Category: Brandpoint Lifestyle

2026-10-15T13:01:00

(BPT) – Key takeaways:

• Proper ventilation is integral to the comfort and well-being of residents in multifamily constructions.
• Builders and contractors should carefully consider methods to improve airflow and indoor air quality while simplifying construction and installation.
• The Panasonic WhisperFresh line meets the ventilation needs of builders and residents.

When it comes to single-family and multifamily construction, ventilation shouldn’t be an afterthought. Without proper ventilation, individual units, common areas and other spaces in the building can become stale, hot and humid — in short, uncomfortable. Considering that Americans spend approximately 90% of their time indoors, proper ventilation is essential to the success of a high-density residential building project.

For builders and contractors, strategies that optimize airflow and indoor air quality (IAQ) can make a huge difference in residents’ comfort and health as well as a building’s long-term performance. Here are five key ways developers can improve airflow across every unit of a multifamily project.

Ensure consistent fresh-air delivery

Achieving balanced airflow in every unit of a multifamily building is critical for the comfort of all residents. When ventilation is uneven, you’ll end up with some units starved of fresh air and others overventilated, leading to discomfort and inconsistent air quality across the property.

To ensure building residents receive consistent fresh air in their units, builders and contractors should consider sourcing continuous-supply fans with precise cubic feet per minute (CFM) control. This feature ensures that fresh, outside air is delivered directly to each unit, maintaining consistent IAQ from the ground floor to the penthouse.

Choose mechanical ventilation designed with tighter building envelopes in mind

Modern buildings are being built tighter than ever, improving energy efficiency and reducing air leakage. However, that tight envelope also means that fresh air cannot enter the building through cracks and gaps in walls and windows, leaving residents breathing stale air.

Without a well-designed mechanical air supply, you risk not only residents’ comfort but also code compliance. To complement the tightness of modern buildings and deliver the comfort and IAQ residents expect, look for supply fans designed with ASHRAE 62.2 code compliance in mind from the start.

Another detail to consider is humidity. Left unchecked, moisture accumulation encourages mold growth, compromising residents’ IAQ and building integrity. This is of particular concern in hot, humid climates like Texas, the Gulf Coast and California, where climate control drives code compliance and comfort. Prioritize ventilation solutions that deliver enhanced climate-control performance with humidity and temperature sensing.

Don’t forget about noise control

One of the primary reasons occupants tamper with or turn off mechanical ventilation systems is operational noise. It’s not enough for a fan to perform well. Fans that operate quietly are essential in residential environments where bedrooms and living spaces sit in close proximity to mechanical equipment.

Contractors should prioritize supply fan models rated for ultralow sone levels, less than 1 sone. That’s quieter than even a running fridge. Installing quiet equipment protects indoor comfort, ensures residents leave systems running as designed and minimizes noise complaints post-turnover.

2026-10-15T11:01:00

(BPT) – Key takeaways:

• A growing number of companies are turning to an AI-powered platform to help customer-facing teams create training that will build skills around productive innovation and process changes.
• Articulate, the market-leading platform for proprietary workplace training, is backed by 20+ years of learning science.
• New enterprise integrations connect Articulate to the tools teams already use, from source material through publishing.

Since AI entered the workplace, organizations are changing fast, and their teams can’t keep up. Nearly three-quarters of frontline workers surveyed report experiencing skill gaps, according to a recent McKinsey survey, and those gaps are bound to widen as AI accelerates the pace and volume of product innovation and process changes. The pressure to close that gap often falls on the teams who build training for customer-facing roles — sales enablement, customer success, and support — and the L&D teams whose resources are being stretched to their limits.

It’s why a growing number of companies are turning to Articulate, whose AI-powered platform is built to help customer-facing teams create training to help build their skills in the era of constant, rapid change.

“You can’t buy the training that matters most to your business off a shelf. It’s specific to your products, your customers, your way of working,” said Monika Saha, Chief Commercial Officer at Articulate. “For most businesses, that kind of proprietary training has always been the hardest to get right and the fastest to go stale, and AI has only shortened its shelf life. That’s what we’re making easier to build and maintain.”

A market-leading platform built for every team

Articulate is the market-leading platform for building proprietary workplace training. Its newest release extends that capability in two directions. Nova, an AI agent built into Articulate 360 and backed by 20+ years of learning science, gives L&D teams more range. Frontline brings the same learning science and quality standards to teams across the business.

Frontline is built for the teams closest to the customer. It empowers sales enablement leaders, support managers and more to build training directly. Those teams can build their own training while still operating within the standards L&D already set, including brand guidelines and governance.

