Micro-Drip Learning Course Calendar

HIF Logic – The Six Sigma of Talent Development

The best way to create connections between workforce and education is to get the work-learn communities moving in the same direction. For this reason, Dream2Career developed HIF Logic. HIF stands for the Horizontal Industry Framework which crosses talent interests with all the job functions using only six areas. HIF Logic – is defined as the “Six-Sigma of Workforce Development”. HIF Logic provides a standardized workforce infrastructure that improves business productivity and decreases costs by increasing worker access to general education. This system is designed to improve employee motivation, minimize variation, increase quality, and improve efficiency.

The educational system, in all of its forms, is complicated and disjointed. For this reason we developed a standard communication / media delivery system that uses HIF Logic to simplify this complicated, but necessary, form of human development. The HIF Logic media schedule allows, learning providers, businesses, workforce groups, and government initiatives (HEMPEngine, MASH, DoD Skillbridge, etc) all to exist in the same communication system and thought stream, at predictable times, pertaining to educational initiatives. As communities and institutions,  “celebrate” learning events, programs, experiences using HIF Logic, it creates opportunities for close collaboration and innovation. Dream2Career recently developed a Work-Learn communications platform that is setup using HIF Logic to organize the educational system so that it works for everyone. Think how businesses plan communications around seasons and holidays. Imagine how much more effective workforce communications could be when streamlined using HIF Logic.

In addition to helping communities promote educational content, the HIF Logic framework was designed to help our student/workers to focus on personal and professional development, so that they could find passion and purpose through learning. Mental health is a huge issue for many and education, through shared learning experiences, helps to combat loneliness and depression and studies have shown education staves off dementia.

Dream2Career provides a 15-Min daily, shared learning diet through our Micro-Drip Learning platform, which consequently uses HIF Logic to provide useful educational content in a predictable, gamified way. This new learning style helps to stop the mindless media scroll and it provides career signals and confidence building mechanisms, so employees and career seekers can see hope for a better tomorrow.

If you are interested consuming your educational diet, click here to join the Micro-Drip. Our courses are developed by subject matter experts and have been used in over 70K businesses. Micro-Drip Learning helps users to understand strengths, weakness, and the strength of differences, so our users live the life they always wanted and they succeed in learning and in life.

About Dream2Career:

Dream2Career (D2C) uses education to attract, retain, and inspire the workforce of tomorrow.

Time to Grow: Start A New Educational Fitness Routine

Starting a new learning lifestyle is exciting! You’re energized by the potential for a mental healthier you. Unfortunately, staying motivated can be tough. Life gets busy, boredom hits, and the social media scroll suddenly seems very appealing.

Here’s where psychology comes in. By understanding how our brains work and what triggers behavior change, we can use these insights to our advantage.

Building on Classical Conditioning 

John B. Watson, a pioneer of behaviorism, famously demonstrated classical conditioning through his (now ethically questionable) experiment with Little Albert. While we wouldn’t want to use fear conditioning for education, the principle applies. Pair your learning with something you enjoy, like teaming up with a friend or playing music, SOFTLY, in the background. Over time, the positive association with learning can make you crave that feel-good state of mind.

Operant Conditioning: Rewarding Yourself 

B.F. Skinner, another behaviorist, championed operant conditioning, where behaviors are reinforced or punished by their consequences. This is all about rewarding yourself for sticking to your goals. After a microcourse, treat yourself to a trip to store or cappuccino. Completing a week of Micro-Drip Learning? Celebrate with a relaxing bath or a tickets to your favorite performer.

The Power of Goals 

Setting clear, SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) is crucial for success according to Edwin Locke and Gary Latham’s goal-setting theory. Instead of a vague desire to “start learning,” aim to “connect the learning to ways to upskill into your dream career” or “to find your passion so you can live your best life.” Track your progress and celebrate milestones to stay motivated.

Social Influence: Partner Up or Find a Support Group

We are social creatures, heavily influenced by those around us. Find a learning buddy or join the Micro-Drip Learning classes. Social support and a little friendly competition can go a long way in keeping you accountable and keep your interest level high.

