by Mark | Jun 1, 2021 | Industry News, Web Professional Trends
As we begin another month, here are my thoughts regarding what is happening in our industry.
This month, my thoughts center around longevity. Hope you find this information useful. In case you are curious, I built my first web page in 1992 (yes, 29 years ago). It no longer exists, nor does the company where I built it at.
I am already looking forward to your comments.
Ageism
My colleague and friend, Tom Green, recently posted an article on LinkedIn.com about this last acceptable prejudice.After you review the article, let’s start a discussion in our Slack #general channel about this topic. What are your experiences? Does Tom’s article resonate with you? Why or why not?
CSS
Eric Meyer reflects on 25 years of CSS. Has it really been that long? If you have a moment, please post a comment reflecting on your first use of CSS. Consider a discussion in our Slack channel as well. What are your thoughts on the past 25 years of CSS.
WordPress
Speaking of longevity, WordPress turned 18 in May. Isobel Weston has a great overview article at NameCheap. From a simple blogging platform to a technology which powers nearly 41% of the WWW these days. And it only took 18 years to get to this point. Makes me wonder what the next 18 years hold for this technology.
Annual Web Competition with SkillsUSA
Speaking of longevity, this year marks the 19th year for our national web competition held in conjunction with SkillsUSA. Our first year (2004) was a demonstration contest. This year will mark our first large scale virtual competition. We did a smaller competition in 2020 as the pandemic raged. This year, we have over 20 teams competing at secondary and post-secondary levels. Winners will be announced near the end of June at the above site.
I am curious – now that you have read this far, what information would you like to see next month? Please tell us via the comments.
by Steve Waddell | May 28, 2021 | Profiles Of Success
The Web Professionals Organization has certified six students of Lakeview Leadership Academy High School in Victorville, CA, who recently completed their Web Animator Apprentice certifications. These students have taken a step toward building their college and career-ready portfolios in one of the most exciting and rapidly growing STEM fields.
Lakeview Leadership Academy High School Animation Instructor Nikki Jarvis utilized the Web and Computer Animation course from CTeLearning to jumpstart her students’ interest in animation. The media-rich course guided students through the course, and culminated in them earning international industry-recognized certifications (IIRC) that get learners excited about the world of animation and open their eyes to potential career paths.
Congratulations to Ms. Jarvis and her newly credentialed web animators:
Trinity B.
Jorge E.
Adalit M.
Diana H.
Jenna G.
Kimberly C.
The certification course delivers the training using a virtual internship model, which immerses the students in interactive story-based projects that look and feel like a career simulation. This provides students with a taste of what working in the real world is like. As the students live this experience, they learn the technical and soft skills necessary to be career-ready. Each student at Lakeview Leadership Academy High School was tasked with building their portfolios to prepare for their futures.
This immersion in the design process gives each student a personal story of success they can tell as well as insights and best practices they take with them to help ensure they are truly college and career-ready. In the 2021-2022 school year, a special industry partnership spearheaded by the Web Professionals Organization will be underwriting the expense of these certifications for all students who complete the required course and project work at schools across the United States.
The fact that professional industry association certifications carry far more weight than those from testing companies was one of the primary drivers behind Lakeview Leadership Academy High School deciding to offer certifications backed by the Web Professionals Organization. A job applicant with an IIRC lets the interviewer know immediately that he or she has the hard and soft skills required to succeed in the job, which will save employers who hire these students time and money spent on training.
Praise for Lakeview Leadership Academy
Mark DuBois, Executive Director of the Web Professionals Organization, said, “A few years ago, Ms. Jarvis’ students were the first in the U.S. to receive our Web Animator Certification. Since then, she has added to the ranks of learners who have received the stackable international industry-recognized certification from CTeLearning. This means that they can stack certification levels and continue to grow in their skills. The Web Professionals Organization has always delivered the message that being a successful professional takes more than just technical skills. To back this up, our Animation certification focuses not only on the technical skills of animation, but brings together ethics, creativity, problem-solving, marketing, and storytelling. Professionals in industry recognize how important and powerful an interactive message is to their client’s products and narratives. As professional web animators, designers, and technologists, we are always striving to do the best for our clients. On a personal note, I just love seeing the next generation of professionals getting started with their first set of credentials from us.”
