Certified: Certiport Educator Podcast
CERTIFIED: Certiport Educator Podcast is all about educators. This podcast will crack open the world of education, certification, and technology. At Certiport, we are dedicated to helping people succeed through certification, and we couldn’t do what we do without powerful and dedicated educators, like YOU! Whether you’ve been teaching for one month, one year, or decades, we have episodes for you. Join us as we interview other educators, students, and industry experts. Discover new ways to teach, connect with fellow technology educators, and get inspired. Teaching is a career that demands all that you have to give. So we’re here to give back to you. Listen. Learn. Grow. Become a part of the CERTIFIED community.
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Advice for setting goals as an educator with our CERTIFIED Ambassadors
01/29/2025
Advice for setting goals as an educator with our CERTIFIED Ambassadors
January rolls in with big plans and ambitions for the coming year. However, commitment to New Year’s resolutions often flags by the end of January. To keep you excited and committed to your goals, we sat down with three of our CERTIFIED Ambassadors, Laurene Klassen, Ashley Faulkner, and Karen Coulombe, to talk about 2025 goals. Laurene is a Microsoft Certified Trainer and Assistant Director of IT Training & Communications at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. She took her first Microsoft Office Specialist exam in 2010 for personal development and has been hooked ever since. In 2017, she spearheaded the MOS program at SMU after attending her first CERTIFIED conference. Their program has now certified over 3 5,000 students within 4 years. Laurene oversees the administrative side of their program working with over 15 faculty members to integrate the MOS exams into their curriculum. She frequently teaches Office workshops to students. She is a native of Massachusetts but now calls Texas her home. Ashley is a teacher at Triton High School in North Carolina, where she is a strong certification advocate. Over the past 11 years, Ashley has earned more than 40 certifications—and helped her students earn more than 1,150 individual certifications. She has also served as an FBLA adviser and as the North Carolina Southeast Region advisor. Outside her teaching career, Ashley is the chief financial officer for Simple Web Solutions, Inc., EM Audio, Inc., and Butler Faulkner Enterprise, and she is the mother of two active children. Karen has taught a variety of Career and Technical Education courses at the 8th -12th grade level as well as the Community College since the early 2000's. Her focus is on expanding hands-on and experiential learning in meaningful ways to add valuable "tools" to the students' toolbox, building confidence and a resume of tangible skills to market in the workplace. Karen has seen certifications used to enhance resumes for those who need to get right to work; as well as to differentiate students working towards competitive internships, scholarships, and college programs. The most significant connection from certification to the real world is understanding how to work to achieve goals using the resources available. Before teaching, Karen worked for over a decade as an Avionics Technician with Boeing, DynCorp Aerospace and the US Air Force on programs including Air Force 1, the B2 Bomber, and multiple F-16 deployments abroad. In this episode, we discuss these three veteran educators’ approach to setting goals, how you can decide where to focus your efforts, and how you can keep yourself motivated. If you want to expand your vision for 2025 goal setting, these ladies have the advice and ideas you need. Connect with your fellow educators to talk about goals and other topics in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: . Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference here: .
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Let’s talk about ACE credit and Perkins funding with Vanessa Buffry
01/15/2025
Let’s talk about ACE credit and Perkins funding with Vanessa Buffry
It’s a new year and we’re so happy to be back with a new episode of the CERTIFIED podcast. In this week’s episode, we wanted to talk about money, both for you and your students. We’re diving into ACE credit and Perkins funding with Certiport’s Vanessa Buffry, Senior Manager of Strategic Funding. Vanessa Buffry and her team identify funding sources to support educators and workforce initiatives, track policy that governs and enhances certification quality, and ensure certifications meet workforce, industry, and customer needs. Her previous work experience included teaching high school, serving as a school board director, and directing non-profit education initiatives that merited her recognition as a 30 Under 30 (Pittsburgh, 2021). Vanessa holds an MS in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon. Vanessa is based in Denver, CO with her family. She is certified in Professional Communication, Pearson Gen AI Foundations, Intuit Personal Finance, and next plans to conquer MOS Excel Associate and Expert. Vanessa walks us through the details of ACE credit, and how this can be a huge money and time saver for students looking to pursue higher education. She also shares details about Perkins funding, and how states, districts, and educators can be leveraging this funding in their classrooms. Looking for details on how to access more funding in 2025? This episode is for you. Learn more about ACE credit: . Interested in connecting with your Certiport Territory Manager to talk about Perkins funding? Contact them here: . Connect with your fellow educators to talk about funding and other topics in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: . Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference here: .
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The pathway to IT support careers with Jessie Kalloo
12/11/2024
The pathway to IT support careers with Jessie Kalloo
Discover how digital literacy paves the way for a successful IT support career. In this episode, captured during a recent CERTIFIED Academy training, we explore the importance of digital literacy skills with CERTIFIED Ambassador, Jessie Kalloo. Jessie Kalloo is a CTE Instructor and Program Approval Coordinator for the Information Technology programs at Thomas A. Edison Career and Technical Education High School located in Jamaica, Queens, New York. Jessie is also a Cisco Networking Academy Instructor Trainer for IT Essentials, CCNA, CCNA Security, and CCNA CyberOps covering areas throughout the United States. Being a product of CTE as a graduate of Thomas Edison High has provided him the opportunity to view teaching through a different lens. Through the various partnerships he has formed with the industry he is able to inspire, motivate and provide opportunities to his students that truly help them prepare for their future. The training he has done in and out of the classroom combined with his unique approach to teaching, has allowed for creative ways to spark the curiosity in students, helping them continuously challenge themselves to do better. Jessie shares how basic technical problem-solving, hardware and software knowledge, and strong communication skills are pivotal for IT support professionals. We discuss how digital literacy not only helps in adapting to new technologies but also in navigating diverse digital environments. A large percentage of IT professionals start their careers in IT support roles, and this episode offers valuable insights and practical advice to help you effectively support this career trajectory. Learn more about our IC3 Digital Literacy certification program here: . Connect with your fellow educators, like Jessie, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: . Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference here: .
