Voices of Readiness Podcast

To celebrate the PMI Project Management Ready™ Next Generation certification exam launch, we are re-airing our past episode with 2022 CERTIFIED Educator of the Year, Carol York. We hope you enjoy this one just as much as we do.

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: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Certifications/pmi/Certifications/Overview.

For advice on how to build a project management program at your school, check out this blog post: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Blog/2021/April/Building-a-Successful-Project-Management-Program.

This podcast is managed and edited by Haili Murch LLC.

If you are interested in starting a podcast or you are currently a podcaster needing help managing or relaunching your podcast, you may email Haili Murch at [email protected] or you can click here to book a call: https://calendly.com/hailimurch/podcast-discovery-call

Employers in every industry want a skilled workforce that is "tomorrow ready." Employers emphasize the need for employees with specific foundational skills, including digital literacy, competence in Microsoft Office, and the capability to communicate effectively. What which outcomes matter most?

In this week's episode, we'll hear audio from a past CERTIFIED Academy: Business webinar. We were able to collaborate with educator veterans Kathy Schmit and Karen Coloumbe, plus Kalama, WA's CTE Advisory Panelist member, Eric Yakovich.

Kathy is a 10-year veteran teacher with 25 years of firsthand experience applying Microsoft products in the business industry. Kathy entered the Career and Technical Education field to prepare students for the rigors and realities of the work world. Having been passed over for workplace advancement because she lacked certification or college credentials, she understands the importance and value of certification. Kathy will be the first to tell, in her enthusiastic manner, that certification matters! But above all else she will share with you and make you a believer that certification is for everyone!

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.

Eric is the Director of Economic Development at the Port of Kalama, Washington, where he manages properties, marketing, strategic planning, marine terminals, parks, recreation and security. Kalama is his hometown. He holds bachelor's and master's degrees in business administration. He has 30 years of experience in non-profit leadership, as an accountant, finance director and chief executive officer. Mr. Yakovich resides in Kalama with his wife. They have two, adult children and one grandchild. He enjoys time with his family, friends and Husky football.

In this episode, we discuss how to map your curriculum and courses to the skills demanded by today's employers. Learn how you can give your students the skills for success in any workplace.

Ready to connect with your fellow educators for new ideas for your classroom? Join educators like Kathy and Karen in the CERTIFIED Educator Community: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/.

You can also find new ideas for your class on the Certiport blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/blog.

And of course, don't miss your chance to network with new teachers at our CERTIFIED Educator Conference this June! Get all the details here: https://certified.certiport.com/.

This podcast is managed and edited by Haili Murch LLC.

If you are interested in starting a podcast or you are currently a podcaster needing help managing or relaunching your podcast, you may email Haili Murch at [email protected] or you can click here to book a call: https://calendly.com/hailimurch/podcast-discovery-call

With career and technical education, students can find pathways and careers that align with their interests and goals. So why does CTE often feel like an aside or extra? Why are we still treating education like a linear journey when we know it's not?

In this episode, we were able to discuss the stigma around Career and Technical Education (CTE) in the United States. We were fortunate to have Matthew Fritzius lend us his expertise. Matthew is a CTE Curriculum Supervisor for Broward County Public Schools (BCPS). He has worked for BCPS for 16 years: 3 years in the CTE Department, 5 years as a high school assistant principal, and 8 years as a high school teacher. Matthew is a passionate educator who champions CTE as an avenue towards community revitalization. He is a Ph.D. student in Florida Atlantic University's (FAU) Educational Leadership and Research Methodology (ELRM) Department. Matthew is a 2023 University Council for Educational Administration Clark Scholar and has been recognized as the FAU ELRM Department's Outstanding Graduate Student for 2022/23. His research interests include school leaders' perspectives on the role of CTE in educational equity and their approaches to positioning and leading CTE.

