Three UCalgary employees share how LinkedIn Learning bolstered their confidence and career development

With the COVID-19 pandemic prompting economic challenges and changes to work productivity, more professionals are turning to online platforms such as LinkedIn Learning to build, enhance and share their personal and professional development skills. We asked three UCalgary employees for insight on their experience in using the platform.

Flexible way to grow your skills

“I can say that my [skillsets] are enhanced and reinforced by the learning available on LinkedIn Learning,” says Kimberley Dart, BCert’18, BDip’19, MEd’20, manager of the Haskayne School of Business’s Career Development Centre. “I learned the value of identifying and growing talent early for long-term organizational success and reinforcing skills that I learned a long time ago.”

Dart participated in several courses related to neuroscience and coaching. One, on the topic of communicating with confidence, highlighted the importance of managing hand gestures, and how they may indicate signs of nervousness.

The flexibility of LinkedIn Learning allows users like Dart to take learning into their own hands, and on their own schedule — a benefit that Katie Flynn also uses to focus on concepts that are most interesting.

As protocol administrator with the Animal Health Unit, Flynn says, “Courses and training for soft skills are helpful in building resiliency, mindfulness and productivity levels during the pandemic.”

Flynn says one of her courses, The Mindful Workday, examined mindfulness as a way to “remain grounded and present,” and emphasized the importance of surrounding oneself with items that will support well-being. Flynn has also taken courses on Java programming and creative writing to expand her personal development.

Support for Lifelong Learning

With new technology developments and increasing demand for new skills, LinkedIn Learning encourages employees to actively participate in the lifelong learning process. Ivana D’Adamo says she is “a firm believer in being current and relevant in [her] role,” and is committed to enhancing her skills through the system that is curated and personalized for her goals.

D’Adamo, strategic events specialist at the Schulich School of Engineering, says, “Anyone who wants to learn has access to learning opportunities … online solutions are not only easy to use, but also quickly connect you to relevant, applicable content.”

LinkedIn Learning supplemented the concepts D’Adamo learned from courses previously taken with HR and Continuing Education at the university. Its Management and Fundamentals series encompassed specific areas from pitching to decision-making, and D’Adamo’s takeaways focused on leadership skills, effective listening, and gaining buy-in for new, innovative ideas.

As she continues to use LinkedIn Learning for her own personal development, D’Adamo is making “long-term career investments,” and is not only equipped to excel in her job field, but “the job stability that [she] can get from developing interpersonal skills will last years … outlasting an economic downturn.”

How to access LinkedIn Learning

LinkedIn Learning provides free opportunities for UCalgary employees to participate in the lifelong learning process. The university is invested in its employees’ professional and personal development by implementing flexible online solutions that are relevant to today’s changing circumstances.

Ready to learn something new?  Register your account by following these three easy steps:

1. Activate your account using your @ucalgary.ca email address
2. Connect your pre-existing LinkedIn account for learning that is customized for your skills, employment history and networks. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, you can create one here 
3. Share your successes through your LinkedIn profile to showcase your new skills