Career Services has launched two new online workshops on resume and cover letter development. But these are not your typical workshops. They were created to take a sometimes mundane and dry subject and turn it into a fun learning activity, incorporating a gaming approach that engages students and measures/reinforces their learning as they participate.

Using software called Articulate Storyline – an e-learning authoring software that allows developers to build highly interactive online and mobile courses – the workshops let students follow the journey of Applicantus, a medieval warrior on his quest to develop a resume and cover letter so he can work for King Employerion as the next Protector of the Realm.

“The previous workshops were outdated and were passive in nature, with limited student interaction,” said Kara Renaud, Career Services resource coordinator and faculty liaison. “Based on feedback from student staff, we came up with the idea to create a more engaging and interactive workshop. We tasked one of our student employees, Mitch Cumming, to develop it, with content being provided by full time staff (workshops for students, created by a student). “Knowing our primary audience is students aged 17-22, we took a game-like approach to helping students learn the basics about resumes and cover letters.”

Students can access the workshops on the Career Zone career services’ page, then by clicking on workshops. Additional information, resume and cover letter samples can also be found in the Online Resource Centre page.

It’s not Career Services’ only new initiative. It is currently revamping its interview workshop, and plans are underway to redesign the portfolio development workshop.