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Preparing your students for careers in healthcare with Caroline Manning
12/04/2024
Preparing your students for careers in healthcare with Caroline Manning
The Health Sciences sector employs approximately 16 million people in the U.S. alone and is expected to grow by 13% from 2022 to 2032, which is faster than the averages for other employment sectors. The new Health Sciences Careers program provides students with the foundational knowledge needed to prepare for in demand roles in the Health Sciences field. In this episode, we sat down with Caroline Manning to talk all things healthcare. Caroline Manning is a Medical Administrative Assistant for Easter Seals in Florida. She has used her professional experience to help ensure that Certiport’s Medical Administrative Assistant certification certifies that candidates have the knowledge and skills required to be successful in the role. Caroline shares her insights on our newest certification, plus dives into her experience working in the healthcare industry. We discuss what skills learners need to thrive. Preparing students for careers in health science? This episode is a great peek into our new program. Learn more about the Health Sciences Careers program: . Connect with your fellow educators in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: . Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference here: .
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Taking the fear out of AI with Joshua Wohle
11/20/2024
Taking the fear out of AI with Joshua Wohle
Artificial intelligence (AI) usage continues to grow, but many educators are still awaiting training on effective use of AI in the classroom. According to a survey from EdWeek, only 43% of educators surveyed had received any training on AI. If you’re in the other 57%, or even just looking to learn more about AI and maybe take the fear out of this new technology, we’re here to help. In this episode, we learn from AI expert and CEO, Joshua Wohle. Joshua is CEO at , a practical AI training platform for non-technical people, helping them do more and better work, in less time, by using AI in their daily jobs. Previously, Joshua was a co-founder & CPTO at , which became one of the biggest kids' technology companies in the world before being acquired by Epic Games. Together we dive into the reason Joshua decided to create Mindstone, and how his team is helping educators get more comfortable with AI technology. We discuss the rapid disruptions caused by generative AI, and how educators can and should use it as a tool in their classrooms. Plus, we learn about new resources to get your feet wet and how to make AI learning fun and low stress. If you’re new to AI, or one of the many teachers looking for training about AI in the classroom, this is for you. Looking for more opportunities to learn about AI? Joshua recommends starting with Ethan Mollik’s book, Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI and Stephen M. Kosslyn’s book, Active Learning with AI. Check out Mindstone’s tools and resources here: . Learn more about our new Critical Career Skills Generative AI Foundations exam here: . Connect with your fellow educators in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: . Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference here: .
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How to prepare candidates for careers in cybersecurity
11/13/2024
How to prepare candidates for careers in cybersecurity
Security threats and nefarious tactics from hackers are on the rise, demanding more awareness and vigilance online. According to an of over 150 billion daily security events in more than 130 countries, there was a 71% year-over-year increase in cyberattacks that used stolen or compromised data. Helping learners understand what jobs are available for cybersecurity professionals is of paramount importance to combat the rise in cyberattacks. In this week’s episode, we’re sharing portions of our latest CERTIFIED Academy: IT webinar. We met with a team of cybersecurity experts from Microsoft: Brodie Cassell, Principal Cybersecurity Consultant; Rod Trent, Senior Program Manager Security/AI; Edward Walton, Microsoft Global Black Belt – Security; and Raae Wolfram, Senior Product Manager, Security. Our Microsoft experts share their insights and tips for breaking into this rapidly expanding field. We dive into their professional experiences, key lessons they’ve learned, and effective strategies for educators to inspire learners to pursue these in-demand career opportunities. You’ll get valuable insights and practical advice on navigating the dynamic world of cybersecurity professionals. Learn more about teaching cybersecurity here: . Connect with your fellow educators in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: . Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference here: .
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How AI is impacting the world of design with Chana Messer
11/06/2024
How AI is impacting the world of design with Chana Messer
The AI revolution has left many educators wondering how this disruptive technology will impact their students’ future careers. Today, human resources leaders believe that nearly 90% of their workforce will need to be reskilled in the next five years. Preparing students to embrace AI and add these skills to their creative toolbelt will put them ahead of those late adopters. If you’re wondering how you can prepare your students to leverage AI technology, particularly in creative and design fields, then Chana Messer is here to help. Chana Messer is an artist, consultant, and Adobe Education Leader who has been teaching Fine Art and Digital Imaging at the university level for over 30 years. She has taught and mentored students at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, the USC School of Cinematic Arts, and most recently, at FIDM. She has led hundreds of design workshops and bootcamps through General Assembly. Chana is a subject matter expert who has helped to write and develop the Adobe Certified Professional certification exams. In this episode, we talk with Chana about the growth of AI and how it’s impacting current designers and creative professionals. Chana walks through simple ideas for using AI in the classroom, and even discusses tools from Adobe that can give students a safe place to experiment with AI in their designs and creative projects. With Chana, you’ll discover how you can broaden your students’ creative abilities. Ready to test Adobe’s AI technology? Learn more at firefly.adobe.com. Connect with your fellow educators, like Chana, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: . Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference here: .