One of the recipients of the Web Animator Apprentice Certification, Trinity Bolt, discussed how earning the certification has changed her future outlook:
“Thank you so much! I feel blessed for the opportunity, and I still cannot believe this is real. I was so excited when I heard I had earned my certification, and I instantly jumped up and told all of my family, even though they were sleeping. My brother wished me good luck, and when I told my mom, she was so proud that she ended up crying. All of my household knows I want to push myself in school and get as much credit as I can. Since college is really expensive I have been working to make my record look impressive so I could possibly get a scholarship. I wouldn’t have been able to get this good grade and privilege without Mrs. Jarvis helping other classmates and me with our schoolwork! I’m very happy that I passed the test, considering I was nervous during the entirety of it. Before I even joined this class, I had no idea how to animate and the skills it requires. With just a little dedication and practice, I have made it this far. I am so humbly proud of myself and look forward to how this will help me in my future. Hopefully I can work with Mrs. Jarvis and the others who have helped me, even after I graduate. Everyone around me has really helped push me to go for my dreams, and move onward. Thank you to everyone who helped me get here!”
Animation instructor Nikki Jarvis was able to double her program size when word got out that an exciting Animation course was being offered. She is continuing her mission to bring relevant credentials to her students. Nikki discussed her experience administering the course to her students: “My Lakeview Leadership students shined through what was a tough year between the pandemic and lockdown. I am blessed with great students that I am proud of. This year’s group of certification recipients now have industry-recognized credentials—international no less—as part of their portfolios. When these students apply to college, they can proudly list this certification. When they apply for a job, they will list this credential. This is just one more thing that makes them unique and helps them to stand out from the competition. I must thank our administration for all their support. To Dr. Chamberlain and Dr. Collins, thank you so much for all your stellar support. Our program would not be here without you. I also want to thank all the parents who have been so supportive of all our young Spartans. On behalf of my students and our whole teaching team, I want to thank the Web Professionals Organization and CTeLearning for the grant that paid for our students to take the credential exams. This was a tough year for all of us, and the grant did make it better. Thank you.”
Dr. Mauricio Castillo, STEAM Researcher at California State University, Los Angeles, said, “We hope to see these students here at CSULA. The Lakeview Leadership students completed a true STEAM project-based learning experience, and they even earned international industry-recognized certifications. Each of Ms. Jarvis’ students have a standing invite to come and check out our university—you are the students we love to have.”
by Mark | May 1, 2021 | Industry News, State of the Web, Web Accessibility, Web Content, Web Professional Trends
Note from Mark. I plan to periodically provide article summaries and insights. I am hoping this will happen once each month. Hope is the operative word. Here are my thoughts as we begin May, 2021. I welcome your comments about additional topics you would find helpful as well as your thoughts about these articles. I found them most interesting/ thought provoking.
Accessibility
Using Modern CSS to Improve Accessibility. This article by Stephanie Eckles provides a quick overview of what it means to have an accessible website. Stephanie then covers using some of the newer CSS to enhance accessibility. This includes use of outline-offset to position the outline away from the element. The focus-visible pseudo-class will display an outline only when the user agent determines it needs to be visible. There is so much more in this article, I encourage you to set aside time to read it in its entirety and digest how these CSS features can be used to solve real world accessibility issues.
A.I.
GPT-3 is a language supermodel which is quietly ushering in the A.I. revolution. This article by Luke Dormehl explains why this text generating algorithm makes a difference. The main difference with prior algorithms is that limited training is required. In the past, significant input was required for A.I. to “learn.” This no longer seems to be needed. Think. About. That. Here is a key quote from the article (it certainly resonated with me).
“Machine learning has been transformative in all sorts of ways over the past couple of decades. But machine learning requires a large number of training examples to be able to output correct answers. GPT-3, on the other hand, has a “few shot ability” that allows it to be taught to do something with only a small handful of examples.”
Ok, Mark, what does all this A.I. have to do with Web design and development? One example mentioned in the article is a layout generator which”renders a functional layout by generating JavaScript code from a simple text description.” Another example is a GPT-3 based search engine. I think you will find this article most interesting and informative. Our industry is changing and A.I. is going to have a major impact. Plan accordingly.
