Equipping University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) Students with High-Impact Communication Skills

Client Overview

The University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) is a satellite campus of the University of Toronto, focusing on experiential learning and preparing students for real-world success. UTSC offers a variety of programs, including Integrated Learning Experience (ILE) co-op programs in Arts & Science and Management, which support 4,000 students annually in developing professional skills through work placements and internships.

Engagement 1:

Challenge

As industries and hiring standards continue to evolve, UTSC recognized the growing need for students to enhance their soft skills, particularly communication. They aimed to equip students with essential skills to excel in both co-op interviews and work placements, ensuring they are prepared for the professional challenges of today’s dynamic job market. UTSC sought a series of self-paced, online modules to build these critical skills within their existing learning management system.

SkillsCamp Solution

As part of the pilot program, we designed a course curriculum on “High Impact Communication” that was broken up into six 30-minute modules. Each module broke down further into 5-10 minute pieces. This was designed for UTSC’s already-in-use learning management system, Adobe Articulate Storyline. SkillsCamp delivered curriculum design, slide development, and video production segmented into shorter lengths with a live facilitator, quizzes, PDF activity design, and captions/transcriptions of the videos. 

 The modules and their content covered:

1. Fundamentals of High-Impact Communication 
2. Persuasive Communication
3. Public Speaking & Presentations
4. Professional Communication
5. Non-Verbal Communication
6. Active Listening

Engagement 2:

Opportunity

Following the success of the initial module series, UTSC engaged SkillsCamp for another year to develop additional custom content for their Learning Management System (LMS). This new engagement focused on comprehensive curriculum design centred on essential soft skills to further prepare students for their academic and professional journeys.

SkillsCamp Solution

SkillsCamp provided extensive curriculum development and design for three targeted courses: Teamwork & Collaboration, Emotional Intelligence, and Decision-Making. Deliverables included designing comprehensive curricula for all three courses, creating engaging slide presentations, developing interactive components such as quizzes and downloadable activities, and maintaining ongoing liaison with UTSC to secure necessary approvals throughout the process. SkillsCamp also provided lifetime licenses for UTSC to utilize the developed content across their educational offerings. Each course was structured to include interactive modules that engage students and reinforce essential skills.

• Teamwork & Collaboration: This course included four sections, each designed to last no more than 60 minutes. Key topics covered included:
  • Teamwork & Collaboration Fundamentals
  • Being and Becoming an Effective Team
  • Being and Becoming a Good Leader
  • Building a Better Workplace Culture
    
• Emotional Intelligence: Comprised of six modules, each limited to 45 minutes, this course focused on critical components of emotional intelligence, including:
  • What is Emotional Intelligence?
  • Self-Awareness
  • Self-Management
  • Social Awareness
  • Emotional Intelligence in the Workplace
    
• Decision-Making: This course consisted of three modules, each lasting no longer than 45 minutes, addressing:
  • You as the Decision-Maker
  • Making the Decision
  • Emotionally Intelligent Decision-Making