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Preparing the next generation of designers with Charles Hache
10/30/2024
Preparing the next generation of designers with Charles Hache
In the real world, professionals need to have multiple tools in their design toolbelts. Understanding how to leverage numerous applications for one project can be a challenge. For this week’s episode, we’re revisiting a previous CERTIFIED Academy: Design webinar to learn from industry professional, Charles Hache. Charles is an indie game developer and adjunct instructor for game design at Adrian College. Charles holds an MFA in game development and prepares students with knowledge in coding and design. In this episode, we learn all about how Charles creates and designs in the real world. He shares how to help learners see which tools are best for various needs, and how you can help students connect more than one application to create more effective results in their design creations. Learn more about teaching Unity and game design in the classroom: . Connect with your fellow educators, like Charles, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: . Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference here: .
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What do students need to succeed in the hospitality industry?
10/23/2024
What do students need to succeed in the hospitality industry?
According to The Culinary Pro, the foodservice industry is the largest retail employment sector in the world. Bringing in over USD 700 billion annually in the U.S., this career path provides individuals with ample opportunities for jobs and career growth. To help your students prepare to succeed in the accommodations and food service industry, Certiport has launched the Hospitality and Culinary Arts Careers program. In this episode, we sat down with Gaven Ferguson to talk all things hospitality. Gaven is an international business advisor, mentor, and serial entrepreneur, always focusing on helping others to look outside the box and make their dreams a reality. He’s the author of “The Business Procrastinator”, and currently works as a Professor of Industry for Hospitality and Tourism Management at UCSI University in Malaysia. Gaven is an expert in the culinary arts industry, and most recently, lent his expertise in the creation of our newest certification program. Gaven shares his insights on our newest certification, plus dives into his experience working for the World Association of Master Chefs. We discuss trends in the accommodations and culinary industries, and what skills learners need to thrive. Preparing students for careers in hospitality? This episode is a great peek into our new program. Learn more about the Hospitality and Culinary Arts Careers program: . Connect with your fellow educators, like Gaven, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: . Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference here: .
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Advocating for your CTE program with Jennifer Stubblefield
10/16/2024
Advocating for your CTE program with Jennifer Stubblefield
Career and technical education (CTE) can transform the workforce landscape. Teaching workforce specific skills helps learners find a career specific pathway that leverages their passion and talents. But how can you get others in your school, community, and beyond to see the value of CTE? We sat down with Jennifer Stubblefield to discuss how you can advocate for your CTE program. A 27-year veteran of a Business Education classroom in Kentucky, Jennifer Stubblefield specializes in teaching courses that lead to industry certifications. Her classroom efforts have led to the development of an award-winning, public high school program that is recognized on the state and national levels for outstanding achievements and high rates of success on state-mandated business education tests and industry certification exams. Jennifer is a frequent speaker at conferences both in the educational and corporate arenas, where she is known for her high-energy, interactive, and motivational workshops. She loves to "train the trainer" and can also be found in her local community training small businesses in the areas of soft skills, technology, and digital literacy foundations. After retiring from her classroom position, she accepted a position as the Customer Success Manager for Certiport where she works with teachers across the U.S. as they strive to develop certification programs in various areas. In this episode, Jennifer shares how you can get students, parents, community members, and your administration excited about CTE. We also discuss the importance of connecting with local businesses, and how you can secure the funding you need for your classroom. In her trademark frank and fun way, Jennifer will help you see just how amazing your program can be if you just infuse it with a little energy and effort. Learn more about the value of CTE on the Certiport blog: . Ready to learn more or looking for additional advice? Connect with Jennifer via email: . Connect with your fellow educators, like Jennifer, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: . Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference here: .
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2024 CERTIFIED Educator of the Year: Jenny Mohess
10/10/2024
2024 CERTIFIED Educator of the Year: Jenny Mohess
Each year, we are so excited to recognize one of our customers as our CERTIFIED Educator of the Year as part of our annual CERTIFIED Educator Conference. We work with so many incredible educators, all of whom deserve recognition for their dedication and efforts. We're pleased to announce that Jenny Mohess is our 2024 CERTIFIED Educator of the Year! Originally from Trinidad & Tobago, Jenny Mohess has lived in Osceola County, FL for over 22 years. She first stepped onto Valencia’s Campus in 2000 as an international student. There she earned an A.S. in Graphic Design. While working for Apple, she earned a bachelor’s in business from the University of South Florida, and master’s in art education from Boston University. These experiences led to jobs at Apple, Microsoft, and eventually, her own design studio. Jenny currently teaches at Valencia College and has found genuine purpose in mentoring future graphic/web designers through the Valencia Graphics Program. She is now building the program at Tohopekaliga High School and sharing real-world experiences with her students. In this episode, we talked with Jenny about CERTIFIED, being named CERTIFIED Educator of the Year, and her experience both in and out of the classroom. She discusses her passion for teaching, and how she overcomes the challenges she faces in education. Plus, she shares her advice for building personal and lasting relationships with her students. Learn more about Jenny on the blog () and on YouTube (). You can also connect with her on LinkedIn: . Connect with your fellow educators, like Jenny, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: . Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference here: .
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SUMMER REPLAY | 2023 Certiport CERTIFIED Educator of the Year with Karen Coulombe
08/21/2024
SUMMER REPLAY | 2023 Certiport CERTIFIED Educator of the Year with Karen Coulombe
Welcome to our Summer Replay series. We wanted to revisit some of our previous episodes. These episodes were previously recorded and aired at an earlier date. This episode originally aired on July 19, 2023. Each year, we are so excited to recognize one of our customers as our CERTIFIED Educator of the Year as part of our annual CERTIFIED Educator Conference. We work with so many incredible educators, all of whom deserve recognition for their dedication and efforts. We're pleased to announce that Karen Coulombe is our 2023 CERTIFIED Educator of the Year! Karen Coulombe is a career and technical education (CTE) teacher at Lake Stevens High School in Washington state. Karen teaches both computer applications and computer science to first-year high school students in Lake Stevens. She is also a robotics advisor for the largest VRC Robotics team in Washington. Before becoming a teacher, Karen worked for more than a decade as a licensed avionics technician and airframe and powerplant mechanic for the U.S. Air Force, DynCorp Aerospace, and the Boeing Company. She was also selected for special assignments involving Air Force One and the B2 stealth bomber. Throughout her career, Karen has been a passionate believer in continuing education and giving back to her community. She has participated in the U.S. Naval Academy’s SET SAIL, Certiport’s National CERTIFIED Conference, STEM Guitars, Space Camp for Educators, the Washington Alliance for Better Schools STEM Externship, and multiple nanotechnology conferences. Karen also serves on the teacher advisory board for the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle, and as a member of two technical advisory committees. In this episode, we talked with Karen about CERTIFIED, being named CERTIFIED Educator of the Year, and her experience both in and out of the classroom. She discusses her passion for teaching, and how she overcomes the challenges she faces in education. Plus, Karen shares her advice for creating a network of professionals to enrich your classroom and curriculum. Learn more about Karen on the blog () and on YouTube (). You can also connect with her on LinkedIn: . Connect with your fellow educators, like Karen, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: . Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference here: .
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SUMMER REPLAY | 2022 Certiport CERTIFIED Educator of the Year with Carol York
08/14/2024
SUMMER REPLAY | 2022 Certiport CERTIFIED Educator of the Year with Carol York
Welcome to our Summer Replay series. We wanted to revisit some of our previous episodes. These episodes were previously recorded and aired at an earlier date. This episode originally aired on July 7, 2022. Each year, we have the honor and privilege of selecting an Educator of the Year. The 2022 CERTIFIED Educator of the Year is Carol York. Carol is a Business Education teacher at Cary High school in Cary North Carolina. After many years of experience in private industry, Carol has been teaching for 12 years. She has been teaching project management for 8 years and was on the curriculum development team for both project management one and two for the state of North Carolina. She’s recently earned her PMI Project Management Ready certification, which adds to her MOS Expert certification and National Board Teacher certification. In this episode, we talk about Carol’s experience as an educator and her special key to helping students succeed. Find out how she forms connections with her students that last well beyond the classroom. You can read more about Carol here: . You can also learn about Carol and her fellow CERTIFIED Ambassadors here: .
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SUMMER REPLAY | 2021 Certiport CERTIFIED Educator of the Year with Abner Soto-Henry
08/07/2024
SUMMER REPLAY | 2021 Certiport CERTIFIED Educator of the Year with Abner Soto-Henry
Welcome to our Summer Replay series. We wanted to revisit some of our previous episodes. These episodes were previously recorded and aired at an earlier date. This episode originally aired on July 7, 2021. In this episode, we had the privilege of interviewing our 2021 Certiport CERTIFIED Educator of the Year Abner Soto-Henry. His love for education and his students is truly inspiring. He talks about his story and journey to becoming an educator. We also chat about some of the challenges with his unique teaching and his advice to help other educators in similar situations as him. Abner Soto-Henry has taught information technology education for nearly 20 years at the Latin American Youth Center Career Academy, specializing in Microsoft certifications, IC3 Digital Literacy certifications, and CompTIA certifications. In total, Mr. Soto-Henry has more than 24 years of experience in education. Originally from Costa Rica, Abner speaks fluent Spanish, English, and Portuguese, enabling him to connect with the students he serves. He has received several awards, including the 2013 Community Star Award from D.C. United, the 2015 Hispanic Heritage Innovative Educator Award, the 2016 D.C. OSSE Career and Technical Education Teacher of the Year award, the 2019 D.C. PCSB TIERific Teacher of the Year, and 2021 Certiport CERTIFIED Educator of the Year. A former professional soccer player, his passion for teaching is only rivaled by his love of the game. Contact Abner: More information about Certiport: Get all the details about Certiport here: Find out more about our CERTIFIED Educator Conference here: . Ready to connect? Join CERTIFIED: Certiport’s Educator Community here: .
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SUMMER REPLAY | Connecting and Collaborating with Other Educators with Denise Spence
07/31/2024
SUMMER REPLAY | Connecting and Collaborating with Other Educators with Denise Spence
Welcome to our Summer Replay series. We wanted to revisit some of our previous episodes. These episodes were previously recorded and aired at an earlier date. This episode originally aired on October 5, 2022. As an educator, it’s easy to get into a silo. Having a demanding teaching schedule can make collaborating and connecting with other educators seem impossible. However, those who reach outside the classroom can learn valuable lessons from other educators and expand their available resources. And Denise Spence has the experience to prove it. Denise Spence has been an educator for almost 25 years. She has earned her master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, emphasis in Instructional Technology. Over the years, Denise has taught the correlated course content and earned various IT certification credentials. Her accomplishments include being selected as 1 of 3 finalists for Lee County's Teacher of the Year in 2000; she was the 1st ever Career and Technical Education Teacher of the Year for Lee County in 2006; she was named Certiport's Global Summit's Teacher of the Year for 2010. Denise was also a 2011 and a 2012 finalist for the Microsoft Innovation Forum. During this episode, Denise talked about the value of collaborating and learning from other educators. She gives practical advice for how to find the time and tools to make collaboration easy. Looking for opportunities to connect and collaborate with your fellow CTE educators? Join our Certiport Academy trainings each month! Get all the details on the Certiport blog: . You can see past sessions in our Educator Resource Library here: .
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SUMMER REPLAY | Help Your Students Build the Best Resume with James Boshier
07/24/2024
SUMMER REPLAY | Help Your Students Build the Best Resume with James Boshier
Welcome to our Summer Replay series. We wanted to revisit some of our previous episodes. These episodes were previously recorded and aired at an earlier date. This episode originally aired on December 15, 2021. Students shouldn’t leave their CTE programs without a polished and professional resume. It’s impossible to transition to the workforce without one. Building a resume can require some handholding and lots of advice. So we brought in our expert, James Boshier, to help give you all the steps you need to help your students build a fantastic resume. James is the Head of Product Success at Resume-Library. As Head of Product, he owns the Resume-Library roadmap and works out what new features are added to the site. In this episode, James gives advice on building and polishing the best resume, what students should know about cover letters (spoiler alert: they’re on the way out), and how candidates should conduct themselves in a job interview. He also talks through all the resources that Certiport candidates have access to when they’re ready for the job search. You can learn more about Resume-Library on our blog: . Resume-Library also has an entire blog dedicated to career advice. You can find articles and relevant content for your students here: . If you’re interested in checking out the newly launched UK CV Builder James mentioned, you’ll find that here: .
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SUMMER REPLAY | Creativity in Teaching Communication with Jennifer Stubblefield
07/17/2024
SUMMER REPLAY | Creativity in Teaching Communication with Jennifer Stubblefield
Welcome to our Summer Replay series. We wanted to revisit some of our previous episodes. These episodes were previously recorded and aired at an earlier date. This episode originally aired on January 12, 2022. You know when something is so good, you just want to tell everyone about it? That’s how we felt about our latest CSB Academy webinar with Jennifer Stubblefield. We couldn’t keep this one to ourselves, so we wanted to make sure our listeners had a chance to get Jennifer’s advice. Jennifer Stubblefield is Certiport’s new Customer Success Manager, current KBEA President, a former KY business educator, and the 2019 CERTIFIED Educator of the Year. Plus, she’s the face and voice behind the LearnKey Communication Skills for Business curriculum. We got a peek inside Jennifer’s treasure chest of experience during this episode. We talk about her favorite projects for teaching communication skills in the classroom. We discussed everything from Fortune 500 projects and portfolios to elevator pitches and the importance of an undershirt in mock interviews. If you teach any business course, you’ll want to listen, save, and share this episode. Just trust us on this one.
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SUMMER REPLAY | Why Students Need Computational Thinking Skills with Damiano Mastandrea and Tracey Sigers
07/10/2024
SUMMER REPLAY | Why Students Need Computational Thinking Skills with Damiano Mastandrea and Tracey Sigers
Welcome to our Summer Replay series. We wanted to revisit some of our previous episodes. These episodes were previously recorded and aired at an earlier date. This episode originally aired on May 25, 2022. As part of our IT Specialist Academy training, we held a webinar addressing computational thinking. This one was so good, that we just had to share it here as well. We were lucky enough to feature two of our new CERTIFIED Ambassadors on this episode: Tracey Sigers and Damiano Mastandrea. Tracey Sigers is the Department Chair of Information Technology at the National Center for Urban Solutions in Columbus, Ohio. Tracey holds an MBA with an emphasis in technology leadership, a bachelor’s degree in information technology, and an associate degree in technology. Tracey has twenty years of business background in computer systems management, college study skills, and Microsoft software experience. She’s eager to bring students into the twenty-first century using enthusiastic and dynamic teaching to help them become lifelong learners. Damiano Mastrandrea is a Career and Technical Education Director at the Brooklyn STEAM Center. He manages the CTE portfolio of the school to ensure that they are highly relevant and rigorous. He also strategizes various career readiness approaches through workplace immersion programs supported by data-driven decisions. Damiano is a big believer in changing education as a system that works for everyone instead of the selected few and pursuing education to all corners. His passion for education has led him to earn three college degrees including a doctorate, as well last 26 industry certifications. When he has a free moment, Damiano likes to write short stories, play games, and, if he's feeling daring, bake! We sat down with Tracey and Damiano to learn more about computational thinking. According to ComputationalThinking.org, these skills are increasingly critical for individuals and organizations as the use of computation becomes more central to every activity and every innovation. In this episode, we took a deep dive into computational thinking. Our guests taught us more about what it is, why it’s valuable for students, and how you can teach this industry-demanded skillset in the classroom. You can learn more about the IT Specialist Computational Thinking certification exam here: You can also watch this, and other IT Specialist Academy trainings here:
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SUMMER REPLAY | Creating a Positive Classroom Culture with Abner Soto-Henry
07/03/2024
SUMMER REPLAY | Creating a Positive Classroom Culture with Abner Soto-Henry
Welcome to our Summer Replay series. We wanted to revisit some of our previous episodes. These episodes were previously recorded and aired at an earlier date. This episode originally aired on September 28, 2022. According to a 2022 study by the CDC, 37% of U.S. high schoolers have faced mental health struggles amid the COVID pandemic. These struggles highlight students’ need for a positive, welcoming environment during the new school year. We couldn’t think of a better guest to discuss positivity than CERTIFIED Ambassador, Abner Soto-Henry. Abner Soto-Henry has taught information technology education for nearly 20 years at the Latin American Youth Center Career Academy, specializing in Microsoft certifications, IC3 Digital Literacy certifications, and CompTIA certifications. In total, Mr. Soto-Henry has more than 24 years of experience in education. Originally from Costa Rica, Abner speaks fluent Spanish, English, and Portuguese, enabling him to connect with the students he serves. He has received several awards, including being named Certiport’s 2021 Educator of the Year. A former professional soccer player, his passion for teaching is only rivaled by his love of the game. In this episode, we talk with Abner about the positive and negative influences at play in the lives of today’s students. Abner paints a picture of the ideal classroom and talks about ways to connect with students to make your dream classroom a reality. And last, but certainly not least, he offers advice for how to fill your own cup, so you can emanate positivity in the classroom each and every day. Want to connect with Abner for more positive energy and advice? Reach out to him on LinkedIn here: . You can also learn more about Abner, and all our other CERTIFIED Ambassadors here: .
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SUMMER REPLAY | Why Students Need Project Management with Carol York
06/26/2024
SUMMER REPLAY | Why Students Need Project Management with Carol York
Welcome to our Summer Replay series. We wanted to revisit some of our previous episodes. These episodes were previously recorded and aired at an earlier date. This episode originally aired on June 6, 2022. According to reports from Burning Glass, nearly 2.3 million job postings in the last year have requested project management skills, which is great news for teachers looking to help their students find jobs immediately upon graduation. Plus, project management instills additional skills such as time management, communication, and teamwork; all soft skills that are highly demanded by today’s employers. In this episode, we sat down with one of our amazing CERTIFIED Ambassadors, Carol York. Carol York is a Business Education teacher at Cary High school in Cary North Carolina. After many years of experience in Private industry, Carol has been teaching for 12 years. She has been teaching project management for 8 years and was on the curriculum development team for both project management one and two for the state of North Carolina. She’s recently earned her PMI Project Management Ready certification, which adds to her MOS Expert certification and National Board Teacher certification. Carol discusses her journey into teaching project management, and why these skills are applicable for all students. With a 100% certification pass rate this year, Carol has helpful ideas for how you can help your students buy into project management. You can learn more about the PMI Project Management Ready certification here: . For advice on how to build a project management program at your school, check out this blog post: .
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SUMMER REPLAY | Women in Engineering
06/19/2024
SUMMER REPLAY | Women in Engineering
Welcome to our Summer Replay series. We wanted to revisit some of our previous episodes. These episodes were previously recorded and aired at an earlier date. This episode originally aired on January 4, 2023. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 13% of engineers are women. Helping the next generation of female students pursue careers in engineering requires concerted focus and dedication from professionals and educators alike. In this week’s episode, we’re highlighting a panel discussion we hosted with five incredible female engineers: Kaylee Janett, a fourth year chemical engineering student at the University of Idaho; Meridian Haas, a mechanical and aerospace engineering PhD candidate at the University of California at Davis; Samantha Daniels, a Massachusetts Builder Designer with EDM; Natalie Nguyen, Oklahoma Mechanical Engineer with Balon Corporation; and Elowyn Yager, Professor of Environmental Engineering at the University of Idaho. These incredible women shared their passion for engineering and talked about how they first decided to pursue this traditionally male-dominated field. They shared vulnerable experiences they’ve had, facing sexist views in their education and workplace journeys. Most importantly, they discuss strategies to expand access to engineering learning for tomorrow’s female engineers. If you work with female engineering students, this is one episode you don’t want to miss. Strong design-software skills are a great asset in both the academic and professional arenas. Autodesk Certified User (ACU) certification can make a difference for your learners. Discover more here: .
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SUMMER REPLAY | The Four Cs of Workforce Readiness with Jennifer Stubblefield
06/12/2024
SUMMER REPLAY | The Four Cs of Workforce Readiness with Jennifer Stubblefield
Welcome to our Summer Replay series. We wanted to revisit some of our previous episodes. These episodes were previously recorded and aired at an earlier date. This episode originally aired on February 1, 2023. Have you signed up for CERTIFIED Academy: Business yet? If not, this is your sign to register and join us! CERTIFIED Academy: Business is an immersive online professional development program for business educators. This is your chance to learn from your fellow business educators and industry professionals. From now until March, we’ll be hosting training sessions to help you learn from business education experts and industry professionals. Discover new ways of teaching, and dive into available resources for your classroom. Plus, those who register will receive a professional development certificate, allowing you to demonstrate the hours you spent learning and growing through CERTIFIED Academy. In our latest CERTIFIED Academy: Business webinar, we focused on the four Cs of workforce readiness with veteran educator and Certiport’s Customer Success Manager, Jennifer Stubblefield. We talked with Jennifer about how to teach soft skills in the classroom, specifically communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and creativity. Jennifer also shares how to create projects that nurture these workforce-demanded competencies. Join us for future CERTIFIED Academy Business sessions here: . This session was sponsored by our Communication Skills for Business (CSB) certification program. Learn more about CSB here: .
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SUMMER REPLAY | What is Certiport with David Watkins
06/05/2024
SUMMER REPLAY | What is Certiport with David Watkins
Welcome to our Summer Replay series. We wanted to revisit some of our previous episodes. These episodes were previously recorded and aired at an earlier date. This episode originally aired on June 30, 2021. Are you new to the world of certification? New to Certiport? Happy to meet you! In this episode, we sit down with David Watkins, Certiport’s Director of Product Management. Learn about Certiport’s history, our model for certification success, and our new “My Pathway” resources to help students find their path to certified success. Get all the details about our “My Pathway” resources here: Learn more about Certiport here:
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Transitioning from College to the Workplace with Dr. Krystal Rawls
05/29/2024
Transitioning from College to the Workplace with Dr. Krystal Rawls
For many students, college has been the main goal. But what happens after college graduation? Are students planning and preparing for their transition into the workforce? Dr. Krystal Rawls thinks there’s more that educators can be doing to help students be prepared for their first job. Dr. Rawls is the designer of the Workforce Integration Program at California State University, Dominguez Hills. Building on a foundation of theoretically sound and data-driven practices, Rawls endeavors to create transparency and equity in workforce development programming to develop a more diverse, digitally competent, and skilled class of worker. Dr. Rawls draws on her transdisciplinary background in Education, Psychology, and Business to inform her innovative approach to empowering students to take their place in the modern workforce. Using labor market information to identify the skills needs of employers and curriculum data to evidence skills developed in the academic experience, Krystal creates community through skill-based language. In her role as an analyst and faculty member, Krystal gets to indulge her passion for building opportunities and relationships that are beneficial to the student, educator/worker, as well as industry and community partners. Dr. Rawls welcomes opportunities to create meaningful workforce partnerships and develop pathways for positive economic outcomes for all. In this episode, we’re dishing out advice for both students and educators. We talk about the transition into that first “real-world job”, and how educators can use big and small means to get students ready for that next step. If you’re looking for tangible, applicable advice you can start using today, Dr. Rawls delivers. Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference to learn from educators like Dr. Rawls. Get all the details at . Get other ideas for your classroom on our blog: . Looking for more advice from Dr. Rawls? Listen to her previous episode here: . Connect with your fellow educators, like Dr. Rawls, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: . If you’re looking for additional learning opportunities, Dr. Rawls recommends the following books or resources: Supporting Working-Class Students in Higher Education Assessing and Validating Digital Skills: DRAW Detailed Discussion and Findings High-Impact Practices and Gains in Student Learning: Evidence from Georgia, Montana, and Wisconsin Honing Self-Awareness of Faculty and Future Business Leaders “Psychological safety as an effective measurement in engineering classrooms” from the 2019 ASEE annual conference & exposition. “Preparing culturally responsive teachers: Rethinking the curriculum” from the Journal of Teacher Education.
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Using AI to Help Learners with Aimee Torres and Lauren Miller
05/22/2024
Using AI to Help Learners with Aimee Torres and Lauren Miller
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a hot topic of discussion in nearly every industry, and education is no exception. In this episode, we’re diving into the world of AI with Aimee Torres and Lauren Miller, who will be sharing their AI expertise and experience in a 2024 CERTIFIED Educator Conference breakout session. Lauren Miller is currently in her fifth year as a full-time lecturer at Auburn University where she teaches Information Analysis to students in the business college. As a part of this course, she certifies her students with the Microsoft Office Specialist Excel and Excel Expert certifications. Prior to teaching at the post-secondary level, she taught middle school and high school business in Alabama and Texas. She holds a bachelor's degree in accounting and Ed.S. degree in business and marketing education from Auburn University. Aimee Torres is currently a lecturer at Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama. She teaches Microsoft Excel to business students in Information Analysis courses. She also certifies all her students in the Microsoft Office Specialist Excel Associate certification and the Microsoft Office Specialist Excel Expert certification. She has been a lecturer at Auburn University since 2019. Aimee has her B.S. in business administration from Troy University, her M.Ed. in business & marketing education from Auburn University, her Ed.S. in Business & Marketing Education from Auburn University and is currently working on her Ph.D. in Career and Technical Education. In addition to teaching, Aimee presents workshops at local, regional, and national business and marketing education conferences. She is a member of the National Business Education Association (NBEA) and is currently serving as President of the Alabama Business Education Association (ABEA). In today’s episode, we talk about how Aimee and Lauren have incorporated AI into their Microsoft Excel course. They share what AI tools they use, and how these tools help educators focus on teaching. Plus, we talk about what skills their students are learning from these projects and tools. Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference to learn from Aimee and Lauren. Get all the details at . Get other ideas for your classroom on our blog: . Looking for more AI resources? Get a few ideas here: . Connect with your fellow educators, like Aimee and Lauren, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: .
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Teach Like a Project Manager with Carol York
05/15/2024
Teach Like a Project Manager with Carol York
Project managers need a full toolbox of skills, including communication, organization, time management, and leadership. Sounds like tools educators use in the classroom every day. In this episode, we learn from project management expert, Carol York. After a successful business career, Carol York has worked as a business education teacher at Cary High School in Cary, North Carolina for 13 years, including nine years as a project management teacher. Carol has served as a CERTIFIED Ambassador and presented various sessions at the CERTIFIED Educator Conference over the years. She is passionate about the benefits of certification for students. She has served on North Carolina’s state curriculum development team for project management courses, and she has earned her Microsoft Office Specialist Expert, PMI Project Management Ready, and National Board Teacher certifications. Carol gives us a peek into her 2024 CERTIFIED Educator Conference workshop. She shares how educators can use project management skills in the classroom, both with their students and to make their own lives easier. Carol reminds us that no matter what subject you teach, project management can help you! Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference to learn from Carol. Get all the details at . Get other ideas for your classroom on our blog: . Looking for more project management resources? Get a few ideas here: . Connect with your fellow educators, like Carol, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: .