FLoC
Federated Learning of Cohorts is Google’s replacement for tracking cookies. Our advisory board member, Deborah Edwards-Orono, has a great article about this effort and her concerns. Simply put, FLoc is included by default in the new version of the Chrome browser [see our recent post on the popularity of this browser] and collects your recent browser activity. It takes that activity and labels it then shares the “cohort” with other websites and advertisers. The main concern with this approach is privacy. She also discusses a new WordPress plugin Disable FLoC which is easy to install and has no configuration settings, it just does what it claims to do. If you would like to learn more about the implications of FLoC, the Electronic Frontier Foundation has a solid overview as well.
For those not using WordPress, Marko Saric has an overview article at Plausible which also includes the snippet of code you can add to your .htaccess file to disable FLoC as well.
Future of the WWW
Professor Sir Tim Berners’Lee (inventor ot the WWW) thinks his creation is out of control. In this interview, he explains his plans to save it.The big issue these days is privacy. He proposes Solid (a new system to decentralize the Web). His core idea is PODS (Personal Online Data Stores) which each person has control over. The fundamental change is that anyone wanting to use your information must ask for your permission. After you review the interview, I would be keen to learn your thoughts about this approach. Comments are open.
Hardware
Gizmodo recently discussed the fact that Verizon is recalling 2.5 million of its hotspots because they are literally too hot. There have been 15 reports of the devices overheating (6 instances of fire damage). Review the article to see if you have one of these hotspots (various models sold between April, 2017 and March, 2021).
WordPress
Easy WP Guide has been released for WordPress 5.7 (most current version). No discussion of PHP or the technical details, just a comprehensive guide to help you edit the content of your site. This is a free download. Web Professionals who build sites using this technology may wish to share this document with their clients (if you haven’t already). You can purchase the guide which allows you to brand it as you wish.
For those developers using Elementor as part of their WordPress installations, you may wish to review the recent Wordfence post discussing recent vulnerabilities with Elementor. For those who are not aware, Elementor is installed on over 3.5 million WordPress sites. The Wordfence team found over 100 vulnerable endpoints.
Final thoughts
Hopefully, you found these articles and insights helpful. What else would you like to see in future articles? What did you think about these? I look forward to reading your comments.
Best always,
Mark DuBois, Executive Director
Web Professionals (a.k.a. World Organization of Webmasters)
by Steve Waddell | Apr 28, 2021 | Industry News, IT, Search
The internet! Completely useless without a single piece of software. Well, maybe not completely useless, but it wouldn’t be the service we enjoy every day. Accessible, easy to use, and easy to find content.
Much of this is down to a single type of software, the web browser. It does what it says, allowing you to search and browse the internet. Taking what would be a bunch of ugly HTML files written in confusing code and rendering them into something we can all understand and interact with.
There has been a long-standing joke in the community, about the ‘other’ web browser. Some people call it Internet Explorer, and others call it “The Chrome Downloader.” This is because Google Chrome has a 67% of the market share. This is incredible when you consider that Internet Explorer—and more recently Microsoft Edge—browsers come preinstalled on every Windows computer. That means 67% of the market makes an active choice to ditch that Microsoft browser and install Google’s Chrome browser instead.
Microsoft recently based its newest version of Microsoft Edge on the Chromium Browser, which is the open-source project that powers Google Chrome. Safari, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Firefox—four web browsers that get completely dominated by Google’s offering.
A Brief History
But how did this come to be?
Back in 2008, the picture was very different. Internet Explorer was the dominant browser. In fact, it had 64% of the market around this time. But Internet Explorer was unstable, prone to crashes, and had many problems. Firefox was running as the second browser of choice—it was open source and more stable. However, both browsers suffered from the fact that they had been around for a long time. Firefox came from a browser lineage that was even older than Internet Explorer. When Netscape decided to release the source code of its dying browser to the open-source community, Firefox was born.
Because both these browsers came about within a year of each other, Netscape came out in 1994 and Internet Explorer 1 came out in 1995. They suffered from the same stale internet ideas that had been present throughout the ’90s—the idea that the internet was designed to show you pictures, some video and a lot of text, then link you to the next thing.
Google came in at a time when the internet was evolving into something a little different, seeing the internet as a platform not unlike an operating system—and, of course, this philosophy has come to pass with Chrome OS, as it is an entire operating system effectively based on the internet.
Google saw the web as a location to play games, run applications and operate services—and it very much treated it that way. The company created Google Docs (a replacement for Microsoft Office) Google Maps (a replacement for AutoRoute) and many other application services. While these products didn’t come until later, it can be argued that without Google Chrome’s application-focused approach, many of the services wouldn’t exist today.
