What is the Leadership Learning Path?
The Leadership Learning Path (TRN4-PA1) offers a self-directed learning journey through a variety of learning products developed to enhance your leadership skills. The Leadership Learning Path supports public servants who wish to follow a self-directed and personalized learning path. The option is also available to pursue a carefully curated core leadership curriculum that leads to the Certificate of Completion of the Leadership Learning Path from the Canada School of Public Service.
The goal of the Leadership Learning Path is to empower and equip you with essential skills, knowledge, and mindsets that will help you to develop as a leader at any stage of your career.
What different types of learning products are offered in the Leadership Learning Path?
In keeping with recent survey data gathered from public servants on learning needs and preferences, the Leadership Learning Path allows you to personalize your leadership development. It offers essential leadership learning choices organized around four different perspectives (self, team, stewardship, and imperatives) and several types of learning products, including virtual instructor-led courses, online self-paced courses, videos, podcasts, job aids, and articles.
The Leadership Learning Path allows you to:
- develop self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and the capacity to navigate change with empathy and resilience, contributing to leadership authenticity
- effectively lead project or work teams and deliver results, through communication, engagement, and commitment to a positive and inclusive culture
- broadly your awareness of leading at the organizational level and beyond, to ensure a foundational understanding of the dynamics, values, and challenges of the public service, and effectively champion shared priorities
The Leadership Learning Path helps you develop and demonstrate the Key Leadership Competencies applicable to your role. The Path is also aligned with the Values and Ethics Code for the Public Service.
Why was the Leadership Learning Path launched?
The Leadership Learning Path helps learners at all levels successfully navigate and benefit from the carefully curated leadership curriculum at the Canada School of Public Service and from other sources. Learners can pursue a core leadership curriculum to obtain the Certificate of Completion of the Leadership Learning Path.
With the phasing out of the Supervisor Development Program: Virtual Edition (SDPv) by the end of fiscal year 2023–2024, the Leadership Learning Path is intended to offer an attractive learning option for new supervisors. Compared to the SDPv, the Leadership Learning Path includes a broader range of essential leadership learning topics, better reflects evolving workplace realities, addresses content gaps, and provides learners with more practical tools.
Who is eligible to pursue learning offered through the Leadership Learning Path?
The Leadership Learning Path is open to all public servants at all levels who are interested in developing as leaders according to their self-identified needs and at their own pace.
New or aspiring supervisors, team leaders, and managers can all benefit from the learning products offered in the Leadership Learning Path. The curriculum eligible to earn a certificate provides an attractive option.
You will get the most benefit from this training if you have a few years of experience in the federal public service and have completed most of your mandatory training.
Discuss your interest in leadership development with your manager to determine your readiness and suitability and include this in your personal learning plan as part of the performance management process.
Do I need to be nominated or assigned to benefit from the Leadership Learning Path?
Unlike leadership development programs offered by the Canada School of Public Service, nominations are not required for the Leadership Learning Path. You may begin your leadership learning journey at any time. Discuss your interest in leadership development with your manager to determine your readiness and suitability, particularly if you wish to pursue the Certificate of Completion of the Leadership Learning Path.
I am interested in the Leadership Learning Path. How do I get started?
You have two options when following the Leadership Learning Path:
- Option to earn the Certificate of Completion of the Leadership Learning Path: To earn the Certificate of Completion of the Leadership Learning Path, you must complete the online self-paced courses and instructor-led virtual classroom courses identified as core learning (around 35 courses for a total of approximately 45 hours). As for the self-directed option, you can also explore supplemental learning to build your personal understanding of topics that are a priority for you.
- Self-directed option: You can pursue any of the learning offered in the Leadership Learning Path according to your individual interests and leadership development needs, just as you would for any other learning path developed by the Canada School of Public Service. This encompasses both core and supplemental learning.
You can explore the Leadership Learning Path at your own pace. If you choose the self-directed option, you may still decide at any time to pursue the certificate of completion. Any courses you complete prior to deciding to pursue this option will be credited towards earning the Certificate of Completion of the Leadership Learning Path.
What are the advantages of earning the Certificate of Completion of the Leadership Learning Path?
By completing the core curriculum to obtain the Certificate of Completion of the Leadership Learning Path, you formally demonstrate your commitment to leadership development, dedication to enhancing your skill set, and aspiration to pursue and excel in leadership positions.
How do I register for the certificate option under the Leadership Learning Path?
To pursue the Certificate of Completion of the Leadership Learning Path from the Canada School of Public Service, register in the School's learning catalogue.
Once registered, you can access the core learning choices by signing into the learning platform, selecting “My learning” and then selecting “Learning paths.”
