Career Training

Microcredentials: Tailoring Learning Journeys in Robotics

Did you know you don't have to have a four-year or two-year degree to qualify for a lucrative job?

• What you do need is a micro-credential.
• Micro-credentials offer a unique opportunity for adult learners to tailor their learning journeys to their specific needs and career aspirations.
• This personalized approach to skill development empowers individuals to acquire targeted knowledge and expertise efficiently.

I know this is true because I took courses decades after graduating from McGill University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and earned several Microsoft and Cisco micro-credentials. Did it require effort? Yes! Was it worth it? Yes!

So, let's dig deeper into how micro-credentials enable learners to create customized paths to success.

Canva generated this picture of a student working on a robot.

What are micro-credentials?

By their very nature, micro-credentials focus on specific skills or knowledge areas.

• They allow learners to choose from various offerings that align with their career goals and interests.
• This flexibility enables individuals to target areas where they seek to enhance their expertise, whether in data analysis, project management, or digital marketing.

Research conducted by the Stanford Graduate School of Education emphasizes the importance of learner agency in the educational process.

• Micro-credentials provide learners with the agency to select courses or programs that resonate with their passions and professional goals.
• This ensures their learning

The job market is changing at warp speed. During the pandemic, technology companies were expanding rapidly. However, in 2023 technology companies are shedding jobs. I have written this review of the job market outlook for community college graduates so that you can learn about job fields that are growing. To do so, I asked the powerful AI platform, ChatGPT questions. Then I set out the answers as an interview. You should use ChatGPT to explore opportunities in fields that interest you. It will save you time.

Rob: List the top ten job fields for community college graduates.

ChatGPT:

1. Healthcare: Community college programs in nursing, medical assisting, medical coding, and other healthcare fields can prepare graduates for jobs in hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities.
2. Information technology: Community college programs in computer science, information technology, and other related fields can prepare graduates for jobs in software development, network administration, cybersecurity, and other tech-related roles.
3. Business: Community college programs in accounting, marketing, and business administration can prepare graduates for jobs in various industries.
4. Education: Community college programs in early childhood education, teaching, and other related fields can prepare graduates for jobs as teachers or teacher assistants in schools and childcare centers.
5. Criminal justice: Community college programs in criminal justice and law enforcement can prepare graduates for jobs in law enforcement, corrections, and other criminal justice-related fields.
6. Culinary arts: Community college programs in culinary arts can prepare graduates for jobs as chefs, restaurant managers, and other food-related roles.
7. Engineering: Community college programs in engineering technology can prepare

Careers: Airline Industry

The COVID pandemic of 2020-2021 wreaked havoc on the airline industry. Passenger traffic dropped 61% in North America and 60 to 70% worldwide. 2020 was the worst year ever for the airline industry, according to the IATA. Both the travel and the airline industry had to downsize. That meant offering retirement packages to some employees and furloughing others. Many employees were laid off or terminated as the airlines struggled to cope with the sudden downturn in passenger traffic. Approximately 400,000 people lost their jobs due to the loss of business. When an entire industry sheds such a large number of employees, severe downsizing has a ripple effect throughout all the related and ancillary businesses that service the airlines. In 2020 that ripple effect was profound. However, 2021 saw things beginning to get back to normal.

Training for new opportunities

When businesses are hiring, your community college offers the training you need to take advantage of the many opportunities now available in the airline industry. In addition, when most airline industry employees took those retirement packages, they would not be returning to work for the companies that laid them off. That, in turn, creates openings for people like you who want to be part of an industry with many working parts.

Why work at an airport?

Read Six Reasons the Airport is the Best Place to Work to get an idea of what it's like to work at an

Careers: Teaching

Are you thinking about teaching?

• Want to find out more about the profession?
• Whether you have just graduated from high school or have been out in the workforce for decades, the teaching bug won't let go when the teaching bug bites.
• This is where your community college can be helpful. Why? Because its website allows you to do some virtual exploration. You will need to do your four-year, master's, or doctorate at a four-year institution.
• However, let's say you want to know more about what teaching involves.
• Perhaps you're curious about how your language skills might fit into teaching credentials.
• Maybe you already have a bachelor's degree in a specific subject area, such as mathematics or physics but have never taken any education courses.
• Your community college's website is excellent for looking for information and answers to your questions.

Canva generated this picture of a teacher working at her laptop.

Explore the possibilities.

As I said before, your community college can be helpful.

• First, search its website using the search term "education ."You will get results similar to what I got below when I searched for "education" on the Prince Georges County Community College, Maryland website.
• Ignore Continuing Education and Driver Education and similar search results for the moment, and explore the Education Department link.
• Now you have several choices to explore.
• With any luck,

First Responders and Emergency Services: Specialized Roles and Training

Disclaimer: I am writing this article against the backdrop of the catastrophic Los Angeles fires. The Pacific Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire started on January 7, 2025. The scenes of destruction are appalling. If I seem emotional sometimes, it's because I ran with the Warren Volunteer Fire Department in the 80s when I lived in Litchfield County, Connecticut. I know firsthand how devoted these first responders, firefighters, emergency responders, and all the other personnel fighting the fires are to their calling. These folks work tirelessly in hazardous conditions. ~Rob Kennedy

The Premise

In an era marked by escalating environmental disasters and security threats, the field of emergency services (EMS) has never been more critical. Yet, the EMS field is facing a critical workforce shortage. The American Ambulance Association reports a 20-30% annual turnover rate for EMTs and paramedics, meaning agencies need to replace their entire staff approximately every four years. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 7% growth rate for paramedic jobs from 2018 to 2028, with about 18,700 new jobs expected over the next decade.

As I will show you, there's a wide range of positions available in the field. Best of all, they suit dedicated men and women of all ages. For example, when I ran with the Warren VFD, I started by learning how to drive the ambulance.