We talked with Matthew about his Ph.D. research, comparing CTE in the United States and other countries around the world. We discussed the power of CTE, and the impact it can have on the economic future of the U.S. He shares how Florida is working to open new pathways for students, showing them that not all jobs require a four-year degree (in fact, research shows that less than 50% of jobs do). He also offers some valuable advice for how to de-stigmatize CTE in your school, district, and state.

Matthew recommends staying connected to research and updates regarding career and technical education. Here are some of his favorite resources:

1. Association for Career and Technical Education: https://www.acteonline.org/.

2. The Thomas B. Fordham Institute: https://fordhaminstitute.org/.

3. Perkins Funding: https://cte.ed.gov/legislation/perkins-v.

4. Florida DOE's Career and Adult Education: https://www.fldoe.org/academics/career-adult-edu/.

Ready to connect with your fellow educators for new ideas for your classroom? Join educators like Matthew in the CERTIFIED Educator Community: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/.

You can also find new ideas for your class on the Certiport blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/blog.

And of course, don't miss your chance to network with new teachers at our CERTIFIED Educator Conference this June! Get all the details here: https://certified.certiport.com/.

This podcast is managed and edited by Haili Murch LLC.

If you are interested in starting a podcast or you are currently a podcaster needing help managing or relaunching your podcast, you may email Haili Murch at [email protected] or you can click here to book a call: https://calendly.com/hailimurch/podcast-discovery-call

Entrepreneurs are a major driver in the economy. Senator Klobuchar from MN said, "Entrepreneurship and innovation are key to our economic prosperity and are needed more than ever as we rebuild our economy and put the pandemic behind us." Help your students become tomorrow's innovative business leaders by learning from today's entrepreneurs.

This episode includes audio from one of our CERTIFIED Academy: Business webinars. We sat down with two fabulous entrepreneurs and female powerhouses: Devon Wellington and Haili Murch.

Devon Wellington is the CEO and Founder of Finerly Decor, a home decor e-commerce business that aims to provide quality home decor at a fair price. With her husband, David, she also owns three franchises of a social etiquette business, teaching over 3,000 6-12 graders in the Northern Virginia area. With a master's degree in Applied Developmental Psychology, Devon also has experience as a researcher in the non-profit space and in education policy for a social and behavioral research firm. Through all her varying interests, Devon has found that her throughline in her work is accessibility, whether to information, programming, or decor. She's also a big believer that there's room at the top for everyone. You can learn more about Devon's business here: https://finerlydecor.com/.

Haili Murch is a mom of two boys and a podcast connoisseur! She helps female entrepreneurs start and manage their podcasts so they can grow their businesses, have a platform for their unique message, and help give them time to create a purpose filled business for their clients and for their own lives. She started her virtual assistant business 4 years ago. At the beginning of 2020, she decided to niche down to podcasting only and her business doubled during a pandemic! She saw that working with podcasters was needed and that it wasn't going anywhere. She has worked on 40+ different podcasts and she is continually amazed with the variety of podcasts and the value they bring to their listeners. You can learn more about Haili's business here: https://www.hailimurch.com/.

In this episode, we talk about Devon and Haili's experiences starting their own businesses, the lessons they've learned, what they wish they'd done differently, and how educators can spark the entrepreneurial fire in their classrooms.

Check out other CERTIFIED Academy Business session recordings here: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Blog/2023/January/Join-us-for-CERTIFIED-Academy-Business.

Prepare your students to be successful entrepreneurs with our Entrepreneurship and Small Business (ESB) certification. Learn more about ESB certification here: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Certifications/ESB/Certification/Overview.

Ready to connect with your fellow educators for new ideas for your classroom? Join us in the CERTIFIED Educator Community: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/.

You can also find new ideas for your class on the Certiport blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/blog.

And of course, don't miss your chance to network with new teachers at our CERTIFIED Educator Conference this June! Get all the details here: https://certified.certiport.com/.

This podcast is managed and edited by Haili Murch LLC.

