Overview
**Winner of the 2019 CMED Peer Choice Award for Best Online Program!**
Digital technology has rapidly grown to become an integral part of global business and commercial activity. Disruptive innovations are profoundly affecting the ways in which products and services are designed, manufactured, delivered, and consumed. Although such profound technological change can result in uncertainty within the business sector, there are significant rewards available to businesses with the right combination of technical knowledge and skills to meet the challenges of the digital era.
This certificate is a series of five courses designed to help participants lead their organizations and transform their businesses through adoption of new technologies, the formation of new strategies and the conceptualization of new business models. The certificate will also develop the soft-skills needed to lead digital transformation within organizations.
The five courses in the Digital Transformation Leadership Certificate in Cloud include:
We live in a period of rapid technological change. Innovative new technologies are pervading all aspects of everyday life, as well as commercial and manufacturing sectors. These changes are leading many to suggest that a new industrial revolution is currently underway. However, with the pace of change being so rapid, potentially transformative technologies and terminologies are constantly being introduced, to the point that it can be difficult for management and IT professionals to keep track and stay on top of developments.
This course has been designed with this issue in mind and is based on achieving three main outcomes. First, the course aims to familiarize you with some of the most important elements of the digital economy. Second, the course has been designed to help open and explore key questions relating to the effect that the widespread adoption of these technologies will have upon individuals, business and society. Third, and most importantly, the course builds towards a consideration of the effect these technologies will have upon your organization.
Abraham Lincoln and Peter Drucker both have been credited with the quote, “The best way to create the future is to invent it.” This assertion is particularly true in the digital realm. If you’re not adopting technology continuously to improve your business processes, enhance customer experience, or advance your business model, be assured that someone else is.
In this course, you will be introduced to digital strategies that have the potential to transform your business, whether you’re looking to prepare your business to withstand competitive disruption or gain a competitive advantage through digital technologies. The course primarily offers a business leadership perspective, rather than a technical approach. The end goal is to give you a better understanding of how you can address both the risk and opportunities that digital technologies are bringing and provide support on the development of an initial digital strategy.
AWS Academy Cloud Foundations is an AWS Academy course designed for learners who seek an overall understanding of cloud computing concepts, independent of specific technical roles. It provides a detailed overview of cloud concepts, AWS core services, security, architecture, pricing, and support. This course will allow you to test new skills and apply knowledge to your working environment through a variety of practical exercises. This course gives you basic technical hands-on skills on one of today’s major digital disruptive technologies: Cloud Computing.
The capabilities of disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing are exciting. During digital transformation, it is easy to get caught up in technical solutions and forget you are designing them for the benefit of people. Most organizations engage in a change to realize some business benefits (reduce costs, improve sales, increase productivity, etc.), however, research shows that only half of the organizations see the intended results, and 25% actually see a decrease in business results.
When overlooked or ignored, the emotional impacts of transformational change on people causes unproductive behaviours that can, and often do, end in these poor outcomes. This course will focus on the human side of digital transformation, and the necessary leadership skills for dealing with the challenges that come with transformational change. You’ll learn what is unique about transformational change, common pitfalls, what the latest brain science says about why change is so hard, and how you can successfully navigate your organization through digital transformation.
In today’s fast-paced world, organizations that can adapt quickly will have the best chance for survival. They do this by getting their people from current to future state efficiently, with little downtime. That’s why it’s essential to make organizational change management, or OCM, a fundamental component of your organization.
A modern approach to OCM does not assume leadership comes only from senior leaders and executives, but fosters the leadership traits necessary for transformational change at all levels of the organization. In this new paradigm, everyone in your organization has accountability for the change transition. This course will explore change at both an organizational and individual level using a modern lens. We’ll approach the change process methodically and tactically, and show you how to plan and implement a change experience that is inclusive, engaging, and empowering with the goal of building your organization’s “change muscles” to make it more fit and agile.
How It Works
Course Length
2 weeks
Effort
8-12 hours per week
Program Duration
3 - 6 months
Delivery
Online
Instruction
Self-paced
Cost
$3,475
Dr. Joe Cox
Canada Research Chair in Digital Disruption and Organizational Transformation
View Course
- Courses are written and developed by leading industry experts
- Amazon Web Services Academy (AWS) is collaborating with Athabasca University to offer a course designed to help individuals understand cloud concepts
- Activities and exercises designed to assess where you and your organization are at regarding digital transformation
- Course topics are enhanced with real-world examples provided by industry experts
- Each course culminates with a capstone project with exercises directly applicable to your day-to-day role
- Course materials are available 24/7
- Understand the digital economy and the effects of digital disruption. Explore the impacts to various industries of paradigm-shifting technologies at the heart of the digital economy.
- Build a leadership plan for strategic digital transformation within your organization.
- Develop the soft-skills needed to successfully lead digital transformation within your organization.
- Organizations that want to understand how new technologies will affect their future
- Managers leading digital transformation strategy and execution activities
- Leaders looking to understand how new technologies, such as cloud computing, can be used for competitive advantage.
Certificate FAQs
Is this an instructor-led certificate?
The courses within this certificate are designed to be self-paced with all materials you need for successful completion contained within the learning platform. The certificate has been designed by subject matter experts and each course includes interviews with leading experts, aligned to the course outcomes. The certificate is an immersive experience that includes a mix of content including video introductions and video content, impactful readings, learning checks, and interactive elements – all which can be completed at your own pace.
How much time will I need to spend?
Each course is structured to be completed at your own pace over a two-week period. You will be spending approximately 8 – 12 hours of time per week on content. Should you need more time, the learning environment may be available for 30 days to complete each course. You can complete all of the courses within 3 – 6 months to earn your certificate.
Do I have to be online at a certain time of day?
No, you do not have to be online at a specific time. You complete the coursework at the times and places that fits your schedule. Each course is designed for working professionals who are balancing their work, family and community commitments.
When do I start?
You can start your first course as soon as you register for the certificate! You will automatically be directed to the interactive learning environment.
How long will I have access to my courses?
You will have 30 days from the time of registration to complete each course. It is recommended to complete the course in two weeks.
What will I receive after I complete all of my courses?
You will receive a digital certificate of completion that is downloadable and printable. Digital badges are also awarded for specific achievements throughout the certificate.
What is the refund policy?
No refunds will be issued for the certificate. Refunds may be considered under exceptional circumstances on a case-by-case basis. Please contact powered@athabascau.ca for more information.
Are there tests or quizzes involved?
There will be activities, assignments, and short quizzes within each course to ensure you understand the content. All quizzes are designed to be accessible and easy to complete by engaging in the content. Within each module, you will have the answers to each evaluation.
What are the computer requirements for this certificate?
If you can access the Internet, you can access the course environment. The course environment is compatible with laptops, PCs, tablets and smart phones.
Does this certificate have prerequisites?
This certificate does not have a required prerequisite; however, it is strongly recommended that you have a basic level understanding of business and economics.
Who do I contact if I need help?
You can contact powered@athabascau.ca for assistance with any questions you may have. We are here to help!