Join our upcoming cohort CUIC 345: Business Lending to build foundational business lending skills in an engaging and collaborative learning environment. This course covers everything from the interview process, reading financial statements and reviewing appraisals – to handling turn downs, delinquencies and business development.

As we begin to emerge from the pandemic, rebuilding the Canadian economy will depend greatly on the success of small to medium-sized businesses. This means it will be more important than ever for business lenders to confidently guide business members through challenging times all while protecting the credit union from additional, and potentially new forms of credit risk.  

Top 3 reasons past participants have enrolled in this cohort:

• To learn from other business lenders and leverage their experience
• To advance their career as a business lender/commercial analyst
• To gain confidence when reading financial statements submitted by clients

This course provides practical knowledge and an understanding of concepts that can be applied directly to a learner’s role.

88% of past participants would recommend this course, and 52% reported an increase in their level of confidence.

“Overall, this has been a great course. I am leaving with a better understanding of most aspects of business lending.”

Fall 2021 cohort participant

“The weekly questions in the cohort help the students apply what they’ve learned to their own credit union providing a better understanding of the concepts, as well as learning how things may be done differently in other provinces/credit unions through the sharing of information in the cohort sessions.”

Sherry Nantais, CUIC 345 faculty 

Bonus: Earn Digital Credentials

This course also counts as credit towards CUIC’s industry-recognized Business Lending Accreditation. If you are already on the learning path for this accreditation – this course will get you one step closer to earning a digital credential!

If you haven’t yet signed up for one of our free learning paths – learn more about the accreditation programs and learning paths available here.

CCUA Campus login is required. To request an account email clientsolutions@ccua.com.

Benefits of joining a cohort!  

Cohorts are an engaging and collaborative learning experience where you will get to interact with the facilitator, as well as other credit union employees.  

CUIC facilitator, Rick Vaillancourt, is passionate about the benefits of learning through a cohort and says:

“Learners are fulfilled with their participation and new learnings as they become more knowledgeable and confident. Cohorts also offer flexibility to participate from wherever the learner is, at whatever time they wish. ”

 The cohort runs for 12 weeks and provides learning that can be applied directly back to the job. The cohort is comprised of:  

Weekly, asynchronous modules

Learners will be responsible for reviewing a module each week from the course study guide that can be completed asynchronously, at their own pace.

Facilitated, online, peer-to-peer discussion each week.

Throughout the program, learners will have access to a subject matter expert in the in the weekly discussion area. Here, they can interact with the facilitator or their credit union peers. Each week, faculty will post a series of questions about the weekly module. These are designed to help learners practice, explore and apply what they are learning. The faculty allow a week for learners to respond with their answers, then will post the response. Participation is worth 10% of the final mark.

Formal assignments

There are two, case-study based assignments that must be completed by each learner. These are submitted to faculty for marking and are worth 40% of your final mark.

Final exam

Each learner must pass the final exam for their CUIC course with a minimum of 60%. The final exams are written and administered by Dalhousie University are worth 50% of your final mark. There are 100 multiple choice questions that must be completed within 120 minutes.

CCUA Campus login is required. To request an account email clientsolutions@ccua.com.