If you are interested in starting a podcast or you are currently a podcaster needing help managing or relaunching your podcast, you may email Haili Murch at [email protected] or you can click here to book a call: https://calendly.com/hailimurch/podcast-discovery-call

Every day we use and interact with devices that use artificial intelligence (AI). Help your students understand and get excited about the power of AI technology with the Microsoft Imagine Cup Junior competition. The Microsoft Imagine Cup Junior (ICJ) is a global student competition for students ages 13-18. Through ICJ, educators utilize lessons to teach their students about AI technologies, students form teams, and apply these lessons to dream up a concept or idea to make a difference in their local community or world around them.

In this week's episode, we had the opportunity to chat about ICJ with Microsoft's Jeff Johnson. Jeff Johnson is Senior Business Manager for the Skills & Employability team in the Worldwide Public Sector Education group at Microsoft. In his role, Jeff leads the company skills strategy with K-12 and higher education institutions, government workforce agencies, educators, and partners around the world surrounding adoption and engagement with technical skills solutions for students including learning pathways and Microsoft's industry recognized certification portfolio. Jeff is instrumental in helping Microsoft form broad education alliances with schools, higher education institutions, and governments globally to assist learners in gaining future-ready skills and technical credentials for the digital economy.

We talked with Jeff about the importance of AI skills, and how educators can introduce students to the world of AI through the Microsoft Imagine Cup Junior competition. Jeff gave us all the details about ICJ, how students can compete, how educators can support them, and how to keep the AI momentum going after the competition has finished.

Jeff mentioned several resources during this episode. Get everything you need to dive into ICJ here:

1. Imagine Cup Junior blog post: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Blog/2023/March/What-is-Microsoft-Imagine-Cup-Junior

2. Imagine Cup Junior website: www.imaginecup.com/junior.

3. Microsoft's AI for Good Initiative: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ai/ai-for-good

4. Microsoft Certified Fundamentals certification information: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Certifications/Microsoft/MCF/Overview.

5. Free learning materials for Microsoft Certified Fundamentals certification: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/.

For teachers working with students over 18, check out the Imagine Cup: www.imaginecup.com.

First generation college students face unique challenges in the collegiate environment, but they also hold unique cultural capital that helps them succeed. We were privileged to connect with three amazing individuals from the University of California, Riverside: Elizabeth Montgomery, Dr. Cheryl Love, and Dr. Rich Yueh.

Elizabeth Montgomery serves as the Associate Director of Student and College Engagement at the University of California, Riverside Career Center. Elizabeth has worked in career services for over 12 years and in the education field for nearly 20 years. She is committed to leading her team to empower college students in their career journey and to working collaboratively with campus, community, and industry stakeholders to ensure the successful transition and career trajectory of students from college to career. She leads UCR's Career Readiness Assessment Team (UCR CREATE) made up of faculty and staff leaders from across campus who collaborate to develop and implement initiatives that support career readiness, especially for first generation and low-income students.

Dr. Love is a Career Counselor and a College Specialist for the Arts, Humanities, School of Education and School of Public Policy in the Career Center at the University of California, Riverside. In this role she also serves as the Liaison to the African Student Programs and the Black Student Success Initiative. She has worked tirelessly over the years to encourage and support students in successfully completing their degrees and finding a career path that is a good fit for them. She is a strong student advocate and is committed to support students in and outside of the work that she has been involved with over the years. She's passionate about the student experience, constantly working to ensure that regardless of a students' background or circumstance that they can not only survive but thrive.

Dr. Rich Yueh believes in helping students find and make meaning from the class content. He is an assistant professor of teaching in information systems in the School of Business at University of California, Riverside. Rich is the recipient of multiple student-nominated Golden Apple Awards for excellence in undergraduate and graduate teaching, as well as the inaugural James Merino Innovation Award for innovation in the classroom.

