You are on page 1of 2

The Ultimate Guide to IBM Certified

Solution Architect - Cloud v4 – pw9.org

IBM Certified Solution Architect - Cloud v4 Certification Exam Credential. These courses
range from 18 to 33 hours. If you complete three in a given specialization, you receive a clean
energy and efficient buildings certificate from Camosun. “Some people in the program are
already working in industry, while others are looking to gather knowledge in this up-and-coming
field. Some are even just looking to install solar panels on their homes,” says Ross Lyle, chair of
Camosun’s mechanical engineering department. Admission requirements are flexible, and
students don’t have to be working in the trades, but Lyle says some prior industry knowledge—
like familiarity with Excel and how to read architectural drawings—is helpful.

READ: How Indigenous institutes are reclaiming education

North Island College (B.C.): Motion Picture Production Assistant


It takes a village to make a movie, and working as a production assistant (PA) on film sets is a
common entry-level step into the industry. PAs are responsible for a wide array of duties—they
might be charged with driving cast and crew around, copying scripts, making phone calls or
moving equipment. North Island College’s tuition-free Motion Picture Production Assistant
microcredential—which is funded in part by the province of B.C.—covers a load of film-set
basics, from general workplace safety and pandemic protocols to respectful communication and
industry lingo. You graduate with Motion Picture Industry Orientation, Motion Picture Safety,
and Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) certificates, which are
required to work on set in B.C.

The program is recognized by the Directors Guild of B.C. and, like many microcredentials, was
developed in consultation with industry: in this case, the not-for-profit health and safety
organization ActSafe, and INFilm, the Vancouver Island North Film Commission. It’s a 12-
week, digitally delivered program with a mix of scheduled and unscheduled classes. Quentin
Tarantino’s first job was as a PA on an exercise video. The sky’s the limit.
Bow Valley College (Alberta): IBM Skills Academy
Transitioning oil and gas workers into the tech sector is a priority for the province of Alberta.
According to Calgary Economic Development, Alberta is projected to have 77,500 tech jobs by
2023. One way to get a foot in the door is by enrolling at the IBM Skills Academy—a
microcredential program focused on tech skills, for which Bow Valley College is the first
Canadian hub. Graduates get an IBM digital badge, which is recognized by employers around the
world. Among the digitally delivered courses on offer is Business Intelligence Essentials, a 24-
hour course centred around the burgeoning field of data science. Data scientists inform business
decisions in a huge range of industries, and since the accelerated shift to digital commerce during
the pandemic, professionals with this skill set have been more in demand than ever.

This course is also the first step to the more advanced 36-hour Business Intelligence Analyst
course. Given their widespread recognition, IBM Skills Academy courses are a solid way to dip
your foot in the world of well-paying tech jobs. For instance, a business intelligence analyst in
Calgary makes an average of more than $84,000 a year.

READ: The lost year in education

Sheridan College (Ontario): Python Web Developer


For aspiring coders, Python is among the most useful programming languages to master. It’s
used in businesses of all sizes and in a broad range of fields: application and website
development, data science, gaming, and even the rapidly growing artificial intelligence and
machine-learning sector. Fortunately, it’s also considered one of the more intuitive languages to
learn since, relative to other back-end programming languages, it’s concise and easy to read.
That’s a serious boon for beginners. Sheridan has a comprehensive Python Web Developer
microcredential program that takes you through basic, intermediate and advanced Python over
126 hours. You’ll build your own Python application and learn how to deploy it, and, just as
importantly, learn to think about problem-solving like a computer scientist. At the end, students
get an official credential document from Continuing and Professional Studies at Sheridan. You’ll
need your own laptop to take the course; be sure to check the minimum system requirements to
make sure your computer fits the bill.

You might also like