Beyond Behaviorism: The Role of Mindset

While behaviorism provides powerful tools, psychology is multifaceted. Carol Dweck’s work on mindsets highlights the importance of believing in your ability to change. Instead of viewing setbacks as failures, view them as actual learning experiences. This growth mindset fosters resilience and keeps you going when things get tough.

Remember, creating sustainable change takes time and effort. By using these psychological principles, you can develop a routine that feels good and fits seamlessly into your life. So, put on your glasses, and get ready to achieve your goals in learning and in life!

References

  • Baron, R. A., & Branscombe, N. R. (2016). Social Psychology (13th ed.). Pearson.
  • Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.
  • Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a critical mass of evidence to make contingent reward effective for motivating employee performance. Organizational Dynamics, 31(2), 38-58.
  • Rosenthal, M. (2004). Little Albert and the beginnings of behaviorism. American Psychologist, 59(3), 205.
  • Schultz, D. P., & Schultz, S. E. (2016). A theory of controlled and automatic mental processes applied to learning.Psychological Bulletin, 93(1), 139.

inspiration- Education creates bliss

From Ignorance to Bliss: The (Honest) Struggle of a Healthy Mind

Let’s be real: the image of happiness from a life of dedication often glosses over the messy reality of getting started. Education, the holy grail of mental fitness transformations, can feel as intimidating as scaling Mount Everest in your pajamas.

Here’s the truth: Getting Started is HARD. Here’s why:

  1. The Intimidation Factor: Libraries and schools are filled with seemingly effortless regulars. You might feel like a lost puppy wandering into a dog show. Don’t worry, everyone started somewhere, even Albert Einstein; who, by the way, was dyslexic.
  2. Learning the Lingo: Visionary, Maven, Processor, Protector, Specialists, Naturalist –– a whole new vocabulary bombards you. It’s okay to ask for help! Teachers are there to guide you, not judge you.
  3. The Soreness Struggle: Mental fatigue after you fail a quiz isn’t a badge of honor, it’s a reminder that your mind is protesting this new activity. Start slow, listen to your body, and embrace the fact that frustration with learning is temporary (but oh-so-real).
  4. Media Dilemma: Forget quick fixes like listening to news and social media. Creating a healthy education diet takes courage and effort. Saying goodbye to the scroll and hello to Micro-Dripping can feel like a major life shift.
  5. Motivation Meltdown: Life gets busy. Work, family, social commitments –– suddenly that 15-minute micro-course seems impossible. Don’t beat yourself up. Focus on consistency, not perfection. Aim for 2-3 micro-drip courses a week and build from there.

Tips to Tame the Transformation:

  • Baby Steps: Don’t jump into a hardcore advanced calculus class. Start with Micro-Drip Learning and discover what inspires you and identify content weaknesses requiring the most improvement.
  • Find Your Tribe: Shared learning experiences provide opportunities to join group discussions that boost motivation and make learning fun and engaging.
  • Embrace the Apps: There are tons of free courses with foundational and advanced knowledge about anything and everything. Check out MOOCs.
  • Celebrate Non-Scale Victories: Focus on how you feel, not just your grades. More confidence? happiness? connections to others? These are wins too!
  • Reward Yourself: Hitting your goals deserves a celebration. With learning, there is no overindulgence. Treat yourself with a dream vacation and you can learn about history and culture as part of the trip.

Remember: This is a journey, not a sprint. There will be setbacks, missed classes, and cheating (asking your friend for the answers to the Trivia Quizzes). The key is to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get back on track. You’ve got this!

Bonus Tip: Take screen shots of your first grades. Not to shame yourself, but to track your progress. Seeing how smart you become and tracking your rankings on the leaderboards. These stats will become a huge motivator as you start to define your skills and passions for life.

The most important thing? Start. It takes just one click to embark on an amazing journey towards a healthier, happier, stronger you. So, sharpen your pencils, grab some healthy snacks, and get ready to conquer those challenges and embark on the journey of a lifetime! You won’t regret it!