Google Chrome was built from the ground up with applications in mind. To this end, Google began poaching Firefox developers as well as experienced developers from the Netscape team, and they were put in charge of the project. Their job was to create a new browser from what was deemed Web 2.0 at the time.
While the Chrome team faced the problem of creating brand new technologies from scratch, the approach proved advantageous because their rivals Microsoft and Mozilla were both trying to make better browsers too—but they were reworking legacy technologies instead of creating new ones.
This allowed the Google team to focus on building their own custom tools, without any of the “but we’ve always done it this way” arguments.
The biggest difference between Google’s approach and the others was the invention of the sandbox. The sandbox is Google Chrome’s biggest advantage. Every time a new tab is opened in Chrome, that website is run inside a sandbox. It is completely isolated from the rest of the browser. By isolating them, no two tabs could communicate with or interfere with each other. If you landed on a bad website, the tab would be forced to close or freeze—but nothing else in the browser was affected.
The drawback to this approach lives with us today. Google Chrome takes up a lot of memory every time it creates a new sandbox environment for a web page to load in. But the improved stability proved a greater boon.
Google called upon a massive community of open source developers by beginning the Chromium project in 2008, allowing the company to effectively gain free labor from the open-source community. This allowed Google Chrome to align with open-source community web standards.
Because they made the project open source very early on, the browser became very popular with the developer community. Because it was open-source it was much easier for developers to understand how the browser worked, allowing them to push the limits of web technologies in ways you couldn’t do with other browsers. The result was an ever-growing number of web apps that worked extremely well with Google Chrome but poorly with other browsers. This gave the average user even more reason to download the browser if they wanted their favorite web app to work right.
By July 2009, just nine months after Google officially launched Chrome, they had 30 million people browsing the web. This was when Google announced the Chrome Operating System.
In December of the same year, Google released the extensions gallery which allowed the browser to be extended with extra plugins and extensions quickly and easily.
The extensions provided a welcome replacement to the myriad of toolbars you could install in other browsers, which often created cluttered interfaces. Some toolbars would even cause the browser to crash outright upon loading. Google’s approach was far more streamlined and simple.
While all this was going on, Microsoft was being attacked by the U.S. federal government over anti-competitive practices. The government argued that bundling internet explorers into Windows was just a way to dominate the market. Google capitalized on this by giving everyone a choice to install their browser. By 2010, Microsoft was forced by the European Commission to provide an alternative choice to the standard Internet Explorer. Windows users were faced with a new window offering them a browser of their choice.
In 2010, the Chrome Web Store replaced the Chrome Gallery. It was a bigger and better incarnation of the feature that is still around today.
One of the oldest browser extensions is Adblock Plus. The extension could be argued to have created the online subscription model we see more and more today as ads are blocked in browsers.
But in 2015, the combination of the clean interface, fewer crashes, better extensions, and a growing collection of web apps that worked best in it resulted in Chrome browser increasing its market share to 52%—more than all the other browsers combined.
Over time, Google has created more and more web services including YouTube, Drive, Calendar, Docs, Earth, Maps, and much more. Chrome is no longer a simple web browser. It is a gateway into Google’s ecosystem of online services, many of which are completely free to use.
by Steve Waddell | Apr 15, 2021 | Job and Resume Tips from the Pros, User Experience, Web Design, Web Development
People often think that web development and web design is an industry that is only for young people. Many start-ups and tech companies are run by people in their 20s and 30s, so this is a common belief. However, there will always be a need for web developers and designers by companies across a wide variety of industries. If you have the skills and determination, companies will give you a serious look—no matter how old you are. Companies often don’t care about what you have done in the past, so you can learn web development and show companies that you can help them meet their goals—even if you are switching from a completely different industry. If you are in your 40s, 50s or older and thinking about taking the plunge in learning web development or design, here are some tips to keep in mind during the process:
Identify Your “Why”
If you can identify why you want to learn web development or design skills, and have a goal in mind, you will be much more likely to be successful. Perhaps you are a lifelong learner and want to dive into a completely new field. Maybe you feel like learning web development or design will help you perform your current job better. Maybe your company has open positions for web developers and designers, and you feel like you would be a good fit if you had the skills. Or maybe you would like to begin freelancing for companies for side income and have realized that these are an in-demand skill companies are always seeking.
