The Mind Lab Announces Digital Skills Course, Free For Kiwis

Award-winning education provider The Mind Lab is today announcing that for the rest of 2020, New Zealanders can enrol in their Digital Skills for the Workplace course for no cost, in recognition of the toll Covid-19 has taken on Kiwis and small businesses.

In a year that has seen us all rely on digital skills more than ever, as well as a huge increase in those starting a business or turning their side hustles into a full-time role, proficiency in digital skills has never been more important for a business’s efficiency, as well as a potential employee’s hire-ability.

Founder of The Mind Lab Frances Valintine says it was a no-brainer to make the course free for eligible Kiwis for the rest of the year, as we all help each other get through the impacts of the pandemic.

“It goes without saying, 2020 will be a year we will never forget,” she says. “By June it was abundantly clear that organisations and individuals who had invested in the development of digital systems, processes and the associated knowledge and skills were able to move relatively seamlessly into a virtual world.

“At The Mind Lab we have worked with thousands of people helping them navigate the new world of digital technologies. Our micro credential in Digital Skills for the Workplace was developed specifically to provide practical, hands-on solutions for people wanting to learn the skills they need to succeed in their role or in their business. We also wanted to ensure that at a time when many training budgets have been reduced that tuition fees would not be a barrier to learning.”

Digital Skills for the Workplace is a NZQA accredited, seven-week part-time course, conducted entirely online over Zoom. The course, which has two versions - one for individuals and one for small businesses - is a level 7 qualification, worth 15 credits. It was designed to address the skills gap in New Zealand that exists after the majority of us complete our education in our mid-twenties, and often don’t learn again. The scholarships are open to every New Zealander who has a level 6 NZQA qualification or higher, or equivalent professional experience, i.e. three to four years in a working environment.

Skills taught include website creation and management, social media, search engine optimisation (SEO), Google Analytics, data input, research and surveys, and business planning and finance. Students will also be guided on digital project management, cyber security, online collaboration and communication.

Says Frances, “From experience, most small business operators have limited understanding of how digital channels and tools can help their businesses to become more automated and systematised. Even small amounts of knowledge and investment in the right tools can dramatically increase manual processing time and improve the responsiveness to customers.”

Whether you’re heading up a small business, you’re looking to up-skill in your current role, or you’re wanting to put your best foot forward in a competitive job market, the Digital Skills in the Workplace course is an incredible resource that can help you succeed - and until the end of 2020, is free for all Kiwis who meet eligibility requirements - click here for more information.

The Small Business October intake starts on 20 October, and with the Individual edition commencing on 21 October. Spaces are limited, so enrol now!

About The Mind Lab:

The story of The Mind Lab is a story of recognising and embracing change in the world and providing innovative education that reflects that change. Founded by Frances Valintine in 2013, we

started by addressing the imbalance of what kiwi kids were learning compared with the future of work they were going to be faced with. This quickly led to raising the digital skills and capabilities of teachers, and now our suite of programmes is rapidly expanding across Aotearoa as we seek to build capability to make sure no one gets left behind. All of our programmes, teaching and learnings are grounded in kaupapa Māori values. We’re focused on making what we teach accessible and valuable for all learners, as value and outcomes for learners are at the heart of what we do. In a world where the greatest certainty is change, lifelong learning is key; which is why learning needs to be accessible, inspiring, fun, practical, and a journey of endless exploration and positive change. The Mind Lab – creating impactful futures.

About micro-credentials:

What is a micro-credential?

An NZQA-approved short course. Micro-credentials have been introduced as a means of giving educational value to a programme, thus providing a recognised standard of content and delivery. The intention is to be able to formalise professional development. The NZQA has really strict criteria as to what constitutes a micro-credential and requires robust proof of adherence to these criteria. Depending on the criteria that it fulfils, a micro-credential has a Level and a number of credits assigned to it.

What’s the big deal?

The big deal lies in the value assigned to a programme’s relevance; in how applicable it is to industry. A micro-credential has to be proven to address an industry need. And more than that, it has to continue to be proven annually. This is key: if a micro-credential is on offer, it is industry relevant and immediately applicable. Its value lies in its short duration, relevance, ability to be implemented immediately, and recognition of its education.

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