All three of our guests are experts in working with first-generation college students, as fifty-two percent of UCRs students are. The University has a lot of experience helping these students graduate and find meaningful careers. In this episode, we discussed the barriers these students face to succeeding in a collegiate environment, and the advantages they bring to the table. We also discussed the resources first generation college students have leveraged at UCR, and how the administration is taking an empathetic approach to the first-generation experience. Our guests also give incredible suggestions for how to demystify, humanize, and personalize the college experience to help all your students succeed.

Looking for additional resources to help you empower your first-generation college students? Join the CERTIFIED Educator Community to connect with educators like our team at UCR to support you in your teaching journey: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/.

You can also find new ideas for your class on the Certiport blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/blog.

And of course, don't miss your chance to network with new teachers at our CERTIFIED Educator Conference this June! Get all the details here: https://certified.certiport.com/.

Here at Certiport, we're privileged to work with many state education representatives who know and understand the power of career and technical education. The impact of these state leaders is substantial, as they have power to decide what educators can teach in their classroom.

One state who has caught the vision of CTE and the power of certification is Idaho. They've been running a statewide certification program since 2015, starting first with Microsoft certifications (https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Certifications/Microsoft) and later adding in Adobe Certified Professional (https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Certifications/Adobe/ACP/Overview) as well.

In this episode, we got to sit down with two Idaho educators who have been through the statewide process: Janet Webb and Lyndy Higgins. This dynamic duo comes from a small southwestern Air Force town in Idaho, with limited opportunities. Together they have grown a program that offers students opportunities to not only certify but also receive credits in some of the basic business and technology college courses. As co-advisors for the local BPA chapter, these teachers have gone above and beyond in offering students more than just a high school diploma.

Janet Webb has been teaching business and technology for 24 years. She taught for six years in California and the last 18 at Mountain Home High School in Idaho. When Idaho offered the opportunity to start certifying students in Microsoft, she jumped on board. She feels so lucky that Idaho supports the CTE programs and students and hopes to continue working together to provide students in Idaho great opportunities.

Lyndy Higgins comes from the corporate world, where she worked as a Project Manager. She's been an educator for seven years in Mountain Home, Idaho and a Region Facilitator for the Idaho Department of Education for a year, mentoring teachers as they navigate their way through Imagine Academy, BrainBuffet, and Certiport certifications. Her industry work has empowered her to teach her students the workplace ready skills needed to pave the way for each student to be successful in with Microsoft and Adobe certifications.

Janet and Lyndy gave us the full history of certifications in Idaho schools. We talked about the challenges they faced, and how the state offered support to help make the program successful. They even gave some practical ideas for how they promote the programs in their schools and districts, to get students engaged and excited about certification from day one. If you're a part of a statewide certification program, or hoping to be, this episode is for you.

Janet and Lyndy talked about some fabulous resources they use in their program. Here are the links for those interested:

1. Idaho's Statewide certification coordinator has graciously offered to chat with anyone interested in launching their own program. You can contact her here: Kaylene Hoyt, [email protected].

2. Discover the value of certification: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/About/The-value-of-certification.

3. Get students excited about MOS and Adobe certifications with Certiport's Championships. Visit https://www.moschampionship.com/ for details on MOS and Adobe at https://acpchampionship.certiport.com/.

Learn more about curriculum options, like Brain Buffet here: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Certifications/Adobe/ACP/Learn.

The number of emergent bilingual (EB) students is on the rise. According to the latest data from the National Center for Education Statistics, over 10% of public-school students across the country speak English as a second language. You likely have a few in your own classroom. How do you make sure their educational experience is as rich and meaningful as students who speak English as their first language?

Anna Zuniga is an educator and social-emotional learning consultant in Texas who is actively working to empower EB students. Anna has over 15 years of experience in the classroom, and roughly 90% of her students are emergent bilinguals. She's been successfully certifying students in Microsoft Word and Excel for over 6 years. The joy she receives when a student is successful in obtaining an industry-based certification is priceless.

