Curriculum design and development have been the focal points of my contributions to the Elevate Skills program at the YWCA Metro Vancouver. For those of you who may not be familiar with Elevate Skills, it is a skills training program tailored for visible minority newcomer women to support their career search in Canada.

Drawing from my experience in the Career Development Practitioner program at SFU, along with my firsthand understanding as a newcomer, I created a comprehensive curriculum to address the unique needs of our clients and to achieve the objectives of the government-funded initiative.

Given the pivotal role the curriculum plays in the program, driving effective learning outcomes and ensuring client satisfaction, its development process proved to be a significant and fulfilling journey for me.

Needs analysis

Identifying clients needs stands as the vital initial step in curriculum design. I employed a diverse array of resources to conduct a comprehensive analysis, including government reports, statistical data, news articles, interviews, and client needs assessment.

I integrated this slide into our information sessions or during the first session of the program to convey the critical rationale behind the initiative and program design. This approach proved highly effective in bolstering the motivation and engagement of our adult learners. 

Curriculum Design

Based on the needs analysis, I identified three core learning objectives, each encompassing specific modules and sessions. This process is crucial for both the team and the clients as it establishes clear expectations and goals for the program.

Workshop Structure

From a project and program management perspective, clearly outlining the workshop structure is an important step for fostering collaboration and managing risks effectively. The specific learning hours were aligned with the guidelines provided by the funder and researchers.

Workshop Calendar

The program calendar ensure clear and effective communication between the team and the clients. It was revised after every 10 cohorts to accommodate the unique needs and situations that arose.

These fundamental steps for curriculum design were introduced to our learners at the onset of every new cohort. Rather than immediately jumping into specific topics laden with detailed information, this approach served as an effective communication tool to demonstrate my expertise, dedication, and leadership towards the education program.