While many people turn to USF for popular certification or training programs, more and more corporations are turning to the CTPE team to design custom workshops based on employee or member needs. The team recently delivered a special training on Microsoft Outlook with AI at the Professional Assistants to Educational Leaders (PAEL) Institute.
The Florida Association of District School Superintendents conducts annual training for the PAEL group, whose members serve superintendents and school boards throughout the state.
About the workshop:
Designed to improve time management, the workshop was created to teach participants how to customize their Microsoft Outlook with artificial intelligence. The dynamic, two-hour workshop was provided to 84 PAEL members to help them learn to create more efficient workflows.
The team learned how to optimize their inbox, use AI for message scheduling, use rules to automate inbox activity, add flags to stay on track, and work with search options.
鈥淭he purpose of this training was twofold, first to provide PAEL members with an overview of Outlook features that they might not be aware of so their utilization of the application could be as effective as possible, and second, to expose them to Microsoft Copilot,鈥� said Katrina Figgett, director of training and development at the Florida Association of District School Superintendents.
The attendees also experimented with Microsoft Copilot to draft email messages and write responses using AI throughout the workshop.
鈥淭he use of AI is becoming fundamental across industrial sectors, including in K-12 education,鈥� Figgett said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 important that our educational leaders in the state understand how AI can be utilized both in the classroom and in administration; what the potential benefits are, as well as how risks and ethical challenges can be addressed and mitigated. For that reason, we are providing training to all those served by our organization, from superintendents to our PAEL members.鈥�
Expert instruction:
The training was led by Dana Holmes-Jenkins, president of D&K Systems Consulting, a technology firm specializing in helping businesses leverage software to increase productivity.
With 20 years of experience in corporate settings and the financial services industry, Holmes-Jenkins鈥檚 insights were key to matching the right technology with the PAEL team鈥檚 goals. She teaches and provides consultations in effective database design, cloud storage, project management, and software techniques to automate tasks.
While this workshop was held at the Renaissance Tampa International Plaza Hotel, CTPE hosts training sessions on campus, on-site, and beyond, depending on each organization鈥檚 unique needs.
In the future, the group plans to train members on other Microsoft applications such as topics that have been requested in feedback surveys.
To explore options for custom training, reach out to CTPE-SalesTeam@usf.edu.