Type
Course
CIFAL Victoria - Applied AI for Administrative Workplaces (AAAW)
Location
Web-based
Date
-
Duration
36 Hours
Programme Area
Decentralize Cooperation Programme
Registration
Open-registration event
Mode of Delivery
E-learning
Language(s)
English
Pillar
People
Partnership
CIFAL Victoria, Microsoft, University of Victoria
Event Objectives
Much of the course will focus on the Microsoft environment. Microsoft does not currently have certifications available for Co-Pilot, however MS curriculum will be integrated throughout the program. Program curriculum will be verified through the Subject Matter Expert and our in-house UVic expertise in UVic Systems and the Digital Learning Commons. There is currently no official accrediting body for AI workplace training, however, many jobs that do require this type of ongoing professional development may be able to use the course for PDUs, such as Project Managers.
The Applied AI for the Workplace micro-certificate will be designed to examine and promote an inclusive use of generative AI technology and be aware of its pitfalls. The program will address the bias in algorithms through a module focused on ethics. The generational mistrust of technology within disenfranchised groups will be examined in terms of how they arose, why distrust exists and how to build restoration of trust. The role of AI in decision making functions is especially important. Students in this program will learn how to produce non-biased prompts and detect biases within responses. Security issues will also be addressed.
Background
Artificial Intelligence is a rapidly growing and evolving field that touches the lives of everyone who accesses digital technology. From spell-checks to internet searches, assistance with writing emails, process automation, and development of creative ideas and art, AI will be integrated into many workplace tasks and procedures. A holistic understanding of the real-world applications of AI in domains such as business, marketing, healthcare, finance, etc., as well as the built-in biases of AI development and deployment, will ensure that users are prepared to assess and critically engage with AI in the workplace.
Applied AI for Administrative Workplaces introduces and focuses on AI in administrative applications with specific emphasis on how to use it, when to use it, and how to critically assess results.
Learning Objectives
Students who complete Applied AI for the Workplace will be able to:
- Understand and use the various types of AI most often encountered in the office environment
- Effectively utilize generative prompts in AI systems for workplace applications
- Understand and recognize the built-in biases and fairness issues in AI development and deployment
- Identify Responsible AI practices and ethics in AI usage
- Practice using and critically assessing AI results in an administrative case study
Content and Structure
One (1) course is required, consisting of 6-weeks of online asynchronous study with approximately 6 hours of study per week.
Methodology
This six-week 36 hour asynchronous online course will provide learners with an opportunity to engage with and advance their skill level in the use of AI applications found in most work environments. Students will learn how to use generative prompts to produce information, as well as how to test and verify the accuracy of query returns. Students will also have an opportunity to recognize the built in biases of AI technologies and practice using these through case studies. The course will provide self-testing, as well as graded quizzes and assignments. There will be graded online discussion forums to allow students to share and evaluate their own and others’ work.
Targeted Audience
In January 2024, the World Economic Forum stated that 40% of the administrative and business workforce is estimated to need reskilling as a result of implementing AI in the next 3 years. By 2027 it is expected that there will be a 95 decrease in tasks completed by humans vs. machine (i.e. AI). Women and low wage workers are the most vulnerable populations to job disruption by AI.
Surprisingly, it is not necessarily only the older members of the workforce who are most afraid of reskilling - entry-level and mid-career workers (ages 18-27) have never experienced any other tech boom and may have lingering fears of losing jobs to AI – something that can be managed through training in the collaborative processes that AI requires and which human intelligence can control and enhance in the workplace.
British Columbia is the second largest AI hub in Canada, due to government investments in AI, access to large research institutions, and Canda’s Digital Technology Supecluster. In a 2023 report on the Impact and opportunities in Canada’s AI ecosystem, Deloitte stated that “if Canadian organizations continue to embrace AI and integrate it into their businesses at this pace, the need for AI talent will skyrocket.” This is in reference to the more than 600 AI business startups currently active across Canada, however an even bigger pool of everyday business users will fall behind if they don’t incorporate AI applications. Currently 1 in 5 workers in Canada uses AI in the workplace.
This micro-credential is aimed largely at non-expert users of technology in the business and administrative workplaces.
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