British Columbia Institute of Technology
EN-9: Staff Professional Development and Training

At BCIT, we believe that supporting the personal and professional development of all employees is a fundamental element of our commitment to our current and future success. Renewing and upgrading skills will help staff to maintain professional currency for today while building towards what they want to do tomorrow. Learning should be practical, interesting, and focused on the employee’s needs. There are many internal sustainability professional development and training opportunities for non-academic staff.

Tuition Fee Waiver

BCIT offers our flexible learning sustainability-focused and sustainability-inclusive courses free of charge to employees by waiving the tuition fee. If there are additional material or instructional costs incurred, employees may access Professional Development funds to cover costs.

Professional Development (PD) Funds are available to non-academic staff including support staff and management. Eligible activities for funding include:

• Tuition, registration fees for courses, seminars, workshops or conferences.


• Diplomas, certificates, or degrees where they are related to the employee’s current position or related career goals.


• Required textbooks and/or related materials for approved PD activities.


• PD is not limited to BCIT courses and the funds may be used for credit and non-credit courses.

Climate Change 101

BCIT offers a free online Climate Change 101 course for non-academic staff, faculty and students. The objective of this online course is to help all members of the BCIT community understand their influence on climate, and climate’s influence on them.

Professional Development Day

BCIT Professional Development (PD) Day is an event that is free and is designed to enhance the learning community for all staff and faculty. Staff have the opportunity to learn, mingle, and rejuvenate through the variety of activities throughout the day. It is a non-instructional/workday with daytime classes and exams cancelled so that all employees can participate. It encourages a dynamic culture of learning, sharing, and engagement. It gives an opportunity to connect with your peers from across the Institute.

PD Day 2023’s theme was “Transformation” and focused on four core learning streams:

1. Education - New ways of learning and teaching


2. Work - Transforming our ways of working


3. Well-being - Changing needs and understanding of personal well-being


4. Technology - Facilitating transformation to empower our world

The day consisted of 60 learning sessions with over 1,200 registrants and 92 presenters. Some of the sustainability topics offered included:

• Be the Change - Implementing BCIT's Sustainability Vision


• BCIT Sustainability Vision Implementation Update


• Burnout - Creating hope and growth through community


• Climate Change - Resilience planning for electric utility networks


• Commuting to BCIT by Bike


• Cybersecurity of Communication Protocols in Smart Grids


• Introduction to Smart Grids & Microgrids


• Restoration and Renewal - Managing the urban habitats on the Burnaby Campus


• Greening the Electricity Supply of a Remote Community - Challenges and Solutions


• Know How to Grow - All about Professional Development Funds at BCIT


• Supporting Student Well-being, Equity, and Inclusion in Program Development


• Achieving Sustainable Development - How Municipality Research Centre Can help in Achieving Sustainable Development in Cities


• Mapping and Identifying the Trees at the Burnaby Campus


• Transforming BCIT Programs and Services one conversation at a time

View the photo album: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bcit/albums/72177720308946279

Indigenous Awareness Training

Indigenous Initiatives and Partnerships offers Indigenous training and resources for both non-academic staff and faculty:

• Indigenous 101 is a series of workshops designed to increase understanding and reciprocity among Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. Participants learn about terminology, true history of Canada, the Indian Act, contemporary reality, and the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action. This initiative also demonstrates BCIT’s commitment in meeting the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, respect for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), and ensuring our community is informed and provided with opportunities to meet and discuss Indigenous issues and paths forward.


• BCIT has created three Indigenous Awareness Modules to be used by all in the BCIT community. The modules complement and expand on the Indigenous 101 workshops. The modules are open-sourced and they are accessible to anyone that wants to learn more about Indigenous people, their history, and their relationship with Canada.


• The Indigenous Book Club is aimed at growing understanding of Indigenous history, culture and tradition and is open to staff and faculty. All are welcome to join and explore Indigenous history and experiences shared through stories authored by Indigenous peoples. The club was kicked off with two books—“21 Things You May Not Know about the Indian Act” by Bob Joseph and “Indigenous Relations: Insights, Tips & Suggestions to Make Reconciliation a Reality” by Bob Joseph and Cynthia F. Joseph. The 2024 Book Club kicked off with “me and white supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor” by Layla F. Saad. Copies of the books are available to borrow through Indigenous Initiatives. Participants meet over lunch to “Dine & Dialogue” for each book.

Respect, Diversity, and Inclusion Training

The Respect, Diversity, and Inclusion (RDI) office helps BCIT foster a respectful and inclusive working and learning environment by creating awareness and belonging through education, events, and training. RDI Services and Initiatives include:

• Diversity and Inclusion Awareness Training


• Respectful Workplace Training

Diversity Circles is an initiative housed in the RDI office. Diversity Circles holds panels, workshops, focus groups, and other events for the BCIT community, to support engaging in safe and productive conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion. Diversity Circles events are open to all members of the wider BCIT community including staff, faculty, students, the BCIT Student Association, and BCIT alumni, as well as inviting guests from industry and other stakeholders to participate. Since 2015, Diversity Circles has held over 150 events and consultations.

Wellness Works

Human Resources has developed a robust employee wellness program, Wellness Works. The program is designed to encourage staff and faculty to prioritize their own health by maintaining a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Wellness Works promotes a culture of wellness and resilience throughout our community by providing our people with education, resources, and support to create and sustain the healthiest workplace possible, where employees can thrive. Wellness is a lifestyle and Wellness Works takes a holistic approach – with an emphasis on the body, mind, and spirit – to enhance qualify of life and achieve a work-life balanced lifestyle. Wellness events vary from workshops, lunch and learns and online activities to articles and more.

Staff members are able to attend a variety of professional conferences, workshops, webinars etc. paid for or reimbursed by the university through Professional Development funds. Examples of opportunities in sustainability supported by BCIT in the last three years include:

• The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s Global Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education.


• The Washington & Oregon Higher Education Sustainability Conference (WOHESC) - a platform for inspiring change, facilitating action, and promoting collaboration around sustainability within the Cascadia region's higher education institutions.


• Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) annual conference is the only event of its kind in Canada. It provides an opportunity for college and institute leaders and stakeholders from across the country and around the world to network, share best practices, and be inspired. The 2023 conference brought post-secondary leaders from around the world together to discuss, share, and expand on the theme of collective intelligence. All sessions were future oriented, solutions based and addressed one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). BCIT had four employees presenting in three different sessions. See EN 11: Inter-Campus Collaboration for more information.


• 2021 and 2023 Ecocity World Summits. Ecocity World Summit addresses the way humanity builds its home. It promote the understanding and development of cities that are ecologically healthy and sustainable, economically prosperous and fair, and socially just and caring. Also known as ECOCITY, these inspiring gatherings of urban stakeholders from across the globe focus on key actions cities and citizens can take to rebuild our human habitat in balance with living systems.