Training Programs
Supported By
2022 Fall Online Training Programs (In Progress)
Registration coming Soon for winter 2022
STAY TUNED FOR THE round of courses
starting in january 2023
Each year, the Strait Area Chamber provides the business community across the region with between 15-20 certificate skills development programs each year. Programs are offered in groups 3-5 times per year at convenient times. These provincially certified courses range in topics from Sage Accounting to Microsoft Office, to Business Leadership, and a host of other topics.
Courses are chosen based on the needs of our members, and if demand allows, we offer programming in communities across the region. Our training is designed to increase productivity and growth in local businesses. And what’s more…. courses are free!
Schedule is subject to change without notice.
Students must be currently employed or operate a business and be residents of Nova Scotia
* Course will earn credits for Atlantic Trade Business Seal!
Course Offerings (A-Z)
Business skills
Learning Outcomes:
- Defining your strategic position
- Completing a SWOT analysis
- Identifying your guiding principles
- Defining your positioning statement
- Cultivating a safe culture throughout your business
- Defining key elements of a marketing strategy
- Assessing the competitive landscape
- Defining your product/service offerings
Standard Topics:
- Strategic positioning
- Finding your fit
- Marketing fundamentals
- Pricing for profit
- Developing a two-year action plan
CHANGE MANAGEMENT
Learning Outcomes:
- Defining change management
- Factors that contribute to the resistance to change in organizations
- Phases of change management
- Change management models
- Strategies for leading a change effort
- Why change efforts fail
- Problem solving in change management
- Identifying and managing change fatigue
Standard Topics:
- What is change management
- Why people in organizations resist change
- The three phases of change management
- Kotter’s 8-phase model for change
cloud computing
Learning Outcomes:
- Five main benefits of cloud computing
- Three levels of cloud computing
- Main benefits of Microsoft One Drive, Google Drive, Dropbox, and Adobe
- Setup to connect, store and share file/folders
- Setup for Zoom or Teams
Standard Topics:
- Google Drive
- MS One Drive
- Google One
- Adobe
- Zoom
Communication Skills for Frontline Employees – Level I
Learning Outcomes:
- Effectively interpreting basic body language cues
- Effectively interpreting para-verbal communication
- Enhancing active listening skills
- Identifying and applying the four main communication styles
- Identifying the impact of intention
Standard Topics:
- Verbal vs non-verbal communication
- Active listening
- Communication styles
- Power of intention
- Triangulation
Communication Skills for Supervisors – Level I
Learning Outcomes:
- Effectively interpreting basic body language cues
- Effectively interpreting para-verbal communication
- Enhancing active listening skills
- Identifying and applying the four main communication styles
- Identifying the impact of intention
Standard Topics:
- Verbal vs non-verbal communication
- Active listening
- Communication styles
- Power of intention
- Triangulation
Communication Skills for Leaders – Level I
Learning Outcomes:
- Effectively interpreting basic body language cues
- Effectively interpreting para-verbal communication
- Enhancing active listening skills
- Identifying and applying the four main communication styles
- Identifying the impact of intention
Standard Topics:
- Verbal vs non-verbal communication
- Active listening
- Communication styles
- Power of intention
- Triangulation
Communication Skills for Frontline Employees – Level II
Learning Outcomes:
- Applying the principles of crucial conversations to enhance workplace relationships
- Knowing when and how to provide the three main forms of feedback
- Applying the principles of conflict resolution
- Applying the elements of trust in building stronger workplace relationships
- Identifying the four learning styles and applying them in all aspects of workplace communications
Standard Topics:
- Crucial conversations
- Giving and receiving feedback
- Conflict resolution
- Building trust
- Learning styles
Communication Skills for Supervisors – Level Ii
Learning Outcomes:
- Applying the principles of crucial conversations to enhance workplace relationships
- Knowing when and how to provide the three main forms of feedback
- Applying the principles of conflict resolution
- Applying the elements of trust in building stronger workplace relationships
- Identifying the four learning styles and applying them in all aspects of workplace communications
Standard Topics:
- Crucial conversations
- Giving and receiving feedback
- Conflict resolution
- Building trust
- Learning styles
Computerized ACCOUNTING - LEVEL I
Learning Outcomes:
- Reviewing financial foundation concepts (financial statements, receipts, invoices, bookkeeping basics)
- Setting up a company
- Setting up accounts receivable, customer invoices, and receipts
- Setting up accounts payable, purchase invoices and receipts
- Adding an employee, paying an employee, and applying the various payroll features
Standard Topics:
- Financial foundation concepts
- Setting up a company in the selected software
