Continuing Education Benefits

Most career confusion doesn’t start in college. It starts in Grade 8. By the time students are 16, they’re already: • Choosing subjects • Comparing colleges • Optimising for entrance exams But very few have: • Explored industries • Spoken to professionals • Tested real-world problems Clarity doesn’t come from choosing a stream. It comes from structured exposure. That’s why I’m starting— ‘The Career Exploration Lab’🧪🥼 A mentoring-led series for students between 14–21 who want to explore careers before committing to one. Over the next few weeks, I’ll break down: • How to test careers before internships • What exploration should actually look like • How to build signals without burnout • And what “careers of the future” really mean Because the students who win long-term aren’t the ones who decide early. They’re the ones who experiment intelligently. If you’re between 14–21 — or a parent navigating this phase — this series is for you. (We start next week.) #careerexploration #careerguidance #careernavigation #futureofwork #mentoring

There are 1.1M credentials but our latest research finds that only 12% offer significant wage gain earners wouldn’t have otherwise gotten. The Burning Glass Institute is launching the Credential Value Index to show which ones work, evaluating the outcomes from 23,000 non-degree credentials from over 2,000 providers, including every certification in America—from Coursera digital marketing certificates to OSHA certifications. To see whether they actually deliver for workers, we analyzed how each changed the course of the careers of 7 million people who had earned them. While only 1 in 3 credentials meet a minimum threshold vs. counterfactual peers for either boosting wages, facilitating career changes, or moving people up within their field, we still found 8,000 credentials that really move the needle for workers—often in ways that are transformative. The top decile of credentials yields annual wage gains of nearly $5,000 vs. counterfactual peers, increases by 7x vs. bottom credentials the chances of switching jobs into an aligned career, and boosts by 17x the probability of an earner’s getting promoted within their current field. We found wide variances in outcomes even for the same credential across named providers–and across the portfolio of credential offerings of even high-reputation providers. That says that learners can’t just trust brands and they can’t just trust that a credential will help just because it’s in a high-paying field. Instead, they need real data to help them make informed decisions. Our goal in this work is practical: to put these evaluations in the hands of workers and learners, employers, education institutions & training providers, and policymakers. The Credential Value Index–available through our Navigator site available on https://lnkd.in/e_BTX9bs –makes all 23,000 evaluations accessible to the public, with easy-to-understand metrics of performance, comparisons with other credentials, and helpful context, like which roles earners find themselves working in, which employers they’re working for, and which skills they master along the way. Our research is summarized in an American Enterprise Institute working paper which I coauthored with AEI senior fellow Mark Schneider and Burning Glass Institute colleagues Shrinidhi Rao, Scott Spitze, and Debbie Wasden. You can find it on https://lnkd.in/ezynMA-v. I want to express my deep thanks to Ellie Bertani, Matt Zieger, and the GitLab Foundation for all they have done to support this initiative. I am grateful for your partnership. And a big thank you to Patti Constantakis and Sean Murphy at Walmart for the opportunity to test this framework in a real-world laboratory. Finally, the Credential Value Index builds on a close partnership with Jobs for the Future (JFF). Many thanks to Maria Flynn, Stephen Yadzinski, and their terrific team. #education #careers #highereducation #learning #skills

I’ve spent 15+ years interviewing thousands of professionals across Africa and beyond. And I’ve noticed something that costs talented people opportunities every single day: They can do exceptional work. They deliver real results. They have valuable skills. But they struggle to articulate their impact in a way that gets them noticed, hired, or promoted. Last month, I interviewed two candidates for a senior role. Same industry experience. Similar backgrounds. Both technically capable. Candidate A told me: “I manage the sales team and handle client relationships.” Candidate B told me: “I built a sales framework that increased our team’s conversion rate by 40% while improving client retention scores from 72% to 89%.” Guess who got the offer? Here’s the truth: Your skills are your currency in today’s market. But if you can’t clearly communicate your value and impact, the market will never know what you’re truly capable of. That’s why I’m launching the Career Catalyst series. Each week, I’ll share insights from my years in talent acquisition to help you accelerate your career trajectory. Episode 1 is about the foundation: How to articulate your skills and impact in a way that makes you the obvious choice. Because your talent deserves to be seen. And your career deserves to move forward. Watch the video below 👇 #CareerCatalyst #ExecutiveCoaching #TalentAcquisition #CareerDevelopment #Leadership #PersonalBrandin

