategic plan and how it links to an economic development strategic plan

  Host: Town of Two Hills - Ava Clark
  

  Trainer: Natalie Gibson

  
  

  Show details
• Business & Investment Attraction- Online Course

  • Start
    March 07, 2023
  • End
    April 10, 2023
  • Location
    Online through the University of Calgary

  Business and Investment Attraction

  Learn key concepts related to business and investment attraction in economic development. Cover community investment readiness; competitive advantage, how to select key target markets for investment attraction; working with site selectors; and, attracting foreign direct investment to help your community expand its economic base. Learn how to develop business investment strategies that will benefit your community.   

  Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

  • Recognize the different types of new investment versus investment attraction
  • Examine criteria to evaluate if your community is in fact ‘investment ready’
  • Describe components that may be included in an Investment Attraction Strategy
  • Identify methods to recognize the target industries that may be attracted to your community
  • Explore investment attraction tools and resources
  • Classify the different types of site selectors and what their search criteria may be
  • Recognize the four basic stages of site selection
  • Review types of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and support resources
  • Compare methods of measuring your BI&A program or activities success
    

  Online registration: https://conted.ucalgary.ca/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=15410870

  Instructor: Natalie Gibson

  Show details
• Establishing the Foundation- ONLINE Course

  • Start
    April 25, 2023
  • End
    May 29, 2023
  • Location
    Online through the University of Calgary

  Economic Development Establishing the Foundation

  This course is the first in a series that will provide you with the knowledge and skills to become proficient at economic development. The function of economic development (ED) is often complex, and understanding your role in the process will be key both to the success of your career, and to the overall success of your economic development activities.

  This course is the 30,000-foot view of the process of economic development. It provides the theory and fundamentals of ED along with examples of how it can be applied. There is no one way to do ED. Each community, organization or volunteer group will do ED differently.

  Course Details

  The primary goals of this course are to:

  • Identify what economic development is;
  • Determine how you fit into the function;
  • Examine how you can best serve your community as an economic development professional; and
  • Identify the tools and resources that can help economic developers meet local development challenges.

  To register: https://conted.ucalgary.ca/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=12618114

  Instructor: Holly Sorgen

  Show details
• Business Retention & Expansion - Online Course

  • Start
    July 18, 2023
  • End
    August 21, 2023
  • Location
    Online through the University of Calgary

  Business Retention and Expansion

  Business retention and expansion (BR&E) is a primary economic development strategy. BR&E supports and fosters the development and growth of the business community. The result of a strong BR&E strategy is a healthy and thriving business community which in turn provides a long term sustainable community foundation. Long-term BR&E programs are a means of connecting businesses with resources and opportunities that will improve their competitive position, market networks and ultimately their profitability.
  

  If you wish to have credits applied to Continuing Education’s Professional Management Certificate – Economic Developers, you will need to contact our office at 403-220-2866 . Credits for the Community Economic Development courses equals 2/3 of the instruction hours to a maximum of 30 hours, i.e. for a 15 hour course you will receive 10 hours credit.

  Instructor: Natalie Gibson 

  To register: https://conted.ucalgary.ca/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=15264259

  Show details
• Business & Investment Attraction- Online Course

  • Start
    October 03, 2023
  • End
    November 06, 2023
  • Location
    Online through the University of Calgary

  Business and Investment Attraction

  Learn key concepts related to business and investment attraction in economic development. Cover community investment readiness; competitive advantage, how to select key target markets for investment attraction; working with site selectors; and, attracting foreign direct investment to help your community expand its economic base. Learn how to develop business investment strategies that will benefit your community.   

  Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

  • Recognize the different types of new investment versus investment attraction
  • Examine criteria to evaluate if your community is in fact ‘investment ready’
  • Describe components that may be included in an Investment Attraction Strategy
  • Identify methods to recognize the target industries that may be attracted to your community
  • Explore investment attraction tools and resources
  • Classify the different types of site selectors and what their search criteria may be
  • Recognize the four basic stages of site selection
  • Review types of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and support resources
  • Compare methods of measuring your BI&A program or activities success
    

  Online registration: https://conted.ucalgary.ca/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=15410870

  Instructor: Natalie Gibson

  Show details
• Establishing the Foundation- ONLINE Course

  • Start
    November 07, 2023
  • End
    December 11, 2023
  • Location
    Online through the University of Calgary

  Economic Development Establishing the Foundation

  This course is the first in a series that will provide you with the knowledge and skills to become proficient at economic development. The function of economic development (ED) is often complex, and understanding your role in the process will be key both to the success of your career, and to the overall success of your economic development activities.

  This course is the 30,000-foot view of the process of economic development. It provides the theory and fundamentals of ED along with examples of how it can be applied. There is no one way to do ED. Each community, organization or volunteer group will do ED differently.

  Course Details

  The primary goals of this course are to:

  • Identify what economic development is;
  • Determine how you fit into the function;
  • Examine how you can best serve your community as an economic development professional; and
  • Identify the tools and resources that can help economic developers meet local development challenges.

  To register: https://conted.ucalgary.ca/search/publicCourseSearchDetails.do?method=load&courseId=12618114

  Instructor: Holly Sorgen

  Show details