[GIVEAWAY] Win 1 seat to a Multi-Day Smartsheet University course

Dewald Harrington

Hello,

I am a product development Coordinator and production Manager at our Factory here in Pretoria, South Africa. Ever since being introduced to Smartsheets, it has really revolutionised our way of production and Manufacturing. Without any formal Smartsheets training, I have managed to creat databases and automated forms for our retail, customer services and new order requests departments. The course I did what really shaped me into the person I am today was a basic junior supervisor traing course, to learn how to deal with people and understand process flow and management thereoff.

Never had any opportunity to be able to complete any tersiary training, although I did do 3 years for my National Diploma in Mechanical Enginering with my own funds, but unfortunaltely had give that up due to finances.

Every course that my current and previous companies offerred for free, I grabbed up with intent to better myself and learn, which can be free if you have the right mindset.

So I would love to have this oppotunity to learn more about Smartsheets and empower more people inside my own organisation to increase their efficiency and job satisfaction.

Thanks so much.

Evie Thomas

Enrolling in SCUBA diving courses was a transformative experience in my youth, propelling me towards a path of innovation that continues to shape my life today. 

As I became an experienced diver, I was given the incredible opportunity to work for a university overseas and contribute to teaching marine biology to high-school students. This involved going on expeditions to various islands, where SCUBA diving played a central role in our fieldwork. What made this experience even more remarkable was the innovative approach adopted by the university. With their support, I was able to implement the first-ever audio-visual teaching system at their multiple locations across the nation. The impact was astounding - students were devouring information as they could finally visualize the wonders of marine life instead of merely learning from a blackboard. It's worth noting this was a time before the advent of social media back in the early 90s.  

This incredible experience taught me a vital lesson: innovation and leadership are inseparable. Without the guidance of exceptional leaders who fostered an innovative mindset, I would never have acquired the knowledge and skills necessary to share my deep passion for marine biology with others. It was through this transformative course that I discovered the immense power of combining education, technology, and hands-on experiences. This discovery ignited an unyielding dedication to innovation and leadership that still drives me today. I firmly believe that just as SCUBA diving and innovative teaching methods had the power to shape young minds in my youth, platforms like Smartsheet possess the same transformative power in the realm of organization and collaboration in the future.

JLBS

Have you ever dreamed of soaring in the sky like a bird? Do you want to see the world from a different perspective? Do you enjoy challenges and adventures? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you might want to consider taking flying lessons. Flying lessons are the best course I ever took, and I want to share with you some of the reasons why.

First of all, flying lessons are very interesting because they teach you a lot of skills and knowledge that you can apply to other areas of life. You learn how to operate an aircraft, how to navigate using maps and instruments, how to communicate with air traffic control, how to handle emergencies, and how to plan your flights. You also learn about aerodynamics, weather, physics, and regulations. Flying lessons are not only fun, but also educational and stimulating.

Secondly, flying lessons are very rewarding because they give you a sense of achievement and confidence. There is nothing like the feeling of taking off and landing a plane by yourself, or passing a test or a checkride. You also get to enjoy the beautiful scenery and the freedom of flying. You can explore new places, visit friends and family, or just have a relaxing flight. Flying lessons are not only challenging, but also satisfying and fulfilling.

Thirdly, flying lessons are very exciting because they offer you a lot of opportunities and possibilities. You can choose from different types of aircraft, such as single-engine, multi-engine, glider, helicopter, or even jet. You can also pursue different ratings and endorsements, such as instrument, commercial, instructor, or aerobatic. You can also join clubs, groups, or organizations that share your passion for flying. You can also participate in events, competitions, or missions that involve flying. Flying lessons are not only diverse, but also adventurous and thrilling.

In conclusion, flying lessons are the best course I ever took because they are very interesting, rewarding, and exciting. They taught me a lot of skills and knowledge, gave me a sense of achievement and confidence, and offered me a lot of opportunities and possibilities. I advise everyone to learn how to fly as it is a great hobby that can enrich your life and broaden your horizons.

Adam in DC

One of my favorite professional courses was learning about Group Policy in Microsoft Active Directory. It was an interesting subject and the instructor was great. Being able to tweak the desktop of staff to make it safer and more effective is important.

sally.ybarra

Describe a favorite course you took and what made it great. 