T.A. Pai Management Institute in Manipal is driving executive education for Coca-Cola, ITC, and Adani Group, ensuring that data-backed insights shape consumer-driven strategies. Amity University and Symbiosis International University are deeply involved in industry projects with Reliance Retail, Bharti Airtel, HDFC Bank, and Deloitte, reinforcing the importance of faculty-led corporate training as a crucial driver of business excellence. Yes, corporate training modules, methods and execution models are changing. 📌 The traditional model of corporate learning—where we always invite industry leaders to universities—is changing. It’s time we reverse the practice and send our best faculty members to conduct executive education programs at the world’s top organizations. The future of education and corporate learning lies in Faculty-Led Corporate Training—where our educators, researchers, and faculty members step into corporate boardrooms, leadership summits, and executive training programs to empower industry leaders with cutting-edge knowledge, research-backed insights, and transformative skills. Why Faculty-Led Corporate Training? 📌 Professors bring decades of academic research, case studies, and analytical insights that can transform corporate decision-making.📌 Premium Institutions have designed executive education programs that focus on business strategy, leadership, innovation 📌 Unlike generic corporate training, faculty-led programs use case studies, problem-solving workshops, and real-world simulations. 📌Faculty trained executives adopt multi-sector strategies by applying academic principles to corporate environments. Let me share examples of some of the institutions who have already adopted this practice. 📌 Internationally, London Business School is equipping leaders at Barclays, HSBC, BP, Shell, and British Airways with expertise in private equity, digital marketing, and risk management. 📌 The National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University are working closely with Singapore Airlines, DBS Bank, and Temasek Holdings to enhance corporate capabilities in data science, risk management, and global trade. 📌 China Europe International Business School is at the forefront of corporate learning for Alibaba, Huawei, Tencent, and BYD Auto, ensuring that technology-driven business ecosystems continue to thrive. 📌 IIMs and IITs are actively shaping the leadership terrain by training CXOs, MDs, and senior professionals from Tata Group, Infosys, Wipro, L&T, Mahindra, HCL Technologies, TCS, Tata Steel, ONGC, Reliance, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Flipkart, and Aditya Birla Group. With a strong focus on leadership, business strategy, financial modeling, data analytics, AI, and global trade policies. It’s time to empower faculty to step outside the campus, conduct corporate training at the national and international level. Tag to those academic Institutions you know who have adopted such practices.

What makes a blended learning solution truly impactful? If you're looking for inspiration, this Learning Uncut episode with Millie Law from ANZ Bank is a masterclass in business-aligned learning design. The initiative emerged from ANZ's strategic workforce planning, identifying business development as a critical capability need for their home lending specialists. The L&D team partnered closely with the business to understand both performance gaps and mindset barriers that were holding back home lending specialists from proactive customer engagement. The solution beautifully combined self-paced learning, peer workshops facilitated by respected internal coaches, and practical application with real customers. By addressing both skill development and mindset shifts around customer engagement, the program achieved sustained improvements of 20-25% in key business metrics. The success in Australia led to adaptation for New Zealand operations and integration into ANZ's core lending curriculum. What struck me most was how well-crafted this initiative was from end to end - from understanding business needs and connecting with individuals, to engaging influencers and measuring impact. It's such a thorough example of professional L&D practice. Thank you Millie for joining me to share this outstanding work that rightfully won the 2024 AITD award for best blended learning solution. Join us as we explore how the Better BD program achieved such significant outcomes. This episode is filled with useful insights to help L&D professionals create high-impact solutions. Listen on your favourite podcast app or go to the episode landing page to listen and access additional resources: https://lnkd.in/eyCkAPPY #LearningUncut#LearningAndDevelopment #BlendedLearning #CapabilityDevelopment #PerformanceConsulting

