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Essential Professional Skills Certificate



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Program Overview

Earning our new Essential Professional Skills Certificate can help you succeed in your career and make meaningful contributions to your organization. 

Certificate requirements:

7 courses of your choice

1 technology elective

Call 865-974-0150 to prepay for all required courses at a discounted fee of $1,239.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

This certificate program includes courses that cover the essential skills that every professional should possess in order to excel in their careers. Communication skills are crucial for effective collaboration with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders. Strong communication skills include active listening, clear and concise verbal and written communication, and the ability to tailor communication to different audiences. 

Additionally, time management and organizational skills are vital for meeting deadlines, managing multiple projects, and prioritizing tasks efficiently. This includes the ability to plan and execute projects, manage workloads, and maintain focus in a fast-paced work environment.

Meet Your Instructors

Naomi Asher

Naomi Asher is executive director of the United Way of Anderson County. She is a graduate of Johnson University, where she double majored in music and theology. Asher also earned an M.B.A. in marketing from King University.

She is the Chief Development Officer for Boys and Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley.

Kelly Drummond

Dr. Kelly Drummond is a certified professional in human resources through the HR Certification Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management. As the current director of human resources with the City of Knoxville, Drummond administers the compensation/classification system, talent acquisition, pre-employment processes, employee training, employee relations, succession planning, and assist directors in employee discipline. She previously worked as the vice president of human resource and leadership development with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley and the executive director of human resources for Knox County Schools. She also served as a national trainer for Boys & Girls Clubs of America and facilitated national trainings on leadership, human resources development, employee motivation, and personal effectiveness. Drummond earned a doctorate degree in education with a concentration in human resource development from Lincoln Memorial University.

Alexia Georghiou

Alexia Georghiou is the founder of The Knoxville Happiness Coalition & Life Betterment Through God. She has been a mental health therapist for over 20 years and recently completed a Leadership and Management Certificate online program from Wharton.

She contracts with individuals and organizations to foster engagement and motivation of employees, generate strategies for teams/organizations in transition, and develop healthy habits through life coaching. Georghiou believes the world is a better place because we are in it, and everything we do can shift the culture for the better good.

Randy Harms

Randy Harms has more than 30 years of successful sales, management, and coaching experience. Harms earned a bachelor’s degree in business management at North Carolina Wesleyan College.

Tammie Smeltzer

Tammie Smeltzer is a Talent Development Training Specialist for Oak Ridge National Laboratory, collaborating with key stakeholders to design, develop, facilitate, and coordinate the delivery of professional development programs. She has worked for more than 25 years in adult education. Smeltzer is also a retired Air Force Senior Master Sergeant with more than 20 years of service. She holds a master’s degree in adult education.

Shane Smith, CFA

Shane Smith is a financial advisor at Quality Financial Concepts in Maryville, Tennessee. Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He became a Certified Financial Planner in 2014 and completed all three levels of the Chartered Financial Analyst program in 2022.

Register Today

Call 865-974-0150 to prepay for all required courses at a discounted fee of $1,239.

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UT Center for Professional Education & Lifelong Learning

600 Henley Street, Suite 211
Knoxville TN 37996

Email: professionaled@utk.edu

Phone: 865-974-0150

The University of Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee 37996
865-974-1000

The flagship campus of the University of Tennessee System and partner in the Tennessee Transfer Pathway.

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