Get Started
A web developer works on the structure of websites and is responsible for coding more of the back-end (server side) of the site. A web designer works more on the front-end (client side), creating the look and feel of the site and taking the client’s product or service to the web. Web developers are engineers and mechanics, while web designers are architects and storytellers.
Find a program that teaches the programming languages you are interested in. If you are new to coding, then starting with the front-end of web development like HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript is the perfect way to ease yourself into the industry. Both web developers and designers need to know these languages first and foremost. This makes front-end development the best place to start, as you can see on the screen in real-time how your coding is performing. After mastering the front-end, you can explore the back-end of development too.
There are a ton of resources available online for those interested in learning web development skills. Some online coding classes allow you to learn at your own pace, while others allow you to learn with an instructor alongside other students in a “bootcamp” model. If you learn better in an in-person setting, your local community college may offer courses either as part of a credit degree program or through their continuing education departments.
Some programs of study may encourage you to quit your current job to be able to attend the program. If this is the case, you may elect to take an online program that will give you more flexibility to learn at your own pace, anytime and anywhere.
When selecting a program, make sure you will earn an industry-recognized certification at the end of it. A simple course certificate doesn’t hold much weight, but a certification that is backed by industry professionals will be much more credible to companies seeking to hire developers and designers. And be careful of expensive bootcamps—some are worth it, while others are not. Put simply, you need to want to put in the work to become a developer or designer. If you just go through the motions of learning, you will not come across as skilled and confident when interviewing with companies. Accomplished developers and designers have a passion for coding and continuing to learn and hone their skills over their careers.
Find Help When Needed
If you enroll in a web development or design bootcamp or local community college class, you will have built-in support with a teacher and your colleagues. However, learning web development individually at your own pace can be difficult. Try to find people around you or online whom you can bounce questions off of and seek guidance from. This could be a family member or friend who is a software engineer, or it could be someone else who has completed the course you are enrolled in. Having a mentor can make the learning process much easier and spur you to continue on for the times when you are feeling defeated.
Ways to Stand Out
When you start as a web designer (and later think about web development), it is important to remember there are many who are also aspiring. How do you stand out in the field? One approach is to learn more about web accessibility (making web pages accessible for those who use assistive devices). Another area you could consider is learning how to make web pages more easily found and indexed by search engines. Perhaps you want to check out schools and curricula which focus on these topics?
You may also be asked to show a portfolio of your work. Obviously, you will have examples from the classes you take. However, you may also want to offer your help to not-for-profit organizations. While you may not be paid for your help, you will gain significant experience in working with actual clients. Also, you can always ask the organization for a letter of reference (once you have successfully completed your project). We encourage you to think about ways to differentiate yourself from others. What can you do better than most? Leverage that as you learn web design and development.
Have Fun
The world of web development and design is an exciting one. Developers and designers work to make the apps, websites and games we rely on every day function as they should. They often get to work on cool projects that are at the cutting-edge of how we work and play on the internet, and you can be a part of that.
There’s a reason web developers and designers get paid well—it isn’t always easy to learn and do well. However, with a willingness to learn, determination and support system, it’s never too late to dive in. Whatever path you take, developer or designer, our Web Professionals organization looks forward to welcoming you to our community.
by Steve Waddell | Apr 11, 2021 | Industry News, State of the Web, Web Development
Three months into 2021, there are several web development trends that have clearly emerged. The digital market is competitive, and it’s important for developers to stay abreast of the latest trends impacting the industry. Let’s take a look at the trends that all web professionals should be aware of in order to stay ahead of the competition through the rest of 2021.
Artificial Intelligence and Bots
AI and bots continue to be used more than ever before by developers. Their ability to collect data, learn about users, and solve issues with human intervention make them highly attractive for companies seeking to streamline operations and customer service. Today’s consumers expect 24/7 service, and AI can deliver just that for companies seeking to maintain their engagement with customers while saving money. AI and bots can be incorporated into sites and mobile apps for a wide variety of devices. Staying on top of the latest in AI and bots can give your company a leg up on the competition.