The Death of One-Size-Fits-All Training. 📢 If your leadership training still relies on PowerPoint slides, it’s outdated. And don't get me wrong - I still have L&D Heads tell me that they need slides for people to focus and account for the takeaway from the sessions. In fact, companies spend millions on training, but most programs fail to drive real behavior change. 📌 Why? ❌ Training is one-size-fits-all, ignoring individual learning needs. ❌ Employees learn in isolation, without real-world application. ❌ There's no reinforcement, so skills fade fast. 🔥 How some companies approached it differently: A client we worked with did the following: ✔️ Replacing classroom learning with blended learning experiences—mixing self-paced content, coaching, and peer discussions. ✔️ Embedding micro-learning into daily workflows—leaders received weekly bite-sized prompts to apply key leadership skills in real time. ✔️ Introducing mentorship circles, where leaders shared experiences instead of just learning theory. 🚀 The impact? ✔️ Higher skill retention, because learning was continuous. ✔️ More confidence in applying leadership skills, not just knowing them. ✔️ Employees actively engaged in their own development. 💡 What’s the most effective learning experience you’ve had? And why do you still remember it? Care to tell me?

Not all soft skills training is created equal. A few months ago, I was working with a group of managers from a large manufacturing company. They had been through plenty of training programs before- the kind where you take notes and then go right back to doing things the old way. When I walked into the room, I could see it in their faces: Let’s see if this is any different. So instead of starting with slides or theory, I took them straight into a live simulation: - A crisis scenario that could actually happen in their business. - Conflicting priorities, tough personalities, and limited time to decide. - Every move they made in real time had visible consequences. To begin with, I saw a lot of resistance in experimentation, voices which were not too loud and over powering were ignored leading to loss of critical information- the room was tense. People hesitated. Some stuck to their usual patterns. But as it got deeper, they started communicating much more effectively, this led to them collaborating, noticing blind spots, and eventually testing new ways to lead. By the end, they weren’t asking- Will this work? They said that they wanted to cascade it to their teams. Weeks later, I got an email from one of the managers. He told me he used the exact process from our simulation to navigate a real customer crisis and not only avoided a major fallout, but actually strengthened the client relationship through this crisis. That’s the difference between training that’s forgotten by the time you’re back at your desk, and training that rewires how you think, act, and lead. The secret? Immersion. When participants practice real scenarios, solve actual challenges, and see the impact of their decisions in the room, learning sticks. Priya Arora #immersivelearning #trainingdesign #employeeengagement #learningthatsticks #corporatelearning #leadershipdevelopment #upskilling #skillbuilding #workplacetraining #experientiallearning #Learningdeisgn #corporatetrainer #softskillstrainer #simulation #experintialtraining

This is the reason why many CS, CA, and CMA professionals end up with low pay despite being academically strong. We are toppers. We memorise modules. We know sections, provisions, concepts. But we are never taught the corporate reality. Think of it this way that you may be extremely intelligent, but if you don’t understand the environment you are entering, growth becomes slow. No one teaches you: • how interviews actually work • how workplace dynamics function • how to handle pressure or politics • how to build a strong CV • what skills companies truly value • how visibility and trust are created Because these things are not part of the syllabus. So I decided to speak about them. For 10 days, I ran a Corporate Learning Series on my YT channel to help students and freshers understand what usually takes professionals years to figure out. Here’s what we covered: 🔹 Day 1 – Corporate Red Flags How to recognise unhealthy environments early and protect your growth. 🔹 Day 2 – First Job Mistakes Errors that slow careers before they even begin. 🔹 Day 3 – Reaching Good Opportunities Positioning, preparation, and clarity matter more than luck. 🔹 Day 4 – Promotion Logic Why effort alone doesn’t guarantee growth. 🔹 Day 5 – Skills That Truly Matter Ownership, communication, and business thinking. 🔹 Day 6 – Interview Psychology What interviewers judge beyond answers. 🔹 Day 7 – Salary & Financial Awareness Understanding money gives confidence and choices. 🔹 Day 8 – Choosing the Right First Job Learning and mentorship shape long-term success. 🔹 Day 9 – Visibility & Authority Your work must be known to be rewarded. 🔹 Day 10 – Career Roadmap How to grow step-by-step instead of randomly. Degrees give entry. Awareness creates acceleration. If even one student avoids years of confusion because of this series, it was worth it. You can watch the complete series here: https://lnkd.in/dCeTnDJM

