TechFluent Academy

Mock Interviews & Career Coaching with WorQFlow Solutions
2025-12-02 00:00 (America/Chicago)
Mock Interviews & Career Coaching Workshop Led by premier Microsoft Recruiting Firm WorQFlow Solutions, this class prepares learners to navigate the job search process with confidence by developing interview skills, refining personal branding, and aligning career goals with market opportunities. Through guided coaching, mock interviews, and reflective exercises, learners will gain practical tools to present themselves effectively and strategically in professional settings. By the end of this class, learners will be able to:

Articulate a compelling personal narrative that aligns with their career goals and values.
Demonstrate effective interview techniques, including behavioral and situational responses using the STAR method.
Analyze job descriptions to identify key qualifications and tailor responses accordingly.
Receive and apply feedback from mock interviews to improve performance.
Identify and address common interview challenges, such as gaps in employment, career changes, or limited experience.
Create a personalized interview preparation plan, including research, practice, and follow-up strategies.

2026 Cohort: Learner Mindset, with Pam Acosta
2025-12-02 09:00 - 12:00
Learner Mindset
with Pam Acosta
ERP Consultant
In this course, you will be exposed to what it takes to move forward with a true Learner Mindset. Upon completing the course you will be able to define and exhibit Growth Mindset attributes at work and at home, like open mindedness and agility of thought. You will be able to identify the four key components of effective feedback. And, you will be able to construct a data and impact focused statement of feed back in a way that positively promotes growth and improvement with your peers, subordinates and superiors.
This content developed by Lindsay Millett-Glass and Elizabeth Fleming,PsyD of Apidae Consulting

2026 Cohort: Day in a Life Panel, Moderated by Carol Smock
2025-12-03 09:00 - 12:00
Day in the Life Panel
Moderated by Carol Smock
Executive Director, TechFluent Academy
In this session, you will meet several professionals with varying types of careers in the Microsoft Industry. They will share how they achieved their careers, what they “do in a typical day” and field questions from you, the Learners, until you are comfortable that you understand the journey you are embarking upon. We are still engaging industry professionals, so revisit this page frequently for updates.
In this class you will get to know…
Frederick Anaafi, Microsoft MVP, MCT and Community Leader for Power BI at SureSkills
Douglas Walker, Sr. Consultant at Root16 Reply
Deb Burgesser, Lead Consultant at enCloud9
Cristal Carter, Associate Developer at Vital Farms
Dan Drislane, Business & Process Analyst at Frontier Strategies

2026 Cohort: Intro to a Career in Technology, with Justin Carter
2025-12-04 09:00 - 16:00
with Justin Carter
Vice President of Technology at Caf2Code
In this session, you will learn what it is like to have a career in the technology space, and more specifically, what it is like to have a career as a consultant in the Microsoft Ecosystem. At the completion of this course, you will understand what consulting is and what it is not. We will have helped you understand what skills you will need to be successful as a consultant. We will have answered any questions you have specifically about consulting and technology careers in general. And we will have provided you with resources and takeaways to kickstart your career.
This course designed by Warren Thomas, retired.

2026 Cohort: Time Management, with Justin Carter
2025-12-05 09:00 - 12:00 | Sabathani Community Center, 310 E. 38th Street, Minneapolis, MN, 55409, United States
with Justin Carter
Vice President of Technology at Caf2Code
In this course, we will explore the critical elements of managing your time as a Professional in the Technology Industry as we enter the era of Artificial Intelligence. Today there are many tools one can use to support the efforts of time management creating efficiency and enhancing productivity. It is imperative that as a professional in this space, you do not lose sight of the tasks you should be performing in order to maintain your best position in the company and on the projects you staff. By the end of this course, you will be able to apply best practices for balancing multiple clients and project deadlines. You will understand how best to escalate unexpected issues and how to apply effective prioritization techniques to optimize task efficiency. You will understand when and how to utilize digital tools and automation to streamline workflows. You will learn to develop strategies for managing interruptions and context switching to improve focus and maintain work-life balance. You will learn to identify and minimize common time-wasters; and you will create a personal time management plan.
Followed by 2.5 hours of Self-Study course-work on LinkedIn Learning:
Increasing Productivity Through Time Management (1.25 hours):
Todd Dewett has spent much of his career helping professionals grasp what it means to be an authentic, effective leader at work. In this audio course, we gave LinkedIn members the chance to record a question for Todd, one of our most popular instructors. His answers capture practical insights about what great leadership looks like in practice. He covers how to effectively hold people accountable for their actions; create a healthy company culture; deal with difficult people; manage employees who exhibit great potential; and more. Todd answers each question with the same down-to-earth, practical style you’ve come to expect.
Manage Multiple Projects Simultaneously (45 min):
Dive into the world of project management with Kerry Hoffman, an expert in operations and project management. Kerry demystifies how to apply project management techniques to both professional and personal projects. Discover best practices for initiating, planning, executing, and monitoring your projects. Learn to close and evaluate your efforts, identifying paths for continuous improvement. After this course, you’ll be able to use a project management approach for success in any aspect of life.

