About the Event:
This event explored career advancement opportunities beyond traditional degrees. On October 23rd, speakers from Abilitie, Arizona State University Learning Enterprise, and Digital Promise shared insights on various non-degree options designed to enhance career skills, qualifications, and certifications. Attendees discovered flexible and impactful micro-learning strategies that fit modern career paths, offering efficient and potentially cost-effective ways to pursue lifelong personal and professional growth. The session provided valuable information on accessing career-accelerating opportunities from a panel of industry experts, making it ideal for those seeking to enhance their professional trajectory through innovative learning solutions.
.
Featured Resources:
Abilitie
ASU Learning Enterprise
Digital Promise
- Micro-credential Platform
- Educator Micro-credential Policy Map
- Micro-credential Explorer
- Blog: MCs for Professional Development
- Blog: Benefits of Micro-credentials
- Examples of Micro-Credentials
- Classroom management
- General – Resolving Conflicts
- Tech – Behavior Management in a Digital Classroom
- Data-driven instruction
- For individual educators – Stack: Data Literacy
- For teacher leaders – Data-Driven Interventions
- Tech integration in education
- For individual educators – Stack: Digital Promise Journey
- For teacher leaders – Stack: Technology Coaching
- Classroom management
About the Panelists:
Bjorn Billhardt
CEO, Abilitie
View Profile / Abilitie / Contact: hello@abilitie.com
Bjorn Billhardt is the CEO and Founder of Abilitie, a company that creates leadership development programs and mini-MBAs using immersive business simulations. With over 20 years of experience in the learning and development industry, Bjorn has worked with Fortune 500 clients like GE, Dell, and PepsiCo to deliver engaging and scalable leadership training. A Harvard MBA graduate, he is passionate about empowering leaders and has led Abilitie to be recognized as a top provider of leadership training globally.
Abilitie: Abilitie is an innovative learning organization that offers leadership development and business simulation programs designed to accelerate the development of leadership and management skills in professionals. Their focus is on providing experiential learning opportunities that combine both live cohort-based programs and hybrid learning models, offering professionals the chance to gain real-world leadership experience in an interactive and engaging way. Abilitie provides high-impact, experiential learning programs focused on leadership development, business acumen, and management skills. Their offerings include cohort-based leadership programs, hybrid mini-MBAs, and custom business simulations designed to give professionals real-world leadership experience. Through their innovative approach to learning, Abilitie helps organizations and individuals accelerate their leadership development, improve decision-making, and prepare for senior management roles. Their programs are flexible, engaging, and designed for busy professionals looking to develop their skills in a dynamic, interactive way.
Stuart Rice
Senior Director of Learning Design, Learning Enterprise at Arizona State University
View Profile / ASU Learning Enterprise / Contact: stuart.rice@asu.edu
Stuart Rice is the Senior Director of Learning Design for Arizona State University Learning Enterprise, where he oversees a team of instructional and content designers to create impactful, scalable learning experiences. With a background in adult education and human systems engineering, Stuart has played a key role in driving ASU’s digital learning innovations. He has collaborated across multiple ASU departments, focusing on creating accessible, engaging educational solutions for learners. Stuart’s expertise spans instructional design, leadership, and project management.
ASU Career Catalyst: ASU CareerCatalyst is an online learning initiative by Arizona State University designed to provide learners with flexible, affordable, and career-focused educational opportunities. It offers courses, certificates, and training programs aimed at helping individuals enhance their skills, advance their careers, or pivot into new fields.ASU CareerCatalyst offers flexible, career-focused learning opportunities through on-demand courses, industry-recognized credentials, and custom workforce solutions. Their goal is to provide accessible, affordable learning that equips individuals with practical, job-ready skills to advance or pivot their careers. With a strong emphasis on aligning learning outcomes with industry needs, ASU CareerCatalyst helps learners stay competitive in an evolving job market.
Rita Fennelly-Atkinson, Ed.D.
Senior Director, Credentials, Digital Promise
View Profile / Digital Promise / Contact: microcredentials@digitalpromise.com
Rita Fennelly-Atkinson is the Senior Director of Credentials at Digital Promise, where she designs innovative, equitable credentialing solutions for learners of all ages. With a passion for empowering historically excluded learners, she leads the development of micro-credentials that promote access to meaningful learning and employment opportunities. Rita’s extensive experience spans instructional design, accessibility advocacy, and research. She holds a Doctorate in Instructional Systems Design & Technology, with expertise in digital learning, micro-credentials, and inclusive educational strategies.
Digital Promise: Digital Promise is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving education through technology, innovation, and research. Their primary goal is to advance equitable learning opportunities for all individuals, particularly those from underrepresented or underserved communities. Digital Promise offers micro-credentials, research-based solutions, educator support, and innovative technology initiatives to empower educators and improve learning experiences for all students. Their work is particularly impactful in helping educators adapt to the digital age and foster equity in education.
About the Career Acceleration Virtual Event Series
Hosted by the Teach For America Career Center and select partners and contributors, the Career Acceleration Virtual Events Series is offered to our entire network to engage in career accelerating topics to help inspire and support mindsets, knowledge and skills that advance one’s own career. The event series occurs every fall. We are always looking for a range of diverse speakers and topics to engage our alumni and corps member network. If you are interested in becoming a Career Acceleration virtual speaker or presenter, click here to learn more.