Program length Session start date Format Program fees 8 weeks You will receive 40 Continuous Professional Development (CPD) hours upon successful completion of the course. Wednesday, February 23, 2022 Virtual instructor-led with synchronous and asynchronous learning $2,195 + HST OSPE Member or UWaterloo Almuni Price (Early Bird) expires Jan 31, […]
Program length |
Session start date |
Format |
Program fees |
8 weeks
You will receive 40 Continuous Professional Development (CPD) hours upon successful completion of the course.
|
Wednesday, February 23, 2022 |
Virtual instructor-led with synchronous and asynchronous learning |
$2,195 + HST
- OSPE Member or UWaterloo Almuni Price (Early Bird) expires Jan 31, 2022: $1,775.00
- Non-Member Price (Early Bird) expires Jan 31, 2022: $1,975.00
- Special Offer: Course + 1 year OSPE membership (early bird) expires Jan 31, 2022: $1,874.00
|
This eight–week program, developed in partnership with the Ontario Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE) and the Faculty of Engineering, addresses the impact that information technology is having in the field of engineering. Engineers and those who influence, lead, or practice digital transformation in their workplaces need to understand the opportunities that can bring value to their engineering unit and the organization. In this course, you will discover new technologies and plan for their integration in your workplace.
Who should enrol
- Professional engineers, technicians, and technologists.
- Engineers practicing, influencing, or leading digital transformations at their organization.
- Business and technology leaders seeking to lead technology innovation.
- Managers and leaders looking to adopt new technologies for their organization.
What you will learn
- Examine the impact that information technology will have on your future career.
- Use tools and techniques to assess emerging digital opportunities and organizational fit for engineering projects.
- Contribute to the success of digital transformation by understanding the common challenges organizations face and your solutions.
- Lead innovation and continuous improvement activities, utilizing a range of tools and techniques.
Your instructor
Peter Carr | Continuing Lecturer, University of Waterloo
Peter Carr is a continuing lecturer in the Department of Management Sciences. His interests focus on the use of technology in business and society and include technology innovation and entrepreneurship, the strategic management of technology, project management, the use of social media to improve business performance, technology in developing countries, the social impact of information technology, and online learning.
He is also the author and instructor for the University of Waterloo’s Co-operative Education professional development course, PD5, Project Management which is studied by over 2,000 students each year. He is a member of the Faculty of Engineering WatPDEng committee, which manages co-op professional development training for engineering students.
1:1 COACHING FOR ALL LEARNERS
For the duration of the program, the instructor offers individual 1:1 coaching to each participant in addition to the scheduled program sessions.
Course details
Managing change is more important than ever and disruptive innovations continue to shape our world. According to the World Economic Forum’s The Future of Jobs Report 2020, 85 million jobs may be displaced due to the division of labour between humans and machines, but 97 million new roles could emerge that are more adapted to this new division of labour.
This 40–hour course starts with a one-hour live orientation session on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at noon. Each week, students will complete four hours of independent work online and participate in one-hour live sessions via Zoom every Tuesday at noon. Attendance requirement: It is highly recommended that participants attend live sessions but it is not required. Live sessions will be recorded and available for later viewing.
Modules and topics
In the first four weeks of the program students will learn about the changes in technology and the impact of these changes in their industry and in their own organization. In these first four weeks, students will learn about which technology is appropriate to their organization, process or products; and how to participate in the change.
Module |
Topics and subtopics |
Learning outcomes |
The Fourth Industrial Revolution in Engineering
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- The fundamentals of technology-based organizational transformation.
- The societal impact of the fourth industrial revolution.
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- Recognize the extent of the impact of information technology on society today.
- Describe the fourth industrial revolution.
- Incorporate the social impact into the technological choices you make in your jobs.
- Discuss the social impact of the fourth industrial revolution and apply this knowledge in your work and life decisions.
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Defining Digital Transformation for Your Organization |
- Digital transformation models.
- Digital transformation options in your organization.
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- Describe the range of ways that digital transformation can be applied in organizations.
- Participate in discussions and decisions on the form that digital transformation might take in your own organization.
- Discuss the importance of a human-centric approach in your digital transformation activity.
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Understanding the New Technologies |
- Information-based technologies being used today.
- Examples of application.
- Maintaining technological knowledge.
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- Effectively participate in technological choice making within your organization.
- Describe the range of technological options available to organizations today.
- Develop strategies for the maintenance of your knowledge of new and emerging technologies.
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Transformation in practice |
- Case studies of engineering transformation.
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- Apply knowledge of digital transformation in a range of engineering environments in your own organization.
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Creating your transformation vision |
- A structured and collaborative approach to transformation vision creation.
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- Lead the development of a digital transformation vision for your organization.
- Apply a collaborative approach to organizational change.
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The transformation roadmap |
- Planning digital transformation implementation.
- Human and organizational aspects of digital change.
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- Lead the development of a digital transformation roadmap for your organization.
- Describe and incorporate a human-centred approach in their digital transformation activity.
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Overcoming implementation challenges |
- Digital transformation challenges faced by most organizations.
- Overcoming the challenges.
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- Apply knowledge of common digital transformation challenges to improve the probability of successful transformation in your own organization.
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Innovation and continuous improvement |
- Innovation processes in organizations.
- Tools and techniques for continuous improvement.
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- Participate in the development of innovation processes in organizations.
- Apply common tools and techniques for continuous improvement in engineering activity in your organization.
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Assessments
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Weeks 1–7: You will review the online content for the week, and complete both individual and discussion-based activities. (Grade weight: 50%)
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Week 8: The final project will apply knowledge gained throughout the program to your workplace. (Grade weight: 50%)
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The minimum passing grade for this course is 70%. You will receive a University of Waterloo certification upon successful completion of this course.
Your learning experience with Waterloo
Canada’s most innovative universityLearn from leaders of innovation
In Maclean’s University Rankings 2022, the University of Waterloo was ranked as the nation’s most innovative university.
Top ranked STEM programsEngineering, math, and computer science
Learn from professors, researchers and lecturers from Canada’s #1 school for engineering, math, and computer science.
Hands-on learning experience#1 in experiential learning
Waterloo is a pioneer and leader in experiential learning and our programs offer a hands-on learning experience.
“We can see how the use of computers, the use of data, and the use of technology has influenced the disciplines of engineering and how we impart knowledge to students.”
Mary Wells, PhD, PEng
Dean of Engineering
University of Waterloo
Get your certificate from the University of Waterloo
Upon successful completion of this program, you will receive a certificate from the University of Waterloo.

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