“Should I invest $6k in an AI course/certificate from a prestigious university?”
That was a question I received from a new client who has recently embarked on a job search. They know AI use and integration has become increasingly standard in the workforce and our daily lives. Employers want to hire talent who either have AI-fluency or can demonstrate the ability to learn new tech quickly. Can obtaining and listing an expensive certification do that for you? I would say at this time, NO.
There is no gold standard for AI trainings or lingo quite yet, so investing $$$ in a brand new training or certification is not guaranteed to help you advance in your career. When my clients ask me if they should invest time and money into upskilling and new degrees, I always ask, “is there a degree, training, license, or certification that is standing between you and your target job?” If they’re not sure, I recommend starting with job descriptions first. When you read minimum requirements, are you seeing gaps between your current profile and what the employer is seeking? When you read “nice to haves”, are there gaps you can easily overcome? Read several of these job descriptions to get a baseline for what the majority of employers in your sector/job function expect as a baseline in qualified candidates, and go from there.
Not surprisingly, I also leveraged ChatGPT to get some thoughts on how a school leader might demonstrate their AI-fluency on a resume. I used this input: “How can a [insert job title] in the [insert industry] demonstrate their AI-fluency on a resume?”
Here’s what ChatGPT suggested:
✅ In a Summary or Skills Section:
- "School leader with AI fluency leveraged to streamline instructional planning, improve student interventions, and enhance staff collaboration."
- "Proficient in applying AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Diffit, Canva Magic Write) to support data analysis, instructional design, and family engagement."
- "Skilled in responsible AI integration for teaching, learning, and school operations."
✅ In Experience Section:
Assistant Principal, XYZ Middle School
- Implemented AI-powered tools to automate student intervention tracking and progress monitoring, saving over 10 hours per month in manual reporting.
- Led professional development on generative AI for teachers, including classroom-ready uses for formative assessment and lesson planning.
- Used AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Curipod) to co-design culturally responsive lesson scaffolds with teachers.
- Introduced AI-enhanced communication strategies (e.g., auto-translation and summarization) to improve outreach to multilingual families.
✅ In Professional Development:
- Completed “AI in Education” microcredential from ISTE/EdTechTeacher (2024)
- Regularly attend webinars on ethical and equitable AI use in K–12 settings
- Internal AI pilot committee member, leading use-case evaluation and staff training
This is an ok start, but I would say it’s still weak without any accompanying metrics. For example, I’d be curious how many people the Assistant Principal trained in AI, what the satisfaction scores were for the training, what % of educators adopted the new tools within the allotted time frame following the training, and how student test scores or family engagement improved as a result of adoption and implementation school-wide.
You’ll also notice that the Professional Development example does include a microcredential. Cool! But not necessary (at this time). This is nice to have, and also something that the candidate’s employer (school district) would have likely paid for! When I researched the cost of a training like that one, it was still under $250 which at least is much more accessible for an individual who may explore obtaining similar microcredentials on their own.
Other strategies you can use to decide whether or not you should invest in an AI-related course, certification, etc:
Ask recruiters in your field if they recommend programs based on what their hiring managers are seeking in strong candidates.
- Connect with your peers and network to get their thoughts. Do some informal crowdsourcing to find out how people are upskilling in this area.
- If you are currently employed, consider asking your employer to cover the cost of a specific training or credential. Make sure to make a case for how you can use those new skills to add value to your current projects, programs, team, etc.