2026 Cohort: Self-Study via LinkedIn Learning - Time Management
2025-12-05 15:00 - 17:00
Increasing Productivity Through Time Management (1.25 hours):
Todd Dewett has spent much of his career helping professionals grasp what it means to be an authentic, effective leader at work. In this audio course, we gave LinkedIn members the chance to record a question for Todd, one of our most popular instructors. His answers capture practical insights about what great leadership looks like in practice. He covers how to effectively hold people accountable for their actions; create a healthy company culture; deal with difficult people; manage employees who exhibit great potential; and more. Todd answers each question with the same down-to-earth, practical style you’ve come to expect.
Manage Multiple Projects Simultaneously (45 min):
Dive into the world of project management with Kerry Hoffman, an expert in operations and project management. Kerry demystifies how to apply project management techniques to both professional and personal projects. Discover best practices for initiating, planning, executing, and monitoring your projects. Learn to close and evaluate your efforts, identifying paths for continuous improvement. After this course, you’ll be able to use a project management approach for success in any aspect of life.

2026 Cohort: Professional Communication Strategies in the Modern Workplace, with Amber Bell
2025-12-09 13:00 - 16:00
Professional Communication Strategies in the Modern Workplace
with Amber Bell
Owner at Training Dynamo
In today’s fast-paced, hybrid work environments, effective communication is more than just a soft skill—it’s a strategic advantage. This dynamic 3-hour session equips professionals with the tools, techniques, and mindset needed to communicate with clarity, confidence, and impact across diverse channels and audiences.
Participants will explore modern communication challenges and master strategies for navigating email etiquette, virtual meetings, cross-cultural interactions, and persuasive messaging. Through real-world scenarios, role-playing, and collaborative exercises, attendees will learn how to tailor their communication style to different stakeholders, resolve conflicts diplomatically, and foster stronger professional relationships.
Key Takeaways:

Best practices for digital communication (email, chat, video conferencing)
Emotional intelligence and active listening in business settings
Communicating across cultures and generations
Structuring messages for clarity, persuasion, and action
Giving and receiving feedback with professionalism
Building trust and credibility through communication

2026 Cohort: Collaboration with Different Perspectives, with Sissy Bottcher
2025-12-11 13:00 - 16:00
with Sissy Bottcher
CRM Services Lead at Avanade
Collaboration with Different Perspectives In this session, you will learn how to collaborate with people who bring differing perspectives to the table. Upon completion of this course, you will be able to explain the impacts of and differences between unconscious bias and psychological safety. You will be able to promote psychological safety in the workplace for yourself and others. And, you will be able to apply bias-aware practices to create a supportive environment where diverse perspectives are valued.
This course designed by Lindsay Millett-Glass.

2026 Cohort: Self-Study - Intro to the Dataverse
2025-12-12 11:30 - 13:00
Self-Study: Intro to the Dataverse (1.5 hours total)
The Microsoft Dataverse is a customizable universe of table and column definitions developed by Microsoft as part of an open data initiative with Adobe and SAP, aimed at creating a collection of standard business entities. Formerly called the Common Data Service, the Dataverse provides consistency when developing applications, storing data within an organization, managing data transfers between organizations, and makes it easier to develop business applications. In this course, Gini von Courter shows how to use the Dataverse to create data-rich applications for Dynamics, SharePoint, and Office 365. She covers topics like how to set up Dataverse, create data flows between applications, and create basic apps using Power Apps. As Gini shows, using a Dataverse database means you don’t need to spend as much time designing a data structure, and instead can focus on building applications and workflows.