Micro-Drip Learning Course Calendar

Dream2Career Creates Micro-Drip Learning

First of its kind, Dream2Career created Micro-Drip Learning to provide a speedy and simplified way to consume knowledge daily. There are no courses to find, schedules to meet, or effort to expend to make learning new things fun and engaging. All content is developed by subject matter experts and includes valuable information that will help members develop personally and professionally. The Micro-Drip Learning community provides the “college experience”; bringing people together who work in various industries to collectively engage in learning and living. It helps members to understand strengths, weaknesses, and the strengths of our differences. The environment provides a sense of belonging and provides discounts on travel and events.

How it Works

The course content, dripped daily Monday- Friday, includes content on Sales & Marketing, Leadership & Team Building, Administration & Trades, Safety & Compliance, Finance & Analytics, Management, Health & Personal Growth, Innovation, and Customer Relations. Each 15-minute microcourse contains 5 multiple choice questions and leaders will be rewarded with prizes and recognition. To ensure the content does not become overwhelming, courses will only be accessible for 3 days. If it is not consumed by the member, the course will be removed from the member’s list. This automation process keeps learners on track and excited about receiving new content each day. Creating course time limits is vital to the learning process; to avoid procrastination and to ensure learning success.

Why Micro-Drip Learning is Important

According to a 2023 Gallup Poll, there has been $8.8 Trillion in lost productivity due to employee disengagement worldwide. Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine reported that loneliness continues to increase as we continue to disconnect from the world around us. The world has turned away from valuing education which has made the world disconnected, disengaged, and unhappy. The only information collectively consumed currently is the news which contains far too much hate, violence, and politics; none of which are conducive to building a productive society.

We need to change the subject, incorporate new ideas, and find concepts that unite us. Collective learning, using Micro-Drip Learning provides shared experiences that make the world happier and engaged with solutions and innovations that drive the World forward. Learning is living and Micro-Drip Learning is the avenue to making this a reality.

finding the right college

Finding Your Career Signal In the Noise

Before technology we were better at putting information in its place. When you went to the library, you could find books by author, title, or subject. This made finding information organized but limited to content you could obtain within your traveling distance.  I remember going to the University of Scranton’s Library, a 20-minute drive, because they had a book share program with my high school. At that time, you had to be motivated to find content for your research papers, some of my classmates even traveled to Philadelphia.

Today, information is everywhere. We are overwhelmed by messages about everything which makes us very stressed. It is impossible to find the signal in the noise.  You can read more about this concept in a book called The Signal and the Noise: Why So Many Predictions Fail–but Some Don’t by Nate Silver. He’s a math genius but writes in a way that anyone can read and understand.

Search engines use keywords or subjects similar to card catalogs of the past. However, search engines include information found on over 1.7 Billion websites, not to mention linkages to all of the social media content that exists on the internet. Search engines are helpful if you need a specific piece of information like an address or office hours for a company.  Other than that, the only information that can effectively be found through search engines are ads trying to sell the “deal of the century”.  Search engines might seem similar to the card catalogs of the past, but after closer observation they are quite different. No one is getting smarter, feeling more connected, or being inspired by quality researched information found using search engines.

Some technologies have helped to organize information in useful ways, two of these are Amazon and ride-sharing platforms like Uber and Lyft. These platforms work because you are going to them, like the card catalog of the past, for a specific purpose. If you want to purchase an item you consult the Amazon website and quickly find the information you seek. If you need a ride, ride share transactions take place, in a functional way, because everyone knows where to find the specific transportation information needed.

Unfortunately, this matching of need with solution does not happen for education. There  are so many different types of programs and learning opportunities, traditional and non-traditional pathways, certificates, badges, camps, hackathons, apprenticeships, internships, incubators, scholarships, etc. that students can’t easily find the best learning program for them. This results in students wasting hours of time researching, using dreaded search engines, to find work and career learning information on the web. Educational institutions are forced to spend too much money buying keywords that result in no additional prospective student views of their educational programs.  If only there was a specific card catalog for education that organized information, in a specific way, where learning experiences could be found based on location and career aspirations.

