Aalto University: Aalto University launches Design a Meaningful Career open online course
Aalto University launches a new open online course, Design a Meaningful Career, on sustainable career design. The course emphasises creative and non-conventional ways to design a meaningful career in the radically changing world of work. The course is the third part of the Future of Work open online course module and is produced by Career Design Lab at Aalto University.
We all want to feel that our work has a positive impact and meaning. Research shows that meaningful work is associated with our wellbeing, engagement and commitment to work. Moreover, along with creativity and continuous learning, meaningful work increases adaptability in an unpredictable and uncertain future of work. Having a sense of purpose makes it easier to find a direction in a world where traditional career tracks are disappearing.
Design a Meaningful Career is a course for anyone who wants to chart their course in the changing world of work and explore innovative ways of shaping a path that matters, especially students at the end of their studies looking for a career direction or anyone in career transition.
The course explores principles and tools that will help you think about your career like a designer, and use narrative and intuition to help you navigate in the new career paradigm. Throughout the course, you will have opportunities to reflect on your career, envision new possibilities and identify concrete experiments to test your ideas.
Kirsi Lapointe in a organe patterned short and glasses, smiling straight into the camera.
Kirsi LaPointe
“A key objective of this course is to develop a deeper understanding of your career narrative and identity. They serve as your compass in today’s unpredictable career landscape,” says Kirsi LaPointe, responsible teacher of the course and senior advisor at Aalto University’s Career Design Lab.
“There is no ready-made meaning or calling just waiting to be discovered. But there are pathways through which you can start creating more meaningfulness in your career.”
–Frank Martela, course author
Flexible and self-directed learning
Design a Meaningful Career is a self-directed open online course with five chapters. Each chapter consists of several sections that end either with a reflection assignment or a quiz. The assignments alongside the course materials are designed to help learners deepen their self-awareness and strengthen their agency to create more authentic careers. All course materials are available both in text and audio format and include videos by Aalto University alumni who share their career experiences.
The course content is supported by academic research and the learning materials are authored by Frank Martela, Ph.D., university lecturer at Aalto University, philosopher and researcher of psychology, Asta Raami, D.A., intuition researcher, educator, author and founder of Innerversity and Kirsi LaPointe, D.Sc., career coach, facilitator, and senior advisor at Aalto University’s Career Design Lab.
“We need both empathy and intuition to transcend our limited perspective and envision creative solutions in the unpredictable future of work,” says Raami.