PM course offered at work. The instructor shared life experiences, along flexibility to bring a project plan you were currently working on and provide mentorship.

TCJ

It is so difficult to choose a single class! I took an Art History class while on a year abroad program in Paris. It was unreal to be able to learn about paintings, architecture and sculpture, then go actually visit those pieces, in person in the next couple of days. Being surrounded by so much art and history opened my eyes to the role that art has played in recording our culture and history through time.

CJ Norton

One of my favorite was a refresher in outlook. I receive so many emails a day it helped in getting my inbox down to a manageable size.

dzx9ph

I learned a great deal from the Google Project Management Certificate on Coursera. It helped me make a late career switch. The instructional design was excellent, with lots of practical real-life scenarios and applications, opportunity for peer networking and feedback and really solid skills presented that could be applied across disciplines. I highly recommend the curriculum.

BetzaidaRivera

The Trauma Awareness Train the Trainer program offered by Lakeside Global Institute was the most valuable training since 2023-current and it represents a significant advancement in trauma-informed education. This comprehensive training equips professionals with the necessary skills to support trauma-impacted individuals effectively.

AdamSYNH

Honestly the best course I've taken was a recent one, though not directly related to my profession. I took a pottery course at my local studio to learn to throw on a wheel, having taken a taster course with a local potter and really enjoyed it. I have struggled with depression and anxiety for most of my life, I have lots of coping strategies but have never been able to properly engage with mindfulness/meditation, often getting frustrated and being unable to focus. Taking the pottery class has been transformative from this perspective, I'm in the moment, focusing on only one thing - turning clay into something, anything, useful or not. In a setting where there are no expectations, with a focus on just giving techniques a try I was like a different person. I'm more open to taking risks and making mistakes; learning from them rather than dwelling on them negatively. This attitude is spilling over into my professional life increasingly as time has gone on. I've not made a perfect pot yet, nor have I built the perfect solution in smartsheet, but I'm enjoying learning as I go and figuring them both out along the way.

Keenya2023

I enjoyed my Cooking class in middle school. I learned skills that I still use to this day!

Paola G

One of the best courses I took was a preparation for the PMP exam hosted by the PMI Houston Community. What made it great was the different backgrounds of the participants and realizing that the same skills being achieved were applicable even if Projects could be so different as well.

Luke L

My favorite class I still pull on lessons learned some 30 years later, is Intro to forms with Ken Martin. Ken found his way to teaching after a long career designing and building many different types of objects, including exhibits at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, gallery-specific pieces, and solving for how to ship large objects.

His love of design and lessons on how to think your way to a creative solution still resignate. He is also just one of those personalities that inspires you to want to do your best work. That is the same enthusiasm I try to bring to my classes (I teach woodworking on the side) and my everyday work life (My day job is in IT).

One of my favorite assignments which seemed both silly and creatively challenging at the same time was to take a piece of wood (any shape/size), cut it up and put it all back together to make a sculpture. Try it out yourself with a piece of paper. See what you can come up with. Will it just end up a pile of firewood? Will it be kinetic, visually dynamic, monolithic, an illusion?

slongenecker

One of my favorite courses was "The Data Science Course: Complete Data Science Bootcamp" on Udemy. The lessons were in short parts so that I could both binge-learn and take 5 minutes in between other tasks. The explanations were clear, and the files provided for "follow-along" exercises were easy to load and mirrored the course content precisely. The instructors were funny at times without trying too hard. Great course overall.

efoster_asecho2024

I'd say the Smartsheet Product Certified User Certification. I completed this certification in 2019. Even though this is a basic/fundamental course, it opened the door for me to recognize how powerful Smartsheet really was. Previously, I thought Smartsheet was simply a project management tool, but it's obviously so much more. Since then, I've implemented several processes and automated workflows within the company that has drastically improved our efficiency. One workflow that sticks out specifically was the creation of a Help Desk Ticket System. In partnership with Zapier, we were able to flow all of our customer inquiries that were being submitted via multiple email addresses into one sheet. In addition, users could submit directly to the help desk, receive automated responses, and be assigned to staff across the dept. based on category selection. This entire workflow mimics an actual help desk software such JIRA. In result, it streamlined our customer service issues, and saved our company thousands of dollars.