2026 Cohort: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, with Mary Myers
2025-12-16 13:00 - 16:00
with Mary Myers, MVP
Owner of WorldMax
Imposter Syndrome can feel isolating, but it’s far more common than we realize. In this session, participants will explore the roots of Imposter Syndrome, understand how it affects confidence and decision-making, and discover practical strategies to reframe it as a source of strength. Through open discussion and reflection, we will learn how to turn self-doubt into self-empowerment.
Learning Objectives:

Recognize the signs of Imposter Syndrome and how it impacts confidence, productivity, and career growth.
Identify external factors, such as workplace dynamics, immigration, and representation, that can contribute to feelings of self-doubt.
Apply strategies to reframe Imposter Syndrome as a tool for resilience, growth, and authentic leadership.
Develop personalized techniques to become their own strongest supporter and advocate.

2026 Cohort: How to be Influential, with Pam Acosta
2025-12-19 13:00 - 16:00
with Pam Acosta
ERP Consultant
How to be Influential
This course is designed to help you become your most Influential Self. Upon completing this course you will be able to utilize storytelling techniques to effectively communicate complex business concepts in an engaging and illustrative way with leveraging data points. You will be able to tailor communications that align with target audiences and client personas. And you will be able to apply the components of of influence to effectively manage outcomes and over comes obstacles with others.
This course designed by Lindsay Millett-Glass and Elizabeth Fleming, PsyD of Apidae Consulting

2026 Cohort: Intro to Project Management, with Sienna Howlett-Wagner & Staci Cotter
2026-01-05 09:00 - 16:00
Sienna Howlett-Wagner and Staci Cotter
Sienna is an F&SCM Industry Delivery Consultant & TechFluent Board Treasurer
Staci is a Senior Project Manager at WinfoSoft
In this session, we will introduce you to the basics of Project Management, both within the scope of Microsoft Delivery as well as Project Management in general.
You will learn how to start and run a project.
At the completion of this course, you will have a foundation in Project Management, but not specific governance process or templates on exactly how to execute Project Management for a specific business division. This course is intended for individuals who are new to project management with little to no experience. You will understand the core concepts, be able to define and manage project scope, track project status, properly start or initiate a project. You will understand how to schedule tasks properly and you will understand the concept of Risk Management.
The Learning Objectives include:

Understanding the scope, importance and impact of project management on the successful delivery of projects.
Defining and explaining the core principles of project management and how they apply to technology implementation (specifically D365) projects.
Apply and manage fundamental project management practices using tools and deliverables to drive execution.

2026 Cohort: Intro to Delivery Management, with Sienna Howlett-Wagner and Staci Cotter
2026-01-07 09:00 - 16:00
Sienna Howlett-Wagner and Staci Cotter
Sienna is an F&SCM Industry Delivery Consultant & TechFluent Board Treasurer
Staci is a Senior Project Manager at WinfoSoft
Introduction to Delivery Management
In this session, we will introduce you to the concept of Delivery Management. At the completion of this course, you will understand the key differences between Delivery Management and Project Management. This course is intended to showcase how Microsoft Partners leverage Delivery Managers / Directors to insure what the client purchased is delivered. By the end of this class you will understand where the role of the Delivery Lead ends and the role of the PM begins – seamlessly managing the client, program and deliverables.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

Understand the role and responsibilities of a delivery manager on a D365 or on a Cross Platform Project
Apply delivery frameworks (Agile, Scrum, Success by Design) in real-world scenarios
Manage scope, timelines, risks, and dependencies across complex initiatives
Facilitate effective communication between technical and non-technical stakeholders
Use metrics and KPIs to track progress and drive continuous improvement
Navigate organizational dynamics and foster high-performing teams

2026 Cohort: Leveraging FutureFit AI to Create Your Career Journey
2026-01-08 13:00 - 14:30 | Sabathani Community Center, 310 E. 38th Street, Minneapolis, MN, 55409, United States
Learn how to leverage the FutureFit Platform for the creation of your Career Journey! TechFluent teaches you how this innovate technology will help you bridge any gap in skills you may have to achieving the career you desire from where you are today by mapping exactly which learning paths to take to get where you need to be. This Platform can help you build the resume and cover letter that will help get you through ATS systems, identify how likely you are to match jobs you are interested in and provide you with a plethora of career resource to uplevel your overall career journey.

