Kompass Blog

With the job market in a constant state of flux, ensuring long-term career success requires more than excelling in your current role—you need to stay ahead of the curve. As technology keeps advancing and industry trends keep shifting, it’s essential to take action to ensure you remain relevant.

You need to future-proof your career. But what exactly does that mean? And how can you proactively plan for whatever is coming next?

In this post, we explore actionable strategies to help you build resilience, stay competitive, and navigate the changing professional landscape.

The field of gerontology has changed so much over the last few decades. And with population trends shifting toward an increasing proportion of older people, the study of aging has become more important than ever.

People are living longer. But longer lives are not necessarily healthier lives.

Seniors need specific kinds of care and support to ensure good quality of life. With public healthcare systems stretched to the limit, and shortages of people with gerontology training, we’re facing serious challenges in this area.

Do you work with seniors? Want to know more about the aging process, challenges facing today’s seniors, and practical methods for ensuring safe, effective care?

That’s what we teach students in our online gerontology certificate. This week, we sat down with instructor Mickey Daye to learn more about his background, what topics and skills are covered in the course, and who the training is geared toward.

Here are the highlights of that conversation.

Over the past few years, artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed the world of work. With the rise of natural language chatbots like ChatGPT that produce human-like responses to user prompts, millions of people are discovering new and more efficient ways to get their tasks done.

But how exactly do these tools work? And more importantly, how can you make them work for you?

That’s where our AI for Business certificate comes in. It’s designed to help professionals understand the basics of AI and how the technology can be applied to their own business challenges.

We spoke with instructor Asad Choudhry to find out what students can expect from the certificate and what impact AI will have in the coming years. Read on for the highlights.

Artificial intelligence is disrupting many fields previously thought off-limits to automation, and dispute resolution is no exception. AI can summarize cases, predict outcomes, even facilitate negotiations. But can it replace human mediators entirely?

In this post, we look at the capabilities of AI in mediation. We explore current AI technologies and their applications in conflict resolution. We also consider the limits of AI in replicating complex human emotional intelligence and ethical decision making. And we share some expert opinions on the possibility of AI taking over from human mediators.

Here’s what you need to know.

Updated June 2024

Mediators who focus on resolving disputes involving older adults and their families, friends, and caregivers may find themselves working with clients from diverse backgrounds. That presents unique challenges and requires specific skills.

Being culturally competent is key to success. But what exactly does that mean? And how can mediators create a respectful and inclusive process for everyone involved?

In this post, we explore the significance of cultural diversity in intergenerational mediation, highlighting how mediators can navigate and leverage cultural differences to resolve conflicts effectively.

Arbitrators and judges have a lot in common: they’re both tasked with interpreting and applying the law and ensuring a fair resolution for the parties involved. They’re both committed to upholding ethical principles such as impartiality, confidentiality, and transparency.

That’s why we’re thrilled to introduce David L. Cameron as the newest instructor in our arbitration program. Having served for many years on the Court of Quebec, David is also a certified arbitrator with extensive experience in teaching, applied ethics, and alternative dispute resolution.

We caught up with David recently to learn more about his career journey and what students can expect from his class. Below are the highlights of that conversation.

Rola Mustafa began her career as a lawyer, but quickly recognized the value of addressing conflicts in a non-adversarial way. Her passion for alternative dispute resolution led her to pursue accreditation in mediation from multiple organizations. She also became a certified global trainer and has coached dozens of mediators in both Canada and Syria.

Now, she brings all that expertise to Kompass as an instructor in the mediation, family mediation, and arbitration certificate programs.

We spoke with Rola this week to learn more about her background and what prospective ADR students should know. Read on for the highlights.

Becoming a public policy advisor or analyst offers a unique chance to make a real difference in the lives of millions of Canadians.

This country faces complex policy challenges in many domains, from healthcare and housing to the environment and social welfare. There is steady demand for skilled policy leaders who can develop effective solutions and drive positive change.

Ryan Kelly is one of those leaders. He has extensive experience as a policy analyst and program advisor with both the municipal and provincial levels of government. He also teaches the Public Policy and Administration certificate here at Kompass.

In this interview, he shares some of his own fascinating background in public policy and explains what to expect from the course.

Arbitration has become an increasingly popular method for resolving disputes in various sectors and industries. Skilled arbitrators allow parties to save time and money and maintain confidentiality.

But of course, the profession is always evolving, with new case law, new tools, and new techniques.

Kompass recently updated and refreshed its online arbitration training to keep up with the latest changes. We spoke with the course instructor, qualified arbitrator Andy Livingston, to learn more about the enhancements and the state of the ADR industry in general.

Across the globe, several key factors have helped legitimize alternative dispute resolution (ADR) as an effective means of settling conflicts outside of court. 

The ever-rising expense of litigation is a main driver, along with hopelessly backlogged courts and the stress of drawn-out legal battles. 

As an industry, ADR is maturing and evolving at a rapid rate. Mediators and arbitrators are becoming increasingly sophisticated and specialized, tackling more complex cases, and developing more nuanced ADR techniques. 

What’s the next stage of growth for alternative dispute resolution? Here's a look at three major trends that are changing and shaping the ADR industry right now.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Expanded Use of Technology in Dispute Resolution
2. ADR Spreading Into New Contexts
3. New Collaboration Between OAFM and FDRIO