New Certificate in Mobile App Development

Whether you want to order a burger, check your bank account, or run a meeting – today, there’s an app for that. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s been an explosion of mobile applications to help people and businesses adapt and thrive. And tech companies have been scrambling to find workers with the coding skills to keep up.

So, if you’re one of the estimated 24 per cent of Canadian workers who have considered changing jobs during the pandemic, retraining for a career in Canada’s booming tech industry might be a great next step. And getting started is probably easier than you think. 

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The Certificate in Mobile App Development offered through Western Continuing Studies can be completed in under a year. Offered online with real-time learning, the program is a partnership between Western Continuing Studies and RoboGarden, a Calgary-based Educational Software Development firm focused on building digital skills programs that prepare learners to engage with the world of digital technology.

“Coding is a new literacy,” says RoboGarden CEO Mohamed Elhabiby. “It is a skill that everybody is going to need in the future.”

As a required course in the Mobile App Development certificate program, Cross-Platform App Development – offered this May – provides a solid introduction to coding. Designed for people with no prior experience, the 90-hour course teaches students how to develop a mobile application from conceptualization through to design, development, and launch.

“At RoboGarden, we’re really focused on practice-based learning that leads to successful outcomes,” says RoboGarden Business Development Manager, Stephen Mackenzie. “It’s very much a step-by-step process where we encourage the learner to have fun as they develop their skills. So even if they come in to the program with some apprehension about their ability, they’re going to find an environment that has been built for their comfort and their success.” 

The goal is to prepare graduates for entry-level jobs in the industry. “There is a lot of opportunity for junior app developers,” says Elhabiby. “Demand is massive.”

In London alone, tech employment has grown by 67 per cent in the past five years, earning the city the number 10 spot on the up-and-coming North American tech-talent markets list.

With starting salaries often in the $50-$60K range and many companies offering the option to work remotely, Mackenzie says that training to become a mobile app developer can be an appealing choice for people who may have lost their job during the pandemic, or who are looking to change careers. 

“There’s a real opportunity for anyone to join this world,” he says. “And if you commit yourself to growing on completion of the program, your income and career can progress very rapidly.” 

Nicole Laidler is a freelance reporter, copywriter and content creator, serving clients in London, Toronto and throughout Southwestern Ontario. She helps people grow their success, one word at a time.