Karen Cunliffe
Certificate in Professional Management specializing in Risk Management
Health, Safety and Environment Certificate
Karen Cunliffe is a firm believer in "future-proofing" her career in Calgary's oil and gas sector.
"If I hadn't been keeping my eye on the future, I probably would have been unemployed by now," says Karen. "I've survived two very - very - deep rounds of layoffs, and I credit that to my education."
Karen is a graduate of two UCalgary Continuing Education certificate programs. Most recently, in 2019, she graduated from the Certificate in Professional Management specializing in Risk Management. And before that, she earned her Health, Safety and Environment Certificate.
When asked why she chose UCalgary, Karen points to the Continuing Education's high-calibre instructors and flexible learning options.
"UCalgary does a great job of choosing instructors," she says. "They're not just academically strong ... they also have strong business acumen and can share real-life stories that help students translate their learning into workplace scenarios."
Karen has taken her courses both in class and online, sometimes taking one or more of each in a semester. When tackling multiple courses in a semester - especially once she got into more complex curriculum - Karen says she always made a point of sticking to the recommended 6 hours of study time per week per course (including classes).
"For the last four years, Saturday and Sunday mornings from 6 am to 10 am was allocated as study time," she says.
Karen finds it gratifying to be setting a good example for her sons, who are both currently pursuing post-secondary education and getting high marks. One son recently told her, "I have you to thank for this [high mark] because all my life you have shown and demonstrated, not just in your talk but also by your actions, what it means to be disciplined and to drive your own path."
Karen continues to keep an eye on the future and plans to continue learning.
"For people like me, who can't take the time off for full-time studies, UCalgary's flexibility and vast array of offerings ... is the only viable option," she says. "In the next 10 years we're going to see a big shift in company culture and automation. I want to be in the forefront and prepared for that."