Voice Search Optimization
Today, many internet users access web services without typing or even looking at the screen of a device. People can control garage doors, lights, security systems, thermostats and much more just by talking to a smart device in their home. It’s clear that voice recognition will continue to be an important aspect of web development for years to come, and it is estimated that as many as 50% of households with internet access will utilize a voice assistant by the end of 2022. Companies are in need of developers who can create web services that are accessed by voice command.
Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)
The primary idea behind this technology is to speed up page performance to keep the user engaged with the mobile site and reduce the chance that the user leaves before the site page loads. Essentially, AMPs are optimized pages with a simplified and scaled-down design. This allows the pages to load quickly while only displaying basic features. They have easy-to-read content and are formatted to work seamlessly with smartphones and tablets. AMPs level the playing field for users, as even people with slower internet speeds can access and enjoy AMP features.
Automation Testing
This helps developers test their products more effectively than the traditional manual testing. Put simply, web development is judged by how fast and efficient it is for the use. Automation testing promotes better testing coverage, makes the development process cheaper and reduces the time of the test cycle, allowing smaller web development companies to compete with those with more resources. This form of testing also creates a better user experience and allows developers to more quickly and efficiently identify issues.
App Accessibility
This trend is about making web applications more accessible for consumers, organizations and businesses. Single-Page Applications (SPAs) are on the rise, as they don’t require users to reload the page while using it. An example of a platform that uses SPAs is Facebook. As users scroll down, new content appears automatically. Another growing trend is the use of Progressive Web Applications (PWAs), which offer stripped-down versions of native applications with the benefit of not requiring the user to download a new app. PWAs are cost-effective and can deliver users an easy experience.
These are a handful of the trends that will drive web development through the rest of 2021 and beyond. As a web professional, stay on top of what is going on in the industry so you can stay a step ahead of the competition.
by Steve Waddell | Mar 30, 2021 | Cyber Crime, Web Development
March 2021 has seen 10 vulnerable plugins and themes for WordPress sites, which has affected about 400,000 total websites. Running WordPress sites requires keeping up to date on the latest security vulnerabilities and fixes like the ones below.
Although these vulnerabilities have received a virtual patch to the WebARX firewall, to be safe you should update or delete the plugins immediately from your site.
WooCommerce Upload Files Premium
Enables users to upload files, preview images, add additional fees, and more. Vulnerability affects over 5,000 sites.
Solution: Update WordPress WooCommerce Upload Files premium plugin to the latest available version.
User Profile Picture
Sets/removes profile images for users using the standard WordPress media upload tool. Vulnerability affects 60,000 sites.
Solution: Update WordPress User Profile Picture plugin to the latest available version.
Forminator
Form builder for WordPress. Vulnerability affects 100,000 sites.
Solution: Update the WordPress Forminator plugin to the latest available version.
Dokan
WordPress marketplace plugin. Vulnerability affects 60,000 sites.
Solution: Update WordPress Dokan plugin to the latest available version.
Defender Security
Security plugin for WordPress. Vulnerability affects 50,000 sites.
Solution: Update WordPress Defender Security plugin to the latest available version.
Abandoned Cart Lite for WooCommerce
Helps recover carts from WooCommerce shop. Vulnerability affects 30,000 sites.
Solution: Update WordPress Abandoned Cart Lite for WooCommerce plugin to the latest available version.
Style Kits for Elementor
Adds UI controls to Theme Styles for layout systems in Elementor. Vulnerability affects 10,000 sites.
Solution: Update WordPress Style Kits plugin to the latest available version.
WP ERP
WordPress business management solution. Vulnerability affects 10,000 sites.
Solution: Update WordPress WP ERP plugin to the latest available version.
WP Project Manager
WordPress project management tool. Vulnerability affects 10,000 sites.
Solution: Update WordPress WP Project Manager plugin to the latest available version.
WP Travel
Travel engine for making customized travel websites on WordPress. Vulnerability affects 6,000 sites.
Solution: Update WordPress WP Travel plugin to the latest available version.
We at the Web Professionals Organization are not endorsing WebARX, but they have put together a great list from their research and work in server security, protection and monitoring. For more information on these vulnerabilities on the WebARX site, click here.
by Steve Waddell | Mar 10, 2021 | Employment Issues
I am what you would call a “Transitioner.” I worked in various fields including the hotel industry, sales and most recently, manufacturing.
