About Technical Writer in Algonquin College

Meet the demand for quality professional documentation in the workplace.

The Technical Writer Ontario College Graduate Certificate program provides you with the skills and training needed for a career in technical communication. Throughout this one-year program, you create different types of workplace documents to help users enjoy all features of a product, service, or information. In particular, you learn to:

• Research and analyze technical material
• Connect with an intended audience
• Use specialized tools to author documents
• Manage multiple projects to meet the goals of a group
• Create structured documents that cater to different user tasks

These skills are so highly prized in the workplace that you can choose to work in either the public or the private sector, and in a freelance, part-time or full-time capacity.

The Technical Writer program will teach you how to create different kinds of online and print documents such as instruction sets, training materials, user manuals, white papers, proposals, online help, instructional videos and podcasts.

Through a combination of real-world learning, group projects, and collaborative learning activities, you can confidently apply these skills in all areas of industry including manufacturing, health and medicine, government, high-tech and private training institutions.

At the end of the program, graduates will be ready to begin careers as:

• Information architects
• Content developers
• Technical editors
• Instructional designers
• Communication officers

Success Factors

This program is well-suited for students who:

• Possess advanced written and oral communication abilities.
• Enjoy designing, developing, writing and refining online and print material.
• Possess interpersonal skills for collaboration with colleagues.
• Enjoy researching, collecting, analyzing and organizing technical information.
• Function in a self-directed manner in a team environment.
• Organize their work and pay attention to detail.
• Enjoy using software tools to create documents and websites.

The graduate has reliably demonstrated the ability to:

1. Plan, design, manage, and control online and print documents.
2. Research, collect, analyze, and organize relevant technical information for the writing and editing of online and print documents.
3. Communicate technical information clearly, concisely, and correctly.
4. Edit online and print documents.
5. Use authoring tools to create online and print documents.
6. Analyze users' needs to design, develop, and refine technical documents and communication products.
7. Collaborate and interact with subject matter experts, colleagues, and users for the purpose of generating effective technical documents and communication products.
8. Identify and apply discipline-specific practices that contribute to the local and global community through social responsibility, economic commitment and environmental stewardship.

Careers

Graduates may be successful in finding work as writers, editors and documentation specialists. Canadian and international demand is high for qualified technical communicators in both the private and the public sectors. While most graduates may work as employees in large organizations, some choose self-employment in the field.

Program Eligibility

For the Technical Writer program, applicants should ideally satisfy one of the two following conditions:

• Successful completion of a degree, with a strong showing in the courses for which high standards of writing are demanded.
• Successful completion of a three-year Ontario College Advanced Diploma, with a strong showing in the courses for which high standards of writing are demanded.

However, applicants possessing the following background will also be considered:

• Successful completion of a two-year Ontario Community College Diploma, with a strong showing in the courses for which high standards of writing are demanded, paired with demonstration of significant experience in the workplace in the production of a variety of written communication products.

Applicants with international transcripts must provide proof of the subject-specific requirements noted above and may be required to provide proof of language proficiency. Domestic applicants with international transcripts must be evaluated through the International Credential Assessment Service of Canada (ICAS) or World Education Services (WES).

• IELTS-International English Language Testing Service (Academic) Overall band of 7.5 with a minimum of 7.0 in each band; OR
• TOEFL-Internet-based (iBT)-overall 104, with the minimum of the following scores: Reading 26; Listening 26; Speaking 24; Writing 28.

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