- Entering invoices and purchases
- Completing a payroll
- Year-end procedures and financial statements
Computerized ACCOUNTING - LEVEL II
Learning Outcomes:
- Reviewing financial foundation concepts (financial statements, receipts, invoices, bookkeeping basics)
- Customizing the configuration of each module: company, receivables, payables, payroll, inventory
- Understanding tax codes – changing taxes and customizing codes
- Managing inventory – setup, adding items, combining items, adjusting items
- Processing journals entries involving inventory items
Standard Topics:
- Review of financial foundation concepts
- Configuration of modules
- Tax codes
- Inventory setup
- Adding and modifying inventory
Content marketing
Learning Outcomes:
- Confirming the company’s position in the marketplace
- Exploring the targeted user profile for various social media platforms
- Finding the right fit between the offering and social media platforms
- Using lead magnets in online marketing
- Identifying the 5+ categories for social media content
Standard Topics:
- Strategic positioning in the marketplace – review
- Choosing the right social media platform
- Building a content marketing strategy
- Creating a social media planner
Customer Service Excellence in a Multigenerational Marketplace
Learning Outcomes:
- Identifying customer service standards for great service
- Applying best practices for evaluating customer service
- Developing strategies for communicating with customers
- Identifying and navigating “moments of truth”
Standard Topics:
- The customer profile
- Customer service models
- Building a superior customer service culture
- The RATER model
- Setting, managing and exceeding customer expectations
E-commerce (Create an Online Store for Sales or Services)
Learning Outcomes:
- Exploring online e-commerce options and costs (Square, Squarespace, Wix, GoDaddy, Shopify etc.)
- Creating an online store platform
- Creating and reviewing options for discounts, gift cards, bulk orders, delivery options, shipping, pick-ups, appointments, taxes, manual order, manual invoices
- Creating online inventory
Standard Topics:
- View major online e-commerce options and pricing
- Create an online store
- Review all e-commerce features associated with store
- Review store consistency
- Inventory and services
Google Workspace & Microsoft 365
Learning Outcomes:
- Increasing business productivity skills using Google Workspace/Microsoft Office 365
- Optimizing time management effectiveness with apps
- Making apps work seamlessly together
- Adjusting settings for maximum effectiveness and productivity
- Working remotely with others
Standard Topics:
- The Cloud and cloud storage
- Online security when using the Cloud and your devices
- Email in the Cloud and on your devices
- Calendar and contacts
- Forms
Excel – Level I
Learning Outcomes:
- Exploring the screen, standard toolbar and ribbon tools
- Creating templates
- Customizing using editing tools
- Copying and pasting options
- Applying autofill
Standard Topics:
- Building and using spreadsheets
- Creating and using formulas
- Formatting and printing data
- Charting and graphing
Excel – Level II
Learning Outcomes:
- Advancing charting
- Working with and customizing functions (Fx)
- Applying If statements – basic and complex
- Sorting, filtering, and manipulating data
- Creating and modifying databases
- Working with pivot-tables and charts
- Creating macros
Standard Topics:
- Data analysis and reporting
- Linking and embedding for reporting
- Integration and dataflow
Financial Fundamentals – Level I
Learning Outcomes:
- Understanding accounting definitions
- Identifying financial tools – deposit book, sales invoices, payment devices, online storage, log book, and online payroll calculator
- Knowing the role of the auditor and audit proofing
- Understanding the financial organization – controlling, protecting, organizing paper flow, and storage
- Identifying the components of basic bookkeeping – debits, credits, journal entries, and different options for accounting systems
Standard Topics:
- Bookkeeping fundamentals
- Understanding financial statements
- Developing budgets and cash flow projections
- Government reporting requirements
- Tax compliance
Financial Fundamentals – Level II
Learning Outcomes:
- Knowing the forms of business – process, pros, cons, risks, and costs of sole proprietorship, partnership, and incorporation
- Creating and analyzing the balance sheet – in-depth examination, components, breakdown of assets, liabilities, shareholders’ equity, and owner’s equity
- Completing accounting for assets – lease, buy, account for, dispose, and depreciate
- Conducting financial planning – planning and budgets
Standard Topics:
- Business structures
- Balance sheet – recognition of the components
- Assets – accounting for assets
- Capital purchases and disposals – when, how, and why
- Budgets as a planning tool
HR Essentials
Learning Outcomes:
- Identifying HR needs
- Developing an organizational chart
- Creating a job analysis and job descriptions
- Developing recruitment strategy
- Designing job postings
Standard Topics:
- Building a staffing strategy
- Job analysis and job descriptions
- The hiring process
- Performance management
- Human resources best practices
Marketing for Business