3 most powerful lessons I’ve learned in corporate training as a trainer: After years of delivering corporate training, I’ve discovered a few game-changing lessons that boost results for teams & organizations. Here’s what truly works— and why it matters for your business: 1. Engagement drives results: → Employees forget 75% of new info within 6 days if not actively engaged. → Interactive sessions, real-world scenarios & open discussion keep learning memorable & actionable. 2. Customization beats one-size-fits-all: → Tailored training increases knowledge retention by up to 60% compared to generic programs. → Every team & company is unique— custom content addresses your specific challenges & goals. 3. Measurable impact matters: → Companies that track training effectiveness see a 24% higher profit margin on average. → Setting clear goals & measuring progress ensures your investment delivers real business value. If you’re looking to energize your teams, boost productivity & see real ROI from your training, let’s connect. I design & deliver high-impact programs that make learning stick & drive results.

𝐂𝐲𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞-𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠.  Here is the strategic roadmap that maximizes ROI and career impact. After 20+ years building security teams,  I have seen engineers waste $10K on certifications that did not match their career path.  Here is how to choose wisely: 𝐁𝐋𝐔𝐄 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 (𝐃𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲): Beginner: • Security+ for foundational concepts-start here always • CSA for cloud security basics • eCDFP for digital forensics fundamentals • BTL1 for practical blue team skills Intermediate: • CySA+ for security analytics and threat detection • BTL2 for advanced defensive operations • eCTHP for threat hunting skills • GCIH for incident handling—critical for SOC roles • CDSA, OSDA for defensive security specialization • eCIR for incident response Advanced: • GCFA for forensic analysis-expert level • CASP+ for enterprise architecture security 𝐑𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 (𝐎𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲): Beginner: • PNPT for practical penetration testing • CBBH for bug bounty hunting • eJPT for entry-level pentesting • CRTP for attacking Active Directory • CEH for broad offensive concepts (HR loves it, but dated) Intermediate: • OSCP for hands-on pentesting—industry gold standard • OSWP for wireless security • OSWA for web application attacks • OSEP for advanced exploitation • CPTS for comprehensive pentesting Advanced: • OSMR for malware analysis and reverse engineering • OSED for exploit development • CRTO for red team operations Expert: • OSCE3 for advanced exploitation mastery • OSEE for extreme exploit development • OSWE for web security expertise Novice: • KLCP for Kubernetes security 𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐂 (𝐆𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 & 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭): Intermediate: • CRISC for risk management • CISA for IT auditing • CISM for security management Advanced: • CGEIT for governance of enterprise IT • CISSP for security leadership-required for CISO track 𝐂𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞: 𝐃𝐎: • Choose based on career goals, not popularity • Get hands-on experience before certification • Budget $500-$3K per cert including training • Maintain certifications-CPEs matter 𝐃𝐎𝐍'𝐓: • Chase every certification-depth beats breadth • Skip fundamentals to jump to OSCP • Certify without practical experience • Ignore vendor-neutral certs for vendor-specific ones 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡:  Certifications open doors but do not guarantee competence.  Hands-on experience + strategic certs = career acceleration. 𝐖𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭? ♻️ Repost if you found it valuable ➕ Follow Jaswindder Kummar for more insights on Cloud Strategy, DevOps, and AI-led Engineering. #Cybersecurity #InfoSec #DevSecOps