T&D+Life

My Curriculum Vitae

Click to access PDF version of  Kurt’s CV 

Training & Instructional Design Background

Comcast Corporation

Contract Trainer (Aug 2012 – Present)

• Trainer/facilitator for this Fortune 100 telecommunications provider of cable television, Internet, home phone, and home security systems. Comcast currently serves more than 24 million customers across 40 states.
• Train customer service skills, sales skills, software use, billing system processes and procedures (using CSG/ACSR system), and troubleshooting techniques to newly hired customer account executives.
• Incorporate blended learning techniques such as e-learning and instructor-led training to ensure learner retention and transfer for groups ranging from 15 to 45 learners.
• Facilitate on location in various West Region locations including Portland, OR and Denver, CO.

Time Warner Cable/Insight Communications

Instructional Designer (July 2011 – July 2012)

• Instructional Designer for corporate and district training initiatives for various departments and job functions.
• Provided training materials for more than 300 employees in all departments.
• Created training materials for more than 15 trainers in all departments. Delivered train-the-trainer (TTT) sessions on how to use training materials to train employees on new/upgraded product and process initiatives.
• In 3 months advanced from non-user to skilled/expert user of Adobe Captivate, Dreamweaver, Raptivity, and other tools in order to provide e-learning solutions and online resources for employee training and development.

Sales and Customer Service Trainer (Feb 2007 – July 2011)

• Trainer for district’s CSRs, Sales Clerks, Dispatchers, Leads, Supervisors, and Managers. Trained sales and customer service skills, billing system procedures (using ICOMS system), and products and services.
• Strategic role as trainer in transforming a call center focused only on customer service into a sales driven team in which sales was a focus on every customer encounter.
• Transformed a lecture-based new-hire training program into a learner-centered, hands-on, role-play program.

Belterra Casino Resort & Spa

Trainer (2006 – 2007)

• Facilitated training for more than 1,000 employees in soft skills subject matter, including customer service and hospitality training, sales, new-hire orientation, and leadership training.

New Horizons Computer Learning Centers

Contract Instructor (2006)

• Taught computer application courses to individuals and corporate employee groups. Customized standard curriculum to specific client needs, student backgrounds, and class demographics.

Toyota Motor Manufacturing/Cincinnati Bell

Contract Trainer (2006)

• Trained more than 200 employees at Toyota Motor Manufacturing’s Georgetown, KY site on the features and applications of newly installed Cincinnati Bell phone and voice mail systems.

Convergys Corporation, Learning Solutions Division

Senior Manager of QA Team, Lead Editor (2001 – 2005)

• Convergys’ Learning Solutions Division provides customized training solutions to Fortune 500 clients.
• Direct reports included 8 Editors and 14 QA Testers in India. Managed team on project assignments, ensuring on-time delivery of courseware to clients with world-class quality of text, graphics, audio, and video content.
• Directed continuous improvement efforts of the division’s courseware development process. Developed a comprehensive ADDIE model that included all roles in the development process (Graphic Artists, Flash Developers, Project Managers, QA Testers, Editors, and Writers). Trained QA team and over 100 other division team members on this customized ADDIE process, new QA guidelines, and related online tools.
• Materials Developed: Instructor-led training materials, online courseware, reference materials, and assessment materials. Directed team in full editing/testing of complex simulation training games and video/CD-ROM products.
• Course Content: Computer applications, customer service, new-hire, organizational development, products and services, safety, sales, and work procedures training.
• Clients: Client projects that I was actively involved in as content developer, editor, or writer: ADP, Cisco Systems, Deutsche Bank, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Intuit/QuickBooks, JPMorgan, Luxottica, Microsoft, and Novartis.

Other Relevant Professional Experience

Self-Employed/Contractor – Editor, Writer (2000 – 2002)

• Provided writing and editorial services for local and national publishers, including The Cincinnati Enquirer (200,000+ circulation), Office.com (1.7 million hits per month), and Standard Publishing.
• Wrote/edited original content on topics including business, finance, IT, leadership, and marketing.

Thomson Newspapers/Journal-News (Hamilton, OH) – Business Editor, Writer (1999 – 2000)

• Managed the Business Section of the Journal-News daily newspaper and several weekly publications.
• Provided graphics and content (writing and editing original stories) on banking/finance, business, economic development, IT, and general news topics for 52,000+ subscribers.

Thomson Learning/South-Western Educational Publishing – Editor, Features Writer (1997 – 1999)

• Performed full-cycle product development activities for this Thomson secondary school textbook publisher.
• Managed key project functions, including editing, design specs, feature writing, and art/graphics research.

El Paso Independent School District – Bilingual Teacher (1995 – 1996)

• Taught math curriculum to entire 6^th grade student body; taught other subjects to bilingual homeroom class.
• Piloted an interactive math program for the school’s future use in all 4^th through 6^th grade math curriculum.

U.S. Peace Corps – Housing Loan Volunteer, Consultant (1992 – 1994)

• Served as consultant to an agro-industrial credit union in Paraguay, South America, piloting a local home-improvement program. Trained staff in budgeting, contracting, loan procedures, and home inspections.
• Educated over 40 loan applicant families on interest and loan basics, program rules, and financial guidelines.

U.S. Air Force – Personnel Administrator (1985 – 1989)

• Served as Personnel Specialist in the 60^th Supply Squadron, Travis AFB, California; the 485^th Supply Squadron, Florennes Air Base, Belgium; and the 3370 Technical Training Group, Chanute AFB, Illinois.
• Honorable Discharge, Achievement Medal (3x), Good Conduct Medal, Training Honor Graduate (2x).

Education & Training

Western Kentucky University

Master of Science – Major: Instructional Design – Expected graduation 2014

Xavier University

Bachelor of Arts, Cum Laude – Major: Economics – Minor: Business – 1991

Vocational & Professional Education

 Langevin Learning Services – (2007, 2010) – “Web-Based Training,” a 3-day workshop on blending methods and media for CBT and web-based training; “Project Management for Trainers,” a 2-day workshop on managing training projects.

 Bob Pike Group & Insight Communications – (2007, 2008) – “Creative Training Techniques,” a 3-day seminar for improving training delivery techniques; “Delivering High Performance Sales & Customer Service Training,” a 2-day workshop.

Northern Kentucky University – (2006 – 2007) – “Cognition in the Workplace” and “Industrial-Organizational Psychology Forum,” two graduate level courses; 5 credit hours.

ACTFL/ETS Spanish Certification – (1994) – Earned “Advanced” rating on Spanish exam, administered by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages and the Educational Testing Service.

United States Peace Corps – (1992 – 1994) – 2 years of immersive Spanish and Guarani language training, including classroom, self-study, and cultural immersion.