Reclaiming Agency in the Age of AI: Why New Continuing Ed Programs Matter More Than Ever

Learners must move swiftly to adopt industry technology, and that includes AI. Continuing education programs are uniquely poised to offer relevant education that needs work with and understand that technology.

The future of work is uncertain, but the future of learning doesn’t have to be. 

As AI reshapes our personal and professional lives, many of us find ourselves somewhere between awe and anxiety. We’re amazed at the possibilities of large language models, automation and intelligent tools, but we’re also deeply unsettled. What happens to the workforce when the work is changing shape so rapidly that it becomes hard to describe, let alone prepare for? 

At MacEwan University’s School of Continuing Education (SCE), we believe that postsecondary institutions’ role is not to predict the future but to prepare people for it by equipping them with tools, thinking frameworks and the confidence to adapt. 

Our new suite of AI & innovation programs was born from listening. We spoke with employers, community partners, learners and industry leaders. Some were excited about generative AI’s abilities; others feared displacement and irrelevance, and most didn’t want a tech revolution but instead a human-centered evolution. 

And that’s exactly what we set out to build. 

From Literacy to Leadership: Designing for the Workforce Spectrum 

What began as a single AI literacy course quickly ballooned into a diverse set of stackable programs: microcredentials, professional development certificates, workshops and leadership training. At the heart of all of them is a simple design principle: blending technical fluency with durable skills. 

We follow a three-pronged approach: 

1. Foundations—Develop the core understanding of AI, data and digital tools. 
2. Application—Learn how to integrate those tools into real-world workflows. 
3. Governance—Build the ethical, strategic and leadership capacity to guide change responsibly. 

This structure gives learners options. A frontline employee can take a short AI literacy course and gain practical confidence. A manager can bring their entire team into a workshop on design thinking with AI and cocreate new solutions using AI-enhanced frameworks. An executive can pursue a governance-focused program to lead responsibly in a tech-saturated environment. 

The result? A suite of programs that serve people not just in Edmonton but across Alberta, Canada, and, when tailored, internationally. 

Learning That Sticks: Beyond Gamification 

We talk a lot about skills, but how do we help people learn to do the work that needs to be done, especially when that work is constantly evolving? 

This is where I often reflect on Duolingo. It’s a language learning app, but it’s also one of the most successful engagement platforms in the world. Why? Because it uses a clever mix of motivation, reminders, streaks and social accountability. The little green owl doesn’t just teach Spanish or French; it teaches people to return to it. 

The same principles apply to workforce training. AI can help us personalize learning at scale. Imagine Excel training that rewards you with points for using formulas, double points for pivot tables and triple points for building dashboards. Multiply that gamified structure across hundreds of in-demand workplace skills and the future of asynchronous learning looks very different. 

But there’s a catch! Gamification can only take you so far; real learning, the kind that sticks, goes beyond recall. It transforms how we think, what we value and what we create. That’s why SCE’s programs offer a thoughtful mix of online asynchronous content, synchronous live instruction and team-based learning activities. While apps can spark interest, only human-centered education builds critical thought, creativity and leadership. 

What the Data Told Us 

Data was at the inception of program creation. The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs report (2025) signaled it early: The fastest-growing roles over the next five years will demand hybrid capabilities—technical skills fused with creativity, systems thinking and collaboration. 

Canadian labor market data backed this up. Through Lightcast and the Vicinity Jobs (now Conference Board of Canada), we saw local and national demand for AI-fluent communicators, data-literate team leads and strategic project managers rising steadily. However, many organizations struggle with implementation. 

The RBC report Bridging the Imagination Gap put it bluntly: Canadian companies have some of the lowest AI adoption rates in the G7. The issue wasn’t just access to tools; it was a readiness gap. People and organizations don’t know how to integrate AI into their roles, how to evaluate its output or how to navigate the ethical implications. 

What Employers Need 

When I speak with employers, they’re not asking for only technical fluency. They’re asking for translators. People who can bridge departments, reimagine workflows, ask critical questions and lead cross-functional teams through change. 

One of the most cited challenges is siloed adoption. Marketing might use AI tools for content and HR might dabble in resume screening, but there’s no shared understanding or integration strategy. In addition to that, when there is a lack of leadership confidence, the AI journey stalls. 

According to Cisco’s recent research, role-specific and practical training is missing. Leaders who use AI themselves are 2x more likely to see team-wide adoption. Generic training doesn’t move the needle; what works is context, confidence and community. 

Serving Both Sides of the Innovation Spectrum 

We also understand that innovation looks different at different scales. 

Large organizations move slowly. They require governance, compliance and structured adoption plans. This is where our AI governance and strategic leadership programs make the most impact. They help these organizations move from pilot to policy to adoption. 

Small firms, on the other hand, move fast but often struggle with access, affordability and clarity. That’s why we also offer short, focused training that’s budget-friendly and immediately useful. Our custom corporate training packages, AI literacy workshops and stackable learning pathways meet businesses where they are. 

In other words, we serve the full innovation spectrum—responsibly and responsively. 

A Future of Learning That Honors Human Agency 

As a former scientist, I once struggled to use machine learning tools to study genes from an evolutionary perspective. I remember learning Python late into the night, often frustrated. Today, the barrier is lower. AI tools now make it possible to vibe code—to prototype, iterate and test ideas using natural language.  

But with that ease comes a deeper question: What does it mean to learn in the age of AI? We often think of AI as taking away our agency, but what if it gives us the tools to reclaim it? 

That’s what excites me most about these programs. They help people understand the systems shaping their lives. They give learners the confidence to participate, not passively consume. They prepare individuals across sectors to lead with curiosity, clarity and care. 

At MacEwan SCE, we’re not building programs for the future of AI; we’re building programs for the future of people, and that’s a future I’m proud to be part of.