Why does the core curriculum in the Leadership Learning Path, which is required to earn a certificate of completion, only include virtual classroom and online self-paced courses?
The core curriculum in the Leadership Learning Path to be completed to earn a certificate of completion comprises virtual instructor-led courses and online self-paced courses only. Our learning platform can track completion of these learning products, which is not currently practical for other learning products, such as articles or most job aids.
While other learning formats serve valuable roles in knowledge transfer and skill development, virtual instructor-led and online self-paced courses offer a more interactive and structured approach, providing learners with a deeper understanding and application of the learning material.
If you are pursuing the option to earn the Certificate of Completion of the Leadership Learning Path, you can also explore supplemental learning in various formats to build your personal understanding of topics that are a priority for you.
Once I register for the certificate of completion option, will I have priority to register for the core curriculum courses listed in the Leadership Learning Path?
If you are working towards earning a certificate of completion, you are responsible for registering for each of the individual courses in the core curriculum in the Leadership Learning Path, according to your preferred timing. While online self-paced courses are always available, registration for instructor-led virtual classroom courses depends on the number of course offerings and the number of spots per course. If you are pursuing the certification option, you are not given priority to register for instructor-led virtual classroom courses.
As these courses are listed in the learning catalogue, they are open to public servants across the country and filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
What should I do if I am having difficulty registering for a virtual classroom course required to complete the Certificate of Completion of the Leadership Learning Path?
While online self-paced courses are always available, registration for instructor-led virtual classroom courses depends on the number of course offerings and the number of spots per course.
Learners pursuing the option to earn the Certificate of Completion of the Leadership Learning Path are not given priority to register for instructor-led virtual classroom courses. As these courses are listed in the learning catalogue, they are open to public servants across the country and filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
If a particular instructor-led virtual classroom course offering is full, you may want to register for a later offering. In the interim, you can register for another available virtual classroom course and take online self-paced courses that are part of the core curriculum. While all core learning options in the Leadership Learning Path are required to earn the certificate, they can be completed in any order.
If the difficulty persists, contact the Client Contact Centre for help with registration, technical issues, or other questions.
What is the expected time commitment to complete the Certificate of Completion of the Leadership Learning Path?
The total required learning in the option to earn the Certificate of Completion of the Leadership Learning Path is approximately 45 hours. The amount of supplemental, non-required learning can be tailored to suit your self-identified needs and interests.
There is no set timeline to complete the Leadership Learning Path. You can access these learning products and personalize your learning at your preferred pace.
The courses can be completed in any order. While online self-paced courses are always available, registration for instructor-led virtual classroom courses depends on the number of offerings and the number of spots per course.
Discuss your learning goals with your manager. It is also recommended that you establish a schedule and allow yourself time between topics so you can implement what you are learning. This will help you to consolidate your learning over the longer term.
How will the Leadership Learning Path remain current and relevant?
The curriculum choices available in the Leadership Learning Path are carefully curated to provide the richest possible learning experience for public servants pursuing individualized and self-directed leadership development. An appropriate mix of learning products provides you with comprehensive exposure to priority leadership topics.
As new learning products are developed by the Canada School of Public Service or licensed from approved third-party learning product vendors, they will be considered for inclusion in the Leadership Learning Path. Some learning products will be added, and some may be replaced. If you are pursuing the Certificate of Completion of the Leadership Learning Path, you will retain credit for courses already taken and will not be required to complete direct replacements.
Your feedback on the Leadership Learning Path also contributes to improving its content and user-friendliness. Send us your feedback to Transferable@csps-efpc.gc.ca or complete a short MS Forms questionnaire.
If I have already completed a core course that is being replaced in the Leadership Learning Path, do I need to complete the replacement course to earn the certificate of completion?
Over time, new learning products will be considered for inclusion in the Leadership Learning Path. Some learning products will be added, and others may be replaced.
- Replacement courses: If you are pursuing the option of the Certificate of Completion of the Leadership Learning Path, you will retain credit for courses already taken and will not need to complete the replacement courses to earn the certificate of completion.
- New courses: If you are pursuing the option of the Certificate of Completion of the Leadership Learning Path, you can track your progress in the learning platform. When you complete all required courses under one of the four perspectives, you will earn a badge for that perspective and you will not be obligated to complete any new courses added under that perspective. Our goal is to ensure a consistent number of core courses and hours of learning to earn the certificate of completion.
In all cases, you may choose to complete replacement or new courses to deepen your knowledge or increase your skills, just as you may do with all the supplemental learning choices available in the Leadership Learning Path.
