"A few months ago, a new client, the CEO of an oil and gas company, told me he wanted to build a data warehouse to power several AI initiatives. I could not answer his questions. He was way more knowledgeable about AI than I was. It made me realize that if I can't articulate what AI can do for a client, I will be replaced. I needed to get well-versed in this whole AI thing."
"You had the choice of taking the classes on Saturdays or Sundays. They were live, two-hour online lectures taught by multiple teachers. Some were professors at Johns Hopkins, and others were businesspeople. It started with a little history lesson. We learned the difference between generative and agentic AI and what LLMs are. Later, we covered topics like responsible AI, generative AI for business, and AI project management."
"There was also about four to six hours worth of homework every week. We had to watch a lot of videos, take quizzes, and complete three projects. The program was designed to ensure that you apply what you have learned. I'm 57, so I'm on the older side. There are a lot of young people who could take my job. This was the first time in 30 years that I needed to get up to speed on something with formal training."
A client requested a data warehouse to support AI initiatives, revealing gaps in Dave Baxter's AI knowledge and prompting formal training. Baxter enrolled in a 12-week AI Business Strategy certification through Johns Hopkins, paid by his company, featuring live two-hour weekend lectures, multiple instructors, and weekly four to six hours of homework. Course topics included generative versus agentic AI, LLMs, responsible AI, generative AI for business, and AI project management, plus three applied projects. The training increased Baxter's confidence and directly helped him secure an AI project with a major client.
Read at Business Insider
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