webCampus Spotlight: Erin Stibler

My name is Erin and I learned about the courses offered by webCampus through my daughter’s Union magazine.

As a family member, I was able to sign up for courses that interested me and that I thought would enhance my career choices. As I had earned my Human Resources and Health & Safety Certifications at Fanshawe College already, I began to supplement and round out my knowledge and education with the more specific courses offered by webCampus.

I learned of the requirements for Labour Studies in Occupational Health and Safety Certificate offered through a partnership between webCampus and Mohawk College and began to work toward the completion of this certificate. At that time I was working for one employer and had some spare time because my husband works out of town during the week and my children are grown and pursuing their own careers and fulfilling their educational needs.

After I completed this course in December of 2010, I was working two jobs, one non-union and the other one a union job. I was interested in the union movement, being a shop steward and how it all comes together to benefit the workers, so I began to take the webCampus courses required for the Mohawk College Certificate in Labour Studies.

During this time I also started to volunteer with the Young Workers Awareness Program as a program facilitator.

I wanted to get over my fear of public speaking and this was a great place to start.

The hours I spent facilitating were credited to my placement hours for the Labour Studies program along with the course requirements.

I was so happy to receive not one but two certificates that broadened my knowledge, and, as a result of the experience, I have become a more confident public speaker, which allowed me to continue on to obtain my Instructors Certification to teach Health and Safety this past August.

My future goal is now to continue with the new courses offered by webCampus, but I also hope to begin classes this fall in order to earn my degree in Human Resources Management: Specializing in Labour Studies.

The help and support provided by the instructors and staff UFCW Canada have been phenomenal. I encourage every worker that has access to this program to take advantage of it to the fullest. There is no other venue that offers such a variety of courses, a superb learning environment, overwhelming support to its members – and all at no cost to any of you, your family or your children.

Erin Stibler

webCampus is UFCW Canada’s groundbreaking, state-of-the-art, interactive online training and education resource that provides UFCW Canada members and their families access to free online courses.

Offered 24 hours a day, webCampus includes more than 100 free online courses from basic computer skills, to job specific skills, to union history, to Microsoft Excel and dozens more.

Working in partnership with Mohawk College, webCampus also offers UFCW Canada members and their families the opportunity to earn college credits in a number of post-secondary certificate programs, including accredited college certificates in Labour Studies and Labour Studies in Occupational Health and Safety.