Imagine a world where learning experiences were organized based on interests and made recommendations of similar learning opportunities. How cool would this solution be? Enter the keywords or searchable fields organized into six mega clusters, and have access to local events and programs that put students, parents, educators and career-seekers on pathways to success. No longer would there be a need to find the company and then hope they have a learning program for you to get your foot in the door. No longer would there be a need to pick a school and then hope they have your major or program of interest. No longer would families struggle to find fun and educational places to go and things to do together. Communities would begin to work on discovering, growing, and thriving as they work towards a common goal–Prosperity through education and connection!

Dream2Career is developing this type of solution, where you can find categories of interest and quickly locate learning on-ramps and experiences. Visit our developing website at Edu-Advisor.org or sign up today to receive updates about learning experiences matching your interests. We are hard at work designing Edu-Advisor the app, until then, subscribe here to learn more about this project and start living your dream life.

 

 

Trending: Healthcare Specialists Careers

For those interested in working in healthcare but not enduring years of study, they should consider a career as a Medical Device Specialist. PrepMD, offers one of the most innovative and effective Medical Device Specialist programs in the nation.  The program can be completed in 6 months; 2 months of online training followed by 16 weeks of in-person training and rotations at some of the best Boston healthcare systems and clinics. PrepMD’s training program has an impressive 98% placement rate with an average starting compensation package of $84K per year. Licensed by the Massachusetts Division of Professional Licensure, the PrepMD Training and Placement Program offers students an excellent career pathway for anyone interested in an on-ramp to the medical field.

A career as a medical device specialist is an option if:

  1. You want to work in a field that fulfills your passion for improving lives
  2. You seek a challenging and a fast-paced environment
  3. You want to work alongside respected professionals and have opportunities to present as an expert
  4. You want to be rewarded for your intelligence, work ethic, positive attitude, and teamwork

The usage of medical devices in hospitals is increasing as innovations make these products more pervasive.  Because of the aging population and the increase in cardiovascular disease, more researchers are studying and developing medical devices, consequently, creating more jobs and more opportunities for young people. According to PR Newswire, major medical companies, like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott, and Medtronic are investing in and developing medical device products; projecting that it will be a $400 Billion Industry by 2023. Getting involved in this emerging industry will provide a tremendous opportunity for growth and it will position students for jobs of future.

Finding a quality academic program for this emerging industry can be a challenge for students. Because the content is rapidly advancing, it is important to find programs that offer access to the best medical teams in the nation. Experts in the field will be aware of industry innovations and they will provide the greatest access to learning. Not only is PrepMD networked with the best hospitals affiliated with Harvard and Tufts, but PrepMD cares about their students’ futures; continuing to offer strong networking and support for alumni years after graduation.  In a PrepMD 2019 Alumni survey 67% of respondents reported earning at least $131K 5 years from graduation. The access and care provided by PrepMD makes them a leader in quality and innovation at preparing students for jobs of the future.

PrepMD tuition is $31.5K including books and fees and specifically prepares graduates to work with cardiac rhythm management devices and cardiac electrophysiology mapping procedures which are included in the discussion above as the largest and fastest growing segments within the cardiac field.

PrepMD was founded in 2009 by two experts in the cardiac device industry, Matt O’Neal and Bob Mattioli when they identified a growing need to find skilled cardiac device specialists. PrepMD was originally a training service designed to prepare students to meet the needs of employers, but soon grew to include cardiac staffing services to improve access and retention to a qualified talent pool.

When choosing an academic program, it is critical to consider outcomes. Knowing and hearing from graduates of the program can help to ensure that your time and money are going to be well spent. Fortunately, PrepMD offers the opportunity to connect with former students. We highly recommend taking advantage of this opportunity. Not only does it help to hear from former students directly, it is possible that a mentor, mentee relationship can be developed from the interaction.

Dream2Career was not compensated for this program review. The relationship between Dream2Career and PrepMD developed from an interest in helping students to access alternative on-ramps to dream careers. This shared passion is helping to enhance the world of education for the next generation.  If you have a program that is helping students succeed, contact us so we can share your story.