Nova is an AI agent that handles complex workflows that used to span multiple applications, including multi-format translation, AI-avatar video and training kit generation. Each is grounded in instructional design principles, turning information across the business into training that people can learn, retain and apply. Nova is built into every eligible Articulate 360 subscription.

New enterprise integrations connect Articulate to the tools teams already use, from source material through publishing: pulling content from Google Drive and OneDrive, and launching training creation directly from Claude, ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot. On the publishing end, teams can publish training directly to Thinkific in one click, or use Connected Packages.

As organizations rethink how they prepare employees for a rapidly changing workplace, the focus is shifting from simply adopting AI to helping people grow with it. By combining their deep expertise in learning science and what’s possible with AI, Articulate is helping build a workforce ready for whatever comes next.

2026-10-14T16:09:00

(BPT) – After years of neutral, one-size-fits-all rooms, homeowners are looking for spaces that feel like their own, with finishes that get better with age and layouts that fit how they really live. In 2027, expect kitchen and bath design to move toward warm finishes, expressive shapes, personalized function and outdoor areas that match the rest of the house.

1. Warmth, Patina and Jewel Tones

Stark whites and cool grays are giving way to color and character. Emerald, sapphire and garnet are popping up in tile and cabinetry, along with warm metals on faucets and hardware.

Living finishes are a natural extension of this shift, changing over time to reflect the home and the people who live in it. Brizo Kitchen & Bath introduced its first living finish, Unlacquered Brass, in the Faircroft^™ Kitchen Collection. With use over time, the finish develops a one-of-a-kind patina shaped by touch and daily life.

“People are thinking more intentionally about every detail in the home, including the pieces they interact with every day,” says Celine Kwok Garland, Lead Industrial Designer at Brizo. “A faucet can have as much personality as a light fixture or a piece of art. We carefully consider how a finish will age, how a handle feels in your hand and how each piece contributes to the character of the room.”

2. Tactile, Sculptural and Architectural Forms

Materiality and form will take center stage in 2027 as sculptural silhouettes, expressive handles, architectural glass and tactile materials bring greater dimension to everyday fixtures. Reeded glass, in particular, is moving beyond the shower door across cabinetry and lighting, where its textured surface softens the light and adds visual depth.

The Roccesco™ Bath Collection by Brizo^® brings this approach to the bath through geometric forms, reeded-glass lever handles and a sculptural halo showerhead, drawing inspiration from contemporary Italian design.

3. Personalized, Seamless Functionality

Rather than following standard layouts, homes are increasingly being designed around the routines of the people who live in them. In the bath, shower and thermostatic systems allow homeowners to personalize temperature and flow, creating an experience that can shift from a quick morning rinse to a more restorative evening ritual.

That same emphasis on intuitive functionality is shaping the kitchen, where technology is making everyday tasks easier without competing with the design. Touch-activated and hands-free features help streamline work at the sink while remaining discreet within the space. Brizo^®SmartTouch^® Technology, available on select faucets, allows users to start and stop the flow with a simple tap on the spout, body or handle.

4. Indoor-Outdoor Continuity

As the boundaries between indoor and outdoor living continue to blur, homeowners are approaching these spaces with a more unified design perspective. In 2027, outdoor kitchens will increasingly reflect the same attention to materials, finishes and design found inside the home, creating a natural extension of the interior rather than a separate entertaining space.

Reflecting this shift, Brizo recently expanded its outdoor offerings, bringing Litze^® and Odin^® collections outside in 316L marine-grade stainless steel. Engineered to withstand exposure to sun, salt and freezing temperatures, the collections extend the same design language found indoors to exterior spaces.

Taken together, these trends point to homes that feel incredibly personal and considered, where materials, forms and technology work together to create spaces that are as individual as the people who live in them.

2026-10-14T12:41:00

(BPT) – By Eric Dell, President and CEO, American Bakers Association

Every trip to the grocery store is a balancing act. You’re watching the budget and doing quick math on how far each dollar will stretch. You’re scanning nutrition labels, planning the week’s meals, and hoping what lands in your cart will get eaten. And if you’re like me, you’re looking for convenient options to pack a nutritious lunch before the school bus arrives.

For generations, bread has helped families manage all that juggling. Friday, October 16, is World Bread Day, and it’s a good time to appreciate why.

Nutrition You Can Count On

Bread is more than a convenience. A single slice can deliver fiber, iron, magnesium and B vitamins, which are nutrients many Americans don’t get enough of. Grain foods like bread contribute nearly 40% of the dietary fiber in the American diet.

Bread also has a remarkable public health record. Enriched grains, a practice built into bread production for more than 80 years, has played an important role in improving nutritional health. Notably, fortification of enriched grains with folic acid is credited with reducing neural tube birth defects by nearly one-third in the United States. Few foods can claim that kind of a public health achievement.