I was already taking a course to receive a full industry-recognized certification in web design when I saw the opportunity to take a course and get a certification as a Remote Working Professional. I had to read it twice. Remote Working Professional? Then it hit me—over the last couple of years, so many of the best jobs shifted to working from home. I realized now is the time to think strategically about my future. Getting these credentials and certification gives me extra credibility when applying for a flexible remote working job, which is a big attraction to me. It also gives me an edge over anyone else who is applying for the same remote position.
Part of me thought I should wait and complete the certification I was already working on. I mean, who needs more work? However, I then saw that I could finish this in just a few hours, and I could even go through the course on my smartphone. When I realized I could complete the course and certification in just a couple visits to my favorite coffee shop, it became a no-brainer.
I wanted to be ready to launch into a new remote career, since I know the world is rapidly shifting to remote work. Many of the best jobs available are remote positions.
An international professional association endorses the Remote Working Professional Certification course. I know that may not mean much to the average job-seeker, but I know from experience that potential employers do look at who certifications come from. A certificate from a business, or for just taking a class, is not the same as a certification from an international industry organization.
What I also loved about the course, which I was not expecting, was how it spoke to how to highlight my transferable skills. This was a new term to me, and essentially means that the skills that I learned in hospitality, sales and manufacturing can be applied to other positions—including remote jobs. This signals to employers that I have core skills that qualify me for the job, even if I may be new to the industry. I have read Department of Labor research that suggests that people usually change their careers 3-7 times in their lifetime.
I also surprised myself to have the guts to start as a freelancer or remote professional after completing the course. You hear these terms mentioned all the time, but nobody tells you what to do to get hired for a remote career. Yes—the course has an option for learning how to become a freelancer as well. Through the Remote Working Professional Course conducted by CTeLearning I gained much more insight in regards to starting a life as a freelancer.
Another big bonus I discovered in the course is the section dedicated entirely to preparing for an interview, in any industry, for a remote working job. The reality is that how you approach answering questions for remote work is different than for a job where you show up to an office.
The highlights of the course were learning specific answers to the following questions:
- How do you deal with conflict?
- What do you do to keep motivated?
- How do you safeguard data and manage cybersecurity?
These topics were my personal favorites as they gave me real tips and tools to set up my next career for success.
I recommend everyone invest in the Remote Working Professional course and certification. Many life lessons have been compacted in a couple of chapters, and they are easy to put into practice!
One of my favorite quotes from Jim Rohn is, “It’s important to learn from your mistakes, but it is BETTER to learn from other people’s mistakes, and it is BEST to learn from other people’s successes. IT accelerates your own success.”
I had no idea all the responsibilities that came along with working remotely, but now I am more confident to start my career in the remote world thanks to all the professionals that participated in the making of this wonderful course.
—Ingrid F. K. Soto
Visit here for more information about the Remote Working Professional Course.
by Steve Waddell | Mar 3, 2021 | Employment Issues
Web Professionals and CTeLearning would like to congratulate Samuel T, the first recipient of the Remote Working Professional (RWP) Certification in Africa. As a resident of Nigeria, Samuel completed the RWP course and earned his certification all on his mobile phone, which allowed him to work on the certification anytime and anywhere.
Samuel earned his certification by answering a series of questions at the end of each chapter on what a competent remote working professional should know. Samuel also completed the Interview Preparation Course, which prepares learners for interviewing for a job in the remote working world. Samuel is now an in-demand remote working professional equipped with an international industry-recognized certification (IIRC) that is recognized by companies around the globe.
Samuel discussed the impact the course will have on his professional career: “I took this course when I was working remotely for a tech company. It taught me a lot of things I didn’t consider beforehand, especially as someone new to the world of remote working. One of the awesome things I love about this course is listening to a plethora of remote working professionals and the useful tips they give based on their years of experience. I strongly recommend this course to everyone working or considering working remotely.”
Samuel is not new to certifications or seeking opportunities to grow his skills and is always looking for his next step in building his career and shaping his future to allow him to follow his passions and make his family proud. In September 2020, Samuel earned his Certified Professional Web Developer Certification from the Web Professionals Organization (WebProfessionals.org). A month later Samuel was hired onto a development project with a US-based company thanks to his certification and newfound connections as a member of the Web Professionals Organization.