Healthcare Leaders Inspire the Next Generation Workforce

Compassionate Assistance is a concierge home care agency started by CEO, Carl G. Santoro with the inspiration of caring for his younger brother who grew up with Down Syndrome. Inspiring the next generation workforce has been the main focus for Carl and his team for over last few years. This is done through philanthropic events and services supporting the local healthcare and senior communities in Scottsdale, Arizona. High employee engagement at Compassionate Assistance has to lead his millennial staff to create a truly winning environment and culture of success. He lives to serve and to give back to his community.  Great leaders, like Carl, always note experiencing personal satisfaction when they have the opportunity to engage with their employees and when they have the ability to help their community flourish.

The following are 6 ways that Compassionate Assistance inspires youth and helps its community succeed:

  1. Purpose- providing care at Compassionate Assistance is focused around purpose. All employees have the main job of being a caregiver. Compassionate Assistance’s mission is to enable individuals to live independently and with dignity in their own home.  They strive to do so by elevating the standard of in-home care to improve the long-term health, safety, and happiness of individuals.
  2. Mentorship- as the CEO, Carl provides 1-on-1 mentorship to every one of his employees. Carl says “To become a strong leader, you cannot do it alone. I focus on successful outcomes that offer a greater impact to the organization both internally and externally.”
  3. Opportunity- At Compassionate Assistance there is no ceiling to the opportunity that is given. They sponsor 3-5 events weekly at senior communities and nursing schools to be able to give back and show others how truly different they are as a company. Events include live arts and crafts, Q&As, ice cream socials, to live music performed by one of their talented employees.
  4. Incentivize- Mr. Santoro uses resources to integrate education into the expansion of his business, he looks for opportunities to reward his team for providing patients with exceptional service. Caregiver spotlights are conducted monthly which showcase their top caregiver who performed best that month. For his internal staff there are daily and weekly competitions when it comes to on-boarding new clients. This creates a sense of competitiveness around the office, however, it is a full team effort.
  5. Technology- By investing in the top technology for healthcare, it is beneficial for Compassionate Assistance employees to stay up to date. Caregivers need to arrive at patient shifts feeling prepared. Knowing critical details about the shift and specific client needs are very important. With Compassionate Assistance’s mobile app, caregivers can log in from anywhere to access driving directions via Google Maps and daily, weekly, or monthly shift details.
  6. Engagement- high engagement rates with caregivers and internal staff is detrimental to Compassionate Assistance’s success. If employees are not engaged in what is going on they will leave and go to another company. Creating high employee engagement is needed to retain their existing millennial staff while at the same time being able to attract and hire new ones. Carl empowers his staff by assisting and mentoring them to become confident. In every weekly meeting, he asks and supports their input on current and important issues going on. This creates a work environment with high engagement.

More businesses are developing programs that help their community thrive. If your business would like to share how you are making a difference locally and how you are providing opportunities for students to learn about your industry, feel free to contact us at D2C Help

 

SME Weighs In: Students Need Industry Specific Career Advice

I recently had a conversation with Troy Johnson, a leading voice in the trades industry, about how we might help students learn about high demand and emerging career opportunities that match career aspirations.

Read his brilliant insights:

I think [finding a way to help students find and prepare for careers] would create a much happier workforce as well. Technical education has become “the consolation prize” – to use Mike Rowe’s phrase – for students who can’t get into a four-year liberal arts college. It’s a shame because, as I think you will agree, not every high school senior should go to a traditional four-year college. There are multiple options for them now. Even the young people who finish a four-year liberal art bachelor’s degree accumulate six figures of debt. It’s really no wonder that they are so discontented as a group. And there seems to be no one advocating for reductions or limits on tuitions anywhere. The price of tuition has gone up faster than energy costs, food costs, and even healthcare, yet the emphasis is always on financing the tuition, not looking at ways to make these educational institutions more cost-efficient.