2026 Cohort: Intro to Business Analysis, with Sienna Howlett-Wagner and Staci Cotter
2026-01-09 09:00 - 16:00
Sienna Howlett-Wagner and Staci Cotter
Sienna is an F&SCM Industry Delivery Consultant & TechFluent Board Treasurer
Staci is a Senior Project Manager at WinfoSoft
Introduction to Business Analysis
In this session, we will review the discipline of business analysis. We will discuss the career for Business Analysts and introduce you the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA), its standards and Certifications. You will learn the various types of Requirements that Business Analysts are required to understand and work with. And, finally, you will become familiar with the typical Business Analysis process expected to be followed by all BAs in the technology space – Scrum. Finally, we will complete an exercise in this course to help solidify everything we’ve learned.
Upon completion of this session, the participant will be able to:

Understand the role a Business Analyst fulfills on the Project Team and responsibilities for Project Alignment
Articulate the career pathways within the Microsoft Industry that align with BA associated skills
Identify and properly align appropriate process mapping to the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) approach defined for the project
Properly curate a Communication Plan to distill Requirements into User Stories through the selected project SDLC using the appropriate ceremonies
Identify and leverage the appropriate toolset to support Communication, Risk Management, Issue Tracking and Traceability of the Project

Exercise / Lab: Barista Process Flow

2026 Cohort: User Story Development & Solution Design, with Sienna Howlett-Wagner and Staci Cotter
2026-01-12 09:00 - 16:00
Sienna Howlett-Wagner and Staci Cotter
Sienna is an F&SCM Industry Delivery Consultant & TechFluent Board Treasurer
Staci is a Senior Project Manager at WinfoSoft
User Story Development & Solution Design
In this session, you will learn to properly develop User Stories distilling them from Requirements and gathering the details needed from your client through proper Backlog Grooming techniques. Additionally, we will review ways to manage a backlog properly whether you have basic tools (Excel) or nirvana (GYDE365), or something in between, to assist. After the User Stories are defined, they can be broken down further into Tasks for proper Solution Design, which is the next step in the Development Process and the next logical learning objective for this course. By the end of this course, you will know how to properly document your project’s Scope and Design in a manner that is traceable, trackable and consumable for building, testing and deployment.

Developing User Stories – Learn to distill User Stories from Requirements and gather essential details through effective Backlog Grooming techniques.
Backlog Management – Understand strategies for managing a backlog using various tools, from basic (Excel) to advanced (GYDE365), and everything in between.
Breaking Down User Stories into Tasks – Gain the ability to refine User Stories into Tasks to support proper Solution Design.
Solution Design Process – Understand how Task definition leads into the next step of the Development Process, ensuring a logical workflow.
Project Scope & Design Documentation – Learn to document project Scope and Design in a way that ensures traceability, trackability, and usability for building, testing, and deployment.

2026 Cohort: Intro to Change Management with Staci Cotter
2026-01-19 09:00 - 16:00
Intro to Change Management
with Staci Cotter
Senior Project Manager at WinfoSoft
In this session, we will introduce the concept of Organizational Change Management and how it fits into the framework of successful Delivery Management. You will learn to properly define adoption and change management in the context of technology implementations. You will learn to describe the objectives of change management within a project or program. You will review change methodologies and discuss examples and how they apply to your project or program. And finally, we will discuss why it is important to apply an empathetic lens to interactions with a variety of people involved in your project or program.

2026 Cohort: Intro to CE / CRM, with Timothy Noce
2026-01-26 09:00 - 12:00
Intro to CE / CRM
with Timothy Noce
Founder and CEO of CoreSpire Consulting.
In this session, we will introduce you to the core concept of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and its significance for modern business. We will explore the key benefits of CRM, including improved customer relationships, increased sales, and enhanced operational efficiency. And we will understand which jobs and roles within a business or organization use CRM systems and how. Digging deeper, we will explore how CRM platforms are utilized within an organization’s technical infrastructure to streamline business process, automate tasks, and foster collaboration across teams. And, we will discuss how you can leverage what you learn in this course to gain practical experience toward the first step in your career.
This course was designed by Felix Ndugwa, MSc. of Microsoft.

