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The SCS Experiential Empowerment & Development (SEED) Initiative
With financial support from Scotiabank’s ScotiaRISE™ Community Investment Program, the McGill School of Continuing Studies has launched its SEED Initiative to help increase access to professional education and career advancement.
In collaboration with community partner organizations, up to 50 individuals will be selected each year as SEED Fellows to complete a Professional Development Certificate (PDC) in Collaboration and Productivity, improve their proficiency in French, and obtain a professional certification of their choice.
SEED Fellows benefit from:
- Free tuition
- Monthly allowance of $200 CAD for the duration of the required courses
- Support in finding paid internship and/or employment opportunities in their professional fields
- Networking events
- Mentorship opportunities
- Interpersonal skills training
Type: Part-time, Non-credit, Professional development Courses: 5 required courses, plus optional language and professional certification courses Continuing Education Units: 25 Summer - Fall 2025 Schedule:
Late April to mid-December 2025Delivery: In-person, McGill Questions? seed.scs [at] mcgill.ca
Information Sessions
Dates - Recruitment for Spring/Summer 2025
| Location | Date | Registration |
|---|---|---|
| McGill School of Continuing Studies, 10th floor | Monday, January 29, 2025 | Register for January 29 |
| McGill School of Continuing Studies, 10th floor | Monday, February 3, 2025 | Register for February 3 |
| McGill School of Continuing Studies, 10th floor | Monday, February 10, 2025 | Register for February 10 |
Program Details
Who Should Apply
- A newcomer to Canada seeking to integrate into the workforce
- An underemployed or unemployed professional
- A person facing economic barriers to professional education and career opportunities
Learning Outcomes
- Develop or enhance in-demand professional skills
- Improve French language proficiency
- Gain practical experience
- Establish professional networks
- Clarify your career goals and create pathways to achieving them
Schedule
French courses:
Intensive: June 9 to August 8 (Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 6 to 9 p.m.)
In addition, optional online courses will be available to those who complete the intensive course and will run concurrently with other PDC courses.
Employability Readiness & Career Planning:
YCBS 289 Employability Readiness and YCBS 292 Career Planning courses will be offered concurrently with other courses.
Individual career advising appointments will be available for the duration of the program.
Professional Development Certificate (PDC) courses:
April - December (Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6 - 9 p.m.)
Optional professional certification courses & exams:
Available in Fall 2025 (either Monday or Wednesday, 6 - 9 p.m.)
Optional online Agile Project Management course:
Self-paced, 100% online; can be completed anytime during the program.
Courses
To obtain the Professional Development Certificate in Collaboration and Productivity, SEED Fellows must complete five courses of 30 hours each:
YCBS 216 Interpersonal Skills for Professionals
YCBS 259 Systems Thinking and Modelling
YCBS 276 Innovation & Creativity for Entrepreneurs
YCCM 208 Professional Writing in Business
YCBS 215 Topics in Business Management: Innovation and Creativity Capstone
Optional Courses
- French language courses will be provided for students who need to improve their French proficiency.
- YCOPD 003 – Agile Project Management: Practice & Certification
Optional Certification Prep Courses and Exams
- QuickBooks Online Fundamentals & Certification Prep course (in-person)
- MS Office Excel Associate Certification Prep course (in-person)
Admission Requirements
- Be 21 years of age or older to be admitted as a mature student
- A minimum of a DEC or a bachelor's degree, or equivalent professional work experience (3 to 4 years)
- Completion of a French language placement test provided by the School of Continuing Studies following submission of the Candidate Application Form*
- Proof of citizenship/residency status in Canada and Quebec
- All documentation requested in the Candidate Application Form
*Please note, priority will be given to those candidates who score a minimum of low-intermediate French proficiency level (e.g., equivalent to A2 on the CEFR scale, or level 3-4 of francisation).
How to Apply
The SEED Initiative is now accepting applications for the Summer/Fall 2025 session, scheduled to begin April 29, 2025.
To apply, please email a completed application and all other required documents listed in the application checklist to seed-documents [at] mcgill.ca.
The application deadline is March 15, 2025.
Please apply as soon as possible since additional information may be requested by the School to consider your application.
News and Articles
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Empowering career boost for newcomers, marginalized groups Experiential learning, coaching and internships are part of a new professional development program at the School of Continuing Studies buoyed by a $2-million gift from Scotiabank. Dean Carola Weil elaborates on the inspiration and aspirations for the SEED Initiative. |