Joshua Frisch, Co-Author of the Remote Working Professional Course, said, “Samuel embodies the type of remote learner that we are so excited to help with this course. Samuel showed that no matter where you are located in the world, you can transform your career to thrive in the new remote working economy. Samuel completed the course lessons, earned an international industry-recognized certification that is in-demand among companies, and prepared to interview for remote working positions—all by going through the course on his smartphone from his home and school. We are excited for Nigeria and Africa to have their first recipient of the RWP certification, and we are looking forward to having students across the rest of the globe join Samuel and others who have completed the course and earned certifications.”
Mark DuBois, Executive Director of the Web Professionals Organization, said “All of us here at the Web Professionals Organization love seeing people take control of their futures. Taking charge of your education and investing in yourself is always the right choice. We appreciate that Samuel looked to our community of professionals to find the support and certification to add to his growing skills to help take his passions to the global marketplace. His story is not that uncommon—he knows that the world of work has changed and he can take his skills and build a career that spans continents. We are excited to welcome more like Samuel into the Web Professionals Organization.”
Visit here for more information about the Remote Working Professional Course.
by Steve Waddell | Mar 1, 2021 | Employment Issues, Job and Resume Tips from the Pros, Web Pro News
“Remote workers make 8.3 percent more than non-remote workers with the same experience doing the same job.” (Payscale.com)
In partnership with CTeLearning.com, we are proud to announce the Career Transformation Series. Our first course with certification focuses on the Remote Working Professional. It combines mobile-friendly media-rich training with an embedded certification assessment allowing the learner to earn their international industry-recognized certification (IIRC) as they complete the course.
Use any internet connected device of your choice to earn your Remote Working Professional Certification
The focused nature of each course in the series means that in just one afternoon the learner can learn and earn career building credentials, and download the certification to prove it. The certification indicates the recipient has met standards agreed upon by industry and is ready to work as a remote worker anywhere in the world, making it a credential in high demand among employers seeking to hire remote professionals.
These courses and their certifications are not focused on technical careers or technical skills, but give the learner the skills and knowledge to make them marketable in the global workplace. Whether you are in customer service, sales, design, management, services, product support, development, web design, or any career you can do remotely, the skills you learn in this course transcend all industries, careers and levels.
This course also includes an interview preparation chapter, which features videos explaining how to ace the interview and land a job as a remote worker. The videos cover how to prepare for interviews as well as some of the most common questions that hiring managers ask candidates when interviewing for remote work positions.
Three Career Pathways
The core course is the Remote Working Professional (RWP) Pathway, which covers how to work remotely, how to communicate with others, how to work smarter and more productively, new dynamics of remote work, ethics of remote work, and bonus features packed with information that all remote workers should be aware of. Upon completion, students will receive a Remote Working Professional IIRC.
The Remote Professional Freelancer (RPF) Pathway (coming early March 2021) includes the core RWP course plus an advanced chapter on how to work and excel as a freelancer in the remote work world. The chapter includes information on how to develop skills to be a freelancer, selling those skills, managing clients, considerations as a freelancer versus working for a company, sticking to a work schedule and much more. Upon completion, students will receive a Remote Professional Freelancer IIRC Endorsement (in addition to the core Remote Working Professional IIRC earned after completing the core course).
The Remote Professional Manager (RPM) Pathway (coming mid-late March 2021) also includes the core RWP course and builds on it with an advanced chapter on how to be a manager as a remote worker. The chapter includes information on project management, dealing with difficult employees, communicating with employees in other time zones, ensuring accountability among team members and much more. Like the Freelancer Pathway, students who complete this course will receive the Remote Professional Manager IIRC Endorsement (in addition to the core Remote Working Professional IIRC earned after completing the core course).
We (Web Professionals) back this IIRC. However, you don’t have to be a web designer or developer to complete one of the course pathways. Whatever your profession—insurance agent, customer service representative, language translator, book editor, or just a student who wants to learn more about how to excel at home—this course is for you.
Get Started Today
No matter what industry you work in, or even if you are a high school or college student beginning to think about your career, this course can help you jump start your career. COVID-19 has forever changed the ways we learn and work, and the shift from traditional office spaces to remote work settings will continue in the coming years. Prepare yourself for the new world of remote work by arming yourself with the knowledge, skills and industry certification that will enable you to thrive.
Individuals ready to take charge of their futures should get started today.
Are you a workforce center development board, career and tech center, community college, university, school district or other career/employment organization? We offer a special institutional discount program.