Learning Outcomes:
- Defining and identifying core components of the marketing strategy
- Identifying the USP (unique selling proposition)
- Creating a positioning statement
- Developing target markets (a.k.a. customer avatars)
- Creating the value proposition
Standard Topics:
- Developing a strategic marketing strategy
- Conducting market research
- Customer relationship management
- Product pricing
- Pricing strategies
Microsoft office suite
Learning Outcomes:
- Optimizing MS Outlook
- Optimizing MS Word
- Optimizing MS Excel
- Optimizing PowerPoint
- Navigating Microsoft OneDrive, One Note & Sway
Standard Topics:
- Exploring the screen and standard toolbar and ribbon tools
- Templates, editing tools, copy and paste options
- Simple formulas, functions and conditional formatting
- Formatting
- Date, accounting, numbers, currency, and percentages
- Printing
Performance Management
Learning Outcomes:
- Identifying the core components of performance management
- Identifying learning styles and how they impact performance
- Developing SMART performance goals
- Working with performance logs to record employee performance
- Designing performance appraisals tools
Standard Topics:
- Model for performance management
- Learning styles
- Setting performance goals
- Performance logs
- Performance appraisal tools
Presentation Skills
Learning Outcomes:
- Identifying your audience
- Determining your subject matter expertise and objective
- Setting your presentation goals
- Mapping your presentation path
- Defining critical elements of presentations
Standard Topics:
- The structure of presentation
- Developing presentation content
- Developing your speaking presence
- Overcoming barriers to presenting
- Working with presentation tools and visual aids
Professional Sales
Learning Outcomes:
- Understanding the key components of the sales cycle
- Developing sales approaches based on needs-features-benefits
- Applying probing questions
- Anticipating and overcoming objections
- Strategies for confirming the sale
Standard Topics:
- The sales cycle
- Selling based on needs-features-benefits
- Applying probing questions
- Anticipating and overcoming objections
- Strategies for confirming the sale
Project Management
Learning Outcomes:
- Determining the scope of the project and set achievable goals
- Creating a work breakdown structure
- Creating project targets and timelines
- Transferring documentation to a Gantt chart
- Developing a risk assessment
- Creating a communication plan
Standard Topics:
- What is a project
- Project charter
- Work breakdown structure
- Assigning resources to project tasks
- Project budget
Proposal Writing
Learning Outcomes:
- Identifying the different kinds of proposals and the various sources of Requests for Proposals
- Structuring an effective proposal
- Assembling persuasive evidence
- Overcoming barriers to writing
- Using the persuasive power of plain language
Standard Topics:
- Types of proposals and sources of RFPs
- Standard components of proposals
- Common sector-specific components of proposals
- The six aspects of effective evidence and their role in proposal writing
- Plain language (including literacy issues)
Sales Funnels
Learning Outcomes:
- Identifying the fundamentals of sales funnels
- Identifying the three core parts of a sales funnel
- Understanding AIDA as it relates to sales funnels
- Identifying the five stages of filling the sales pipeline
- Listing the types of sales funnels
Standard Topics:
- Sales funnel fundamentals
- Stages of a sales funnel
- Types of sales funnel
- Choosing and developing a sales funnel strategy
- Copywriting basics for sales funnels
Social Media for Business
Learning Outcomes:
- Identifying the five types of business posts (inspiration, advertising, internal, external, and shared success)
- Creating a Twitter account
- Developing a Twitter strategy
- Creating a LinkedIn account
- Developing a LinkedIn strategy
- Creating a Google+ account
Standard Topics:
- Marketing and promoting your business effectively on Facebook
- Reducing time spent on social media
- Identifying Facebook foundations
- Uploading up the profile picture
- Uploading the background picture
Transformational Leadership
Learning Outcomes:
- Identifying the foundations of leadership
- Identifying your personal leadership style
- Identifying and applying the five levels of leadership
- Applying Covey’s seven habits when leading others in the workplace
- Demonstrating the characteristics of trust
- Effectively leading a change process in the workplace
- Identifying the pillars of a respectful workplace
Standard Topics:
- Foundations of leadership
- Leadership styles
- Maxwell’s model of leadership
- Covey’s seven habits of highly effective leaders
- Building trust
Website Design
Learning Outcomes:
- Website creation options and costs (WordPress, Square, Squarespace, Wix, GoDaddy, MotoCMS)
- Identifying the features of domains, hosts, and cpanels
- Installing a website on a webhost
- Creating and reviewing design layouts and color patterns
- Creating a website menu map and plan
- Exploring current trends in website creation
Standard Topics:
- Web creation options
- Web host versus domain registrar
- Installing website on host
- Website designs
- Menu options
Testimonials
Contact Us
Phone
902-625-1588
Fax
902-625-5985