Affordable, Accessible and Dependable

Bread has connected people across tables and cultures for thousands of years. It is a nutritious staple that makes sense for households at every income level. When grocery bills are stretched, bread is a dependable food that delivers real nutrition for your dollar. In fact, 99% of U.S. households purchased a baked good last year. Baking is clearly woven into everyday American life.

From Farm to Family

That dependable loaf doesn’t happen by accident. It is the result of the hard work and dedication of American farmers, millers, bakers and the workers who ensure fresh, affordable bread reaches families every day.

The baking industry employs 800,000 people nationwide. In 2024, commercial bakers invested $15 billion in American-grown ingredients like wheat, corn, sugar and eggs. More than 85% of core baking ingredients come from U.S. farmers and processors, and one-third of all flour milled in this country goes to commercial bakeries.

That partnership supports jobs and strengthens local economies. It also keeps shelves stocked, so families can find affordable, nutritious bread wherever they shop.

The Foundation for Everything Else on the Plate

Bread’s greatest strength is its versatility. As the foundation for countless meals, bread brings together protein, vegetables and other nutritious foods. Just consider a single day’s menu. Avocado toast with your coffee. A pita stuffed with hummus and veggies for lunch. Tuesday taco night with the family.

Bread helps bring together grains, protein and produce to create nutritious, convenient and portable meals that feed both children and adults. Today’s bread aisle also offers more choices than ever, including varieties with added fiber, protein or whole grains to fit different appetites and lifestyles.

A Day to Rediscover Bread

A resolution introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2025 celebrates bread as a “nutritious, affordable, and culturally significant staple food.” It encourages Americans to explore new varieties and pair them with nutritious foods. We agree.

On World Bread Day, explore the versatility of bread by trying something new, whether a hearty whole grain, a soft flatbread or a sourdough loaf. Pair it with your family’s favorite protein and vegetable to create a nutritious, satisfying meal everyone can enjoy.

Bread is nutritious, affordable and familiar, and American bakers, farmers and millers have kept it at the center of our tables for generations.

For more information about bread’s role in a nutritious diet, visit www.bakingfeedsamerica.org.

2026-10-14T08:33:00

(BPT) – When you and your loved ones gather to celebrate Thanksgiving, good food and gratitude are table stakes. What really matters is comfortable seating, which allows your guests to linger longer and get into those meaty, meaningful conversations that are as important to the holiday as the turkey and pumpkin pie. According to new research from iconic furniture brand Stressless, 76% of Americans think it’s important that where they sit is comfortable, and another 46% say it’s important that where they sit is also ergonomic.

Folks like to linger after dinner

On average, people spend two hours and 24 minutes eating their Thanksgiving meal — including appetizers, entrées and desserts. And 93% stay seated at the table after the feast is finished. In fact, 62% of Gen Zers want their Thanksgiving to last even longer, according to the survey of 2,000 Americans who celebrate the holiday. Yet, survey respondents rated the comfort of the chairs they sit in for Thanksgiving Dinner a mere 3.7 out of 10, where 1 is extremely uncomfortable and 10 is extremely comfortable. Ouch!

Cue Stressless Dining. With its rounded shape and Scandi style, the Stressless Bay Lowback dining chair automatically adjusts your seat and back position to recline effortlessly, reducing leg pressure and fatigue, bringing comfort to your Thanksgiving table, even when the meal is over. You can dine, recline and stay comfy. Now that’s something to be thankful for.

Spilling the tea goes with passing the gravy

Survey respondents also shared their favorite topics of conversation at the Thanksgiving table: reminiscing (40%), family gossip (34%), life updates (34%), TV shows and movies (33%) and sports (30%) were the top five. The questions that make us squirm are about politics, careers and family planning. Nearly a third of millennials and Gen Z say the worst question of all is “When are you going to get a ‘real’ job?”

No wonder 35% of those surveyed said it’s likely their Thanksgiving gathering will include some drama this year.

There’s a lot to be thankful for

Take heart, because 43% of respondents believe their Thanksgiving will be drama-free instead. They also said they enjoy being with their family and sharing what they’re grateful for. Other favorite activities include watching football and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade together, bringing favorite dishes and carving the turkey. And 82% of Americans surveyed think gathering around the table with loved ones for Thanksgiving is worth all the planning stress they experience leading up to Turkey Day.

So laugh off the awkward questions, kick back in comfort and savor the moment!

2026-10-12T07:01:00

(BPT) – Have you ever driven for an hour to find a food truck with an amazing local dish, or planned a vacation around one city’s famous market? If so, you could be a “culinary tourist”: one of the many travelers hungry not just for great eats, but who find that food is a fun, immersive way to explore local ingredients and learn about global traditions and cultures.

This is the spirