In this episode, Kristi Oliva shares her journey transitioning from teaching to a career in instructional design. She discusses initially pursuing a master's degree with the goal of becoming a professor. Kristi highlights how she discovered IDOL Academy and gained far more practical skills and knowledge applicable to her new career through their program compared to her master's degree.

Tune in to hear:

• Kristi's initial thought that she needed another degree to change careers

In this episode, Kristi Oliva interviews Kristen Bahls, a former teacher turned Senior Learning and Development Specialist. 

Tune in to hear:

1. Kristen's story of transitioning from teaching to instructional design, including how she discovered IDOL Courses and landed her current role in just 6 weeks.

In this episode, Kristi Oliva interviews former high school math teacher Andrea Hanson about her journey from leaving the classroom to become a successful entrepreneur and business coach. Andrea discusses how she started with network marketing before opening her own boutique. She shares her experience with following her intuition despite fears and overcoming challenges when transitioning out of teaching.

Tune in to find out:

- How Andrea took the leap of faith to leave teaching full-time

- Strategies for overcoming guilt and the doubts of naysayers when making a career change 

- Three key skills teachers already have that can transfer well to entrepreneurship

Connect with Andrea on Instagram

Are you looking for a no-nonsense formula for creating engaging courses and training? Check out my new book, The Do It Messy Approach: A Step-by-Step Guide for Instructional Designers and Online Learners (IDOLs) on Amazon.

In this episode, Kristi Oliva discusses 3 ways for teachers to gain work experience outside of the classroom when transitioning to new careers.

Tune in to hear:

- Tips on finding a local small business to gain experience through unpaid case studies and portfolio building

- Advice on taking on contract work to gain client management skills and experience 

- Suggestions for using a fictional client scenario to build a portfolio if other options aren't available

Connect with Kristi on LinkedIn

This podcast is sponsored by IDOL Courses and is the only authorized vocational school and implementation program of its kind that not only shows you exactly how to create your job application assets and build a portfolio from scratch, but also includes credentials, mentorship, expert coaching, and paid experience opportunities in corporate instructional design and online learning for life! Learn more about the program here.

In this episode of Leaving the Classroom podcast, host Kristi Oliva interviews Amar Kumar, CEO of KaiPod Learning.

Tune in to hear:

- About KaiPod Learning, a company that helps educators start their own microschools. Amar discusses how microschools can provide a personalized learning experience for students while also giving teachers more flexibility and impact.

- About KaiPod's Catalyst program, which provides training and resources for teachers interested in starting their own microschool. The program helps educators develop business plans, find funding, and get their microschool up and running.

- Examples of different types of microschools, from ones focused on student athletes or neurodiverse learners to schools targeting gifted students. Amar discusses how microschools can meet the needs of diverse learners.

Connect with Kristi on LinkedIn

Connect with Amar on LinkedIn

This podcast is sponsored by IDOL Courses and is the only authorized vocational school and implementation program of its kind that not only shows you exactly how to create your job application assets and build a portfolio from scratch, but also includes credentials, mentorship, expert coaching, and paid experience opportunities in corporate instructional design and online learning for life! Learn more about the program here.

In this episode of Leaving the Classroom, host Kristi Oliva interviews Pamela Wynter about her experience transitioning from teaching to becoming an instructional designer at a nonprofit organization. Pamela discusses her background as a teacher and how she discovered IDOL Academy, deciding to make the transition out of the classroom. She describes her journey through the IDOL program and landing a job as a senior manager and instructional designer at the American Diabetes Association. Pamela also discusses her daily responsibilities in her remote role and how she applies skills from her teaching experience.

Tune in to hear:

1. How Pamela committed fully to IDOL Academy, treating it like a full-time job to successfully transition out of teaching.

Connect with Kristi on LinkedIn

Connect with Pamela on LinkedIn

This podcast is sponsored by IDOL Courses and is the only authorized vocational school and implementation program of its kind that not only shows you exactly how to create your job application assets and build a portfolio from scratch, but also includes credentials, mentorship, expert coaching, and paid experience opportunities in corporate instructional design and online learning for life! Learn more about the program here.

In this episode of Day in the Life of a Corporate ID with Samiya Hai, Kristi Oliva interviews her friend Samiya about her career transition from teaching to becoming an instructional designer. 

Tune in to hear:

• How Samiya decided to make the change from her 15-year teaching career after feeling unsafe returning to the classroom during the pandemic

In this episode host Kristi Oliva discusses three steps for teachers who want to leave the classroom for a new career. She talks about picking a new career path through research and networking, discusses rewriting your resume to focus on results and skills instead of just tasks, and addresses practicing interviewing skills since interviews are important for getting jobs outside of teaching.

Tune in to find out:

- Why picking a new career path through research and networking is important

- Why rewriting your resume to focus on results and skills instead of just tasks is necessary 

- Why practicing interviewing skills is crucial for getting jobs outside of teaching

Connect with Kristi on LinkedIn 

This podcast is sponsored by IDOL Courses and is the only authorized vocational school and implementation program of its kind that not only shows you exactly how to create your job application assets and build a portfolio from scratch, but also includes credentials, mentorship, expert coaching, and paid experience opportunities in corporate instructional design and online learning for life! Learn more about the program here.

In this episode, Kristi Oliva interviews Amanda Kulik about her experience transitioning from teaching to becoming a corporate instructional designer. Amanda details her journey from getting her master's degree to finding IDOL courses Academy to landing her first instructional design job.

Tune in to find out:

1. Her journey from getting her master's degree and teaching for 15 years to discovering IDOL courses Academy and landing her first instructional design job within a few months of completing the program.

Connect with Kristi on LinkedIn 

Connect with Amanda on LinkedIn

This podcast is sponsored by IDOL Courses and is the only authorized vocational school and implementation program of its kind that not only shows you exactly how to create your job application assets and build a portfolio from scratch, but also includes credentials, mentorship, expert coaching, and paid experience opportunities in corporate instructional design and online learning for life! Learn more about the program here.

In this episode, Kristi Oliva discusses three ways she has learned to adapt to working in a male-dominated corporate environment after transitioning from the female-dominated field of teaching. She talks about managing her emotions, participating in meetings, and stopping unnecessary apologizing. The goal of the podcast is to help other teachers gain confidence and skills to make a career change.

Tune in to find out:

- The three ways Kristi Oliva has learned to adapt to working in a male-dominated corporate environment after transitioning from teaching, including managing emotions, participating in meetings, and stopping unnecessary apologizing

- How Kristi Oliva manages her emotions in meetings by listening more than speaking, taking notes, and not taking things personally

- How Kristi Oliva participates in meetings with colleagues she sees as smarter than her by speaking up, asking questions, and showing her full attention

Connect with Kristi on LinkedIn.

This podcast is sponsored by IDOL Courses and is the only authorized vocational school and implementation program of its kind that not only shows you exactly how to create your job application assets and build a portfolio from scratch, but also includes credentials, mentorship, expert coaching, and paid experience opportunities in corporate instructional design and online learning for life! Learn more about the program here.