2026 Cohort: Resume, Cover Letter & LinkedIn Profile Workshop
2026-02-02 09:00 - 12:00
Resume, Cover Letter & LinkedIN Profile Workshop
• Understand keys to successful resumes and how to stand out as an applicant
• Understand various approaches and benefits/drawbacks of each
• Understand best practices and different approaches for common scenarios
• Understand fundamentals of LinkedIn
• Understand various aspects of SEO and getting one’s profile viewed
• Understand best practices and different approaches for common scenarios

2026 Cohort: Mock Interviews Workshop
2026-02-04 09:00 - 12:00
Mock Interviews Workshop

2026 Cohort: Career Coaching Workshop
2026-02-06 09:00 - 12:00
Career Coaching Workshop

2026 Cohort: Real Life Use Cases with Chris Cognetta
2026-02-11 09:00 - 12:00
Real Life Use Cases
with Chris Cognetta
Chief Technology & Innovation Officer at congruentX
In this session, we will review use cases for Customer Relationship Management Platforms in the Modern Workplace. By the end of this session, you will understand and have experienced why and how CRM works in a business today.

2026 Cohort: Intro to UX / UI, with Lenore Flower
2026-02-13 09:00 - 12:00
Intro to UX/UI
with Lenore Flower
Founder/Chief Data Plumber at Data Plumber
In this session, you will be introduced to the concepts of User Experience and User Interface, what they are and how they differ. By the end of the course, you will be able to describe what UX / UI design is and why it’s important for creating easy-to-use and visually appealing digital products. You will be able to explain the needs and preferences of users and how they influence the design of websites and apps. You will be able to define the basic steps involved in UX / UI design, including researching user needs, creating simple designs, and testing them with real users. You will be able to explain simple design principles like clarity, simplicity, and consistently, and how they help make digital products easier to use. And finally, you will be able to describe basic tools and techniques used in UX / UI design, such as sketching, wireframing, and using simple design software.

Power BI Presentations
2026-02-18 - 2026-02-19 | Sabathani Community Center, 310 E. 38th Street, Minneapolis, MN, 55409, United States
Power BI Presentations
Capstone Style Projects are presented on-site for Industry Professional review and feedback.
Panel of Judges will review via Teams Meeting; Presentations will be given in-person and streamed on camera via Teams.

Intro to ERP, with Bobby Small, MVP
2026-02-23 09:00 - 16:00 | Sabathani Community Center, 310 E. 38th Street, Minneapolis, MN, 55409, United States
Introduction to ERP
with Bobby Small, MVP
Community Strategy Director at Dynamics User Group
Course description TBD.

Enterprise Resource Planning & What it Means in the Modern Workplace, with Bobby Small, MVP
2026-02-24 09:00 - 16:00 | Sabathani Community Center, 310 E. 38th Street, Minneapolis, MN, 55409, United States
Enterprise Resource Planning & What it Means in the Modern Workplace
with Bobby Small, MVP
Community Strategy Director at Dynamics User Group
Course description TBD.

2026 Cohort: Introduction to Microsoft's Success by Design
2026-04-16 09:00 - 16:00
Introduction to Success by Design
In this session, we will introduce you to Microsoft’s premier FastTrack methodology agnostic delivery tool to ensure successful solution implementation end users and Microsoft Partners. Participants will explore the Success by Design framework and its pivotal role in guiding Dynamics 365 implementations. You will receive an in-depth review of key project phases, best practices, and FastTrack techniques, as well as gain practical strategies for planning, execution, and risk mitigation of projects on which you participate. The course will also emphasize solution architecture, governance, and compliance, ensuring secure and efficient deployments. Hands-on workshops will provide an opportunity to assess scalability and performance, while real-world case studies will prepare participants for implementation challenges. By the end of the session, learners will be equipped with actionable insights to optimize solution design, development, and deployment.

2026 Cohort: Introduction to Microsoft's Success by Design - Day 2
2026-04-17 09:00 - 16:00

2026 Cohort: CE / Power Platform Project Presentations
2026-04-29, 2026-04-30
CE / Power Platform Project Presentations
All students will present their projects for feedback from Industry Professionals.
Panel of Judges will review via Teams Meeting; Presentations will be given in-person and streamed on camera via Teams.