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Internet Culture and Gen Z Learning with Brittany Hochstaetter and Chad McKenzie
05/08/2024
Internet Culture and Gen Z Learning with Brittany Hochstaetter and Chad McKenzie
We are excited for our 2024 CERTIFIED Educator Conference in June and are dedicating our next few episodes to previews of some of our breakout sessions. We were lucky enough to sit down with Brittany Hochstaetter and Chad McKenzie to discuss what they’ll be sharing at our 2024 #CERTIFIEDConf. Chad is an Associate Professor in the Information Technology division at Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh and has 17 years of teaching experience within the North Carolina Community College System (NCCCS). Chad’s teaching style focuses on fostering relationships with his students and creating learning environments, both virtual and seated, that are engaging, positive, and personalized. Brittany is an experienced Professor of Communication with over 15 years of experience in higher education. Like Chad, she’s currently sharing her gifts and efforts with students at Wake Technical Community College. She’s skilled in research, educational leadership, adult education, curriculum development, soft-skills training, administrative processes, and program development. In today’s episode, we talk about teaching Gen Z students, and how the internet has shaped this generation. Chad and Brittany also share valuable classroom strategies to help educators prepare for teaching and engaging Gen Z students and give a peek into the research they’ll be sharing at CERTIFIED 2024. Dive into the story of Internet Culture to understand the curious nature of today’s students and learn innovative and practical classroom strategies for engaging their hearts and minds. Get other ideas for your classroom on our blog: . Connect with your fellow educators, like Chad and Brittany, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: . Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference at .
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Using Design Thinking in the Development Process with John Beale
05/01/2024
Using Design Thinking in the Development Process with John Beale
We’re back with another week of insights for our creative educators. By popular demand, we’re sharing more insight from CERTIFIED Ambassador, John Beale. John Beale began his educational career working in museums including the Spanish Colonial Quarter, the Florida Agriculture Museum, and the Florida Maritime Museum. After more than a decade in experiential education he brought his experiences to the classroom, first at middle school level teaching science and STEM marine science before finding his place at Allen D. Nease High School in St John's County, Florida, teaching Introduction to Engineering and Design, Civil Engineering and Architecture, and Computer Integrated Manufacturing and sponsoring the Transportation Technology Club with a focus on Aerospace and Electrathon motorsports. He believes that industry certification creates a solid pathway to college, careers, and creativity and that collaboration and cooperation in and out of the classroom benefits all involved. In this episode, we dive into the concepts of design thinking and creativity. We talked with John about Intuit’s Design for Delight approach, and how to teach students design thinking skills that they can leverage in the design and development process. Plus, we discussed the soft and hard skills your students gain by applying design thinking principles. If you’re not familiar with design thinking, this is a great introduction! Learn more about the Intuit Design for Delight Innovator certification program: . Get other ideas for your classroom on our blog: . Connect with your fellow educators, like John, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: . Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference at . John will be presenting at this year’s conference, and we know you won’t want to miss it.
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Hands-on Learning in the Classroom with John Beale
04/24/2024
Hands-on Learning in the Classroom with John Beale
Research studies consistently demonstrate the power of active learning or learning by doing. Helping students become more engaged in the learning process means creating hands-on learning opportunities. In our latest CERTIFIED Academy: Design webinar, we sat down with CERTIFIED Ambassador, John Beale, to talk about hands-on learning. John Beale began his educational career working in museums including the Spanish Colonial Quarter, the Florida Agriculture Museum, and the Florida Maritime Museum. After more than a decade in experiential education he brought his experiences to the classroom, first at middle school level teaching science and STEM marine science before finding his place at Allen D. Nease High School in St John's County, Florida, teaching Introduction to Engineering and Design, Civil Engineering and Architecture, and Computer Integrated Manufacturing and sponsoring the Transportation Technology Club with a focus on Aerospace and Electrathon motorsports. He believes that industry certification creates a solid pathway to college, careers, and creativity and that collaboration and cooperation in and out of the classroom benefits all involved. We talked with John about how to make your classroom more playful and hands-on. He also talks about why play is so important for learning and engagement. Looking for more? Here are some additional resources to get you started. Bring play into the classroom with one of John’s go-to tools: . Get other ideas for your classroom on our blog: . Connect with your fellow educators, like John, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: . Don't miss your chance to register for our annual CERTIFIED Educator's Conference at . John will be presenting at this year’s conference, sharing a full “toolbox” of ideas for gamifying your classroom.
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Teaching Video Production and Editing with Rob Johnson
04/17/2024
Teaching Video Production and Editing with Rob Johnson
The need for video production and editing skills is skyrocketing. In 2024 alone, companies spending over $92B on video marketing. In this webinar turned podcast episode, we dove into the world of video editing and production with CERTIFIED Ambassador, Rob Johnson. Rob Johnson is a media professional with over twenty years of experience, having gotten his start in live television as a producer for Comcast SportsNet in Philadelphia where he was nominated for three Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards. He brought his industry experience to the classroom and has been involved in various roles as a teacher and digital strategist at La Salle College High School outside of Philadelphia, PA. Mr. Johnson's WEXPtv Media Program has won multiple Mid-Atlantic High School Emmy Awards during his tenure with many students achieving certification in Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Photoshop. We talked with Rob about why video editing and production skills are relevant for today’s students. He shared valuable tips and tricks for teaching Adobe Premiere Pro in the classroom, plus additional resources he uses to help his students master these in-demand skills. Best of all, he shares advice for how to weave in ever-changing and even emerging technologies into your classroom, such as AI. Check out the full webinar recording here: . Get all the details about the Adobe Certified Professional certification program here: . Check out additional CERTIFIED Academy: Design sessions here: . Get other ideas for your classroom on our blog: . Connect with your fellow educators, like Rob, in our CERTIFIED Educator Community here: . Learn more about our annual CERTIFIED Educator Conference here: https://certified.certiport.com/.
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