I’d really like to see a renaissance in career guidance and counseling that emphasizes more in-depth matching between students’ abilities AND interests against the real works needs of companies in the U.S. It is such an important point in these young peoples’ lives, they deserve more thoughtful advice and exposure to more potential career trajectories. With a smaller population of young people, I really think there could be a business concept that serves companies looking for bright high schoolers that they will hire for demonstrated work ethic and train them in-house for whatever job level skills the companies need filled.

Like I said, “America doesn’t have the skill problem, it has a recruiting problem.” Maybe what we need is something similar to the NFL draft where companies compete for students with strong skills right out of high school…It’s something to think about.

Some states are finding creative ways to create stature for positions in the trades. Dream2Career uses the term “specialists” to describe these positions because these individuals are the true problem solvers needed in our society. Join the conversation. What are your thoughts about how we might help students succeed?

What Should My Child Do After High School? Go to College, Trade School or Go to Work?

Society is starved for relevant insights about colleges, trade schools, and other work-learn solutions. Good advice can be found everywhere and that is the problem. Because insights are coming from everywhere it is difficult to make heads or tails of the information. Even for the most well-educated, it is almost impossible to help our children make informed decisions about their future. Many times the best advice comes to us after the decision is already made. For example, you might hear from an old friend who tells you about their career that has an abundance of job openings and then you find out that they were even able to retire at 45. If only you had this information sooner because your child just graduated with a degree in something totally different and is sleeping on your sofa. Should you send them back to school?

It just seems that it would be so much easier if we could find the answers about career preparation and emerging career opportunities when we are looking for them. Having the chance to hear the voices from others in our communities, as well as, industry experts.  It would be excellent to even hear from those individuals with ideas very different from our own. Having access to these perspectives based on varying career-related experiences would give our children the best chance to fulfill our own career aspirations. Just think if you could hear from all of the hiring managers and industry professionals who are seeking employees in a specific region. This type of organic environment would provide amazing value and it could help so many communities thrive. The students graduating from colleges, trade schools and even those going to directly to work would more closely align with the needs of the workforce locally.

As an educator, I always wanted to do more for my students. I consistently brought professionals into my classroom to talk with students, recognizing that students need a village of responses to make better decisions about careers. For this reason, I set out on a course to try and figure out a way that we could help more students find the best career pathways while they were spending the least amount of money on tuition and other career-related expenses. I wanted students to be able to follow their passion, but still, have a realistic focus on how to achieve their goals. The only way through this problem is to provide information that helps students discover who they are while having access to information about all the jobs out there. This is quite a task, given the fact that the Department of Labor has identified at least 1100 job titles. But believe it or not, with the help of other educators we created a system that breaks all of the jobs down into 6 Mega Clusters for easy career matching.

There are certainly places that you can go to find career advice for your child. For example, there is an amazing group called Grown and Flown Parents on Facebook. In this group, parents seek advice from other parents about college for their children. This group is super active in less than 1 hour one career-related question will have will over 50 replies from other parents who have experienced similar situations. This platform is perfect for the person who asked the question and even those who have come across the thread, but wouldn’t it be even better to have a way to organize responses so those with similar questions could quickly and easily find the answers to their questions? These useful insights could help so many more families find the information that they seek. One problem with this group is that is college focused, not every child will attend college so parents of the child going to a trade school might not exactly fit into this group, but they certainly could benefit from hearing the voices of these other parents.

Because so many students and families are struggling to figure it all out, I started an organization in 2017 called Dream2Career. We are working with educators and business professionals on a platform called the D2C Directory. We are in the launching/testing phase of this solution, and we would love to hear your thoughts as we seek access to hiring managers and talent acquisition experts who can add training recommendations and relevant entry-level hiring information.  If you are interested in helping, you are an industry subject matter expert or if you just want to stay informed sign-up and follow our blog. We will keep you updated on the progress.  By this summer, we hope to have a fully functioning work-learn ecosystem that will help students find and prepare for dream careers.

Idaho Labor Research Emphasizes Value of Education and Training

Idaho Labor Research Emphasizes Value of Education and Training

Check out the Hot Jobs Table too!  https://idahoatwork.com/2019/02/25/idaho-labor-research-emphasizes-value-of-education-and-training/ via @wordpressdotcom