In this episode, we talked with Anna about what it's like to work with EB students. She shared her thoughts on how to honor their cultural and language heritage, how to bolster their confidence, and how to help them expand their vocabulary to tackle technical learning and prepare for industry certifications. Educators who work with EB students will find wonderful motivation, insight, and valuable resources from Anna's experience.

Looking for additional resources to help you empower your EB students? Check out Teachers Pay Teachers, a resource Anna mentioned during this episode: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/.

It doesn't have to end there either! Join the CERTIFIED Educator Community to connect with educators like Anna to support you in your teaching journey: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/.

You can also find new ideas for your class on the Certiport blog: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/blog.

And of course, don't miss your chance to network with new teachers at our CERTIFIED Educator Conference this June! Get all the details here: https://certified.certiport.com/.

Creating a diverse, equitable, and inclusive classroom requires dedication and effort. But the efforts are well worth the results. California educator, Marjorie Duffy, has seen the results firsthand. 

Marjorie has been teaching Microsoft apps for over 20 years at Cosumnes River College (CRC) in Sacramento.  CRC is one of the most ethnically diverse two-year colleges in the country and Marjorie believes that adding specific, measurable skills to her students’ resumes is an important part of her work. She’s been delighted to be able to offer certification opportunities to her students since 2015. 

During this episode, we talked with Marjorie about what it’s like to work with such a diverse group of students. We talk about all different kinds of diversity (in age, in race and ethnicity, in economic standing) and the impact that diversity has on the classroom. Marjorie talks about how she’s evolved her teaching approach over the years, to provide students a more inclusive learning experience. Plus, she shares how she’s learned from her students. In her words, “If you want to help learners, you have to be a learner.” 

Learn more about how you can empower students of color here: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Blog/2020/August/Empowering-Students-of-Color. 

Find ways to create more gender diversity in your classroom: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Blog/2021/March/Closing-the-Gender-Technology-Gap. 

We asked Marjorie to share her favorite books and resources that have helped her expand her views of diversity and inclusion. Here are some of her recommendations: 

1. Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People

2. The Vanishing Half

3. Kindred

4. Waking Up White: and Finding Myself in the Story of Race

5. Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption

6. Harlem Shuffle

Ready to connect with your fellow educators for new ideas for your classroom? Join educators like Marjorie in the CERTIFIED Educator Community: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8958289/. 

And of course, don’t miss your chance to network with new teachers at our CERTIFIED Educator Conference this June! Get all the details here: https://certified.certiport.com/.

According to a 2021 report from the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (https://itif.org/publications/2021/11/29/assessing-state-digital-skills-us-economy/), the United States needs to significantly increase its investment in workforce training, including for digital skills. Their report dove into the abilities of today's working-age Americans, and the results are shocking. One in six working-age Americans are unable to use email, web search, or other basic digital tools. Closing the divide in digital skills is crucial for American's financial and workforce future.

We were lucky enough to talk about the digital divide with Scott Kuchinsky. Scott is an experienced educator, program administrator, and licensed attorney. Currently, he's worked as the Director of Literacy Service at Plainfield Public Library in New Jersey. In this role, Scott oversees 300 adult learners, 50 volunteer teachers, along with a team of paid employees. He's passionate about the impact of digital training and industry-certification, and designed instructional materials for New Jersey State Library's Literacy Bootcamp Program, leveraging Certiport's IC3 Digital Literacy certification.

In this episode, we explain what the digital divide is, how digital literacy differs from digital fluency, and the impact the divide has on different populations. Scott also shares his preferred funding sources, and how to make sure you secure funding for your digital literacy program.

Discover more about the success happening at Plainfield Public Library here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uix0ISapfjs and here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZnongEoAAs&t=4s.

Learn more about Certiport's IC3 Digital Literacy program here: https://certiport.pearsonvue.com/Certifications/IC3/Digital-Literacy-Certification/Overview.