EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY
PRnewswire | May 31, 2023
Virginia Technical Academy, a leading institution for skilled trades education, proudly announces its integration of Interplay Learning's training courses and simulations into its current curriculum. By adopting this innovative technology, the institution aims to enhance hands-on learning experiences for its students to prepare them for careers in the skilled trades.
Virginia Technical Academy, which opened its doors during the onset of the pandemic, recognized the need to adapt and evolve to meet the changing demands of students and the skilled trades industry. The integration of Interplay Learning's robust training solution demonstrates their commitment to bridging the gap between theory and practical application.
"With the adoption of Interplay Learning's online courses and virtual reality simulations, we are taking a giant leap forward in transforming skilled trades education," said David Gillespie, president of Virginia Technical Academy. "Our students will now have access to a realistic and immersive learning environment that will enhance their technical skills and overall confidence. By adding innovative solutions like these in addition to classroom and lab work, we are equipping our students with the tools they need to succeed in their chosen fields."
Interplay Learning's training provides students with interactive and lifelike scenarios to practice hands-on work, such as electrical wiring, HVAC systems troubleshooting, plumbing installations, and more. This cutting-edge technology allows students to gain practical experience and develop critical problem-solving skills in a risk-free environment. The integration of Interplay's expert-led courses and 3D simulations into the existing curriculum will enable students to refine their abilities, boost their efficiency, and accelerate their learning curve.
"We are proud to partner with Virginia Technical Academy as they integrate our online training and simulations into their curriculum," said Doug Donovan, CEO of Interplay Learning."By embracing this technology, the institution is taking significant leaps in advancing skilled trades education. We are excited to be part of their journey, empowering students to experience immersive and realistic hands-on learning."
In support of this groundbreaking initiative, Interplay Learning will provide Quest 2 VR headsets to Virginia Technical Academy as part of a generous donation made possible through Interplay's partnership with Meta. These state-of-the-art devices will empower students to fully immerse themselves in virtual reality simulations, heightening their engagement and maximizing the benefits of this transformative learning experience.
Virginia Technical Academy is committed to delivering the highest quality education to its students, equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in the skilled trades industry. By incorporating Interplay Learning's virtual reality simulations and leveraging the power of Meta Quest headsets, the institution continues to set a new standard for hands-on training in Newport News and beyond.
About Interplay Learning:
Austin-based Interplay Learning offers scalable and effective training for the essential skilled trades that helps business leaders, educators and their teams build better companies, better careers and better lives. Interplay Learning's immersive online and VR training platform for HVAC, plumbing, electrical, solar, hospitality, multifamily maintenance and facilities maintenance workforces includes expert-led video courses, hands-on 3D simulations, knowledge checks and custom learning paths to upskill advanced technicians and help new technicians be job-ready in weeks, not years.
About Virginia Technical Academy:
Virginia Technical Academy was founded on the principle that every community needs a skilled and well-educated workforce. Its goal is to provide an environment that will exceed the educational requirements and needs of both future tradespeople and their employers. Virginia Technical Academy is dedicated to keeping our trades strong through education, validation, and professional networking.
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TALENT DEVELOPMENT
Globenewswire | April 26, 2023
Surgent Accounting & Financial Education, a division of KnowFully Learning Group, today announced the introduction of CPArescue™ and CMArescue™, custom-tailored exam preparation coaching programs specifically designed to transform a student’s accounting certification journey from failure to passing.
“Surgent is acutely aware of the many challenges professionals face in entering the world of accounting and finance, which include the difficulty of the exams and time it takes to study and pass,” said Liz Kolar, Surgent’s executive vice president. “CPArescue and CMArescue were built to ease that journey, providing a custom learning solution for students who need support in just one or two sections or have struggled to pass the exams using other providers.”
The introduction of these programs comes on the heels of the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy announcing it amended the Uniform Accountancy Act to extend the CPA pass window from 18 months to up to 30 months from the date a candidate’s score on the first section of the exam is released. State boards need to adopt the amendment before an individual can take advantage of the longer window, but the decision is another step in the right direction to address the CPA shortage.
The CPArescue and CMArescue programs, now available on Surgent.com, use a 3-Step Coaching Success Formula:
1. Initial assessment: An expert Surgent exam strategist conducts a detailed analysis of the student’s initial assessment results, allowing for the identification of specific areas needed for support. 2. Tailored study plan: Working closely with the student, Surgent’s coach develops a customized study plan needed to achieve the required score, taking into account circumstances of the student’s personal life and their individual goals. 3. Adjust and pass: Surgent’s coach helps the student make any necessary adjustments to stay on track while studying, empowering the student with knowledge, skills and all the support needed to pass the exam.
The CPArescue package includes six one-on-one coaching sessions with a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) Exam Study Strategist; Surgent’s A.S.A.P.® Technology adaptive learning software, ReadySCORE™ exam-readiness indicator, and MyMCQ™ study content optimizer; 8,200 multiple-choice questions; 400+ simulations; 350+ videos; study companion app; unlimited practice exams; e-books and lecture study notes; ultimate customer and technical support; and a 100% pass guarantee. Course access is also provided until the student passes the CPA Exam.
The CMArescue package includes four one-on-one coaching sessions with a Certified Management Accountant (CMA) Exam Study Strategist, Surgent’s A.S.A.P.® Technology adaptive learning software, ReadySCORE™ exam-readiness indicator, and MyMCQ™ study content optimizer; 4,000 multiple-choice questions; 60+ essay questions; 60+ videos; study companion app; unlimited practice exams; e-books and lecture study notes; ultimate customer and technical support; and a 100% pass guarantee. Course access is also provided for 18 months.
"Like our A.S.A.P. and ReadySCORE technologies, these programs are a reflection of Surgent's commitment to continuous innovation and to delivering a superior educational experience that takes real-time learner feedback into consideration,” said Kolar. “We look forward to introducing additional new offerings later this year."
About Surgent Accounting & Financial Education
Surgent Accounting & Financial Education, a division of KnowFully Learning Group, is a provider of the high-impact education experiences that accounting, tax and financial professionals need throughout their careers. For most of the company’s 35-year history, Surgent has been a trusted provider of the continuing professional education (CPE), continuing education (CE) and skill-based training that professionals need to maintain their credentials and stay current on industry changes. More recently, Surgent became one of the fastest-growing certification exam review providers, offering adaptive learning-based courses that help learners pass accounting and finance credentialing exams faster.
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TALENT DEVELOPMENT
Businesswire | April 06, 2023
Apogee, the trusted strategic managed technology services partner to higher education, is pleased to announce the expansion of its Executive Advisory Services to meet the evolving needs of higher education clients. Apogee Executive Advisory Services embeds former campus leaders within college and university cabinet-level teams to lead the assessment, modernization, and transformation of campus IT services.
Apogee’s recognized team of experts can serve as full-time or fractional leaders for long-term engagements or during high demand periods due to vacant or nascent IT leadership. Led by higher education and technology veteran David Hinson, Apogee executive advisors are seasoned chief technology officers (CTO), chief information officers (CIO), chief information security officers (CISO), and chief operation officers (COO) or vice presidents of administration who have years of cabinet-level experience at colleges and state systems.
Fifteen disciplines now round out the offering, including IT infrastructure, networking, cybersecurity, and compliance assessments and strategies. Advisory services are provided over weeks of remote and on-premises observations. Every engagement is tailored for the institution, and insights are codified into actionable strategic and tactical technology plans for campus leadership.
“I am excited about our enhanced advisory services practice, the world-class experts on our team, and the opportunities ahead to meet colleges and universities where they are as they navigate the post-pandemic world and confront the looming enrollment cliff,” said Hinson. “Whether an institution is facing vacant IT leadership, new IT leadership trying to quickly get its arms around pressing issues and priorities, or mature leadership looking to take campus technology service delivery to the next level, we craft engagements that enable clients to understand the current state of IT, remediate urgent issues, measure meaningful progress on long-term projects, and inculcate best practices for effective and strategic technology management.”
Situated in Winston-Salem, N.C., Salem Academy and College traces its history to 1772 and is the oldest educational institution for girls and women in America. Today, the institution is an intimate learning community of 1,100 women from all over the world and is one of the country's most distinguished private liberal arts colleges.
“Like many small colleges in the U.S., Salem Academy and College experienced shortages and gaps in IT leadership, staff, and expertise coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Dr. Summer McGee, Salem Academy and College president. “David Hinson assessed our IT organization, infrastructure, and abilities and put us on a path to not only get back to business as usual, but also to set up a roadmap for us to align our technology investments to our institutional mission. Our engagement with Apogee has helped ensure that we are better prepared technologically to deliver on our promise to develop the full potential of our students and prepare them to change the world.”
With nearly a quarter century of experience exclusively in managed technology services to higher education, Apogee has built the expertise to deliver advisory services in the following disciplines:
• Strategic Planning and Documentation
• Business and Information Technology Resilience Planning
• Cybersecurity Controls and Audit
• Cybersecurity Program Management and Operations
• Vendor Management
• Financial Capacities Discovery
• Staffing and Organization Sizing Needs Analysis
• Coaching and Professional Development Pathways
• Governance, Compliance, and Internal Policy Development, including compliance with federal, state, and contractual cybersecurity obligations such a Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS), as well as privacy policies and compliance such as General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), and Consumer Data Protection Regulation (CDPR)
• Infrastructure Analysis and Planning
• Technology and Cybersecurity Risk Assessment and Management
• Budget Analysis and Preparation
• Leadership Succession Planning
• Cabinet Leadership Strategies and Methodologies
• Formal Technology Plan and Accreditation Support
About Apogee
Established in Austin in 1999, Apogee is a leading provider of managed technology services that enable colleges and universities to innovate to enrich the campus experience and foster student vitality. Uniquely positioned to serve higher education, Apogee supports a community of more than 1 million students and administrators at nearly 400 colleges and universities nationwide. The company’s comprehensive portfolio includes Managed Campus (networks and managed IT and cloud services), ResNet (residential networks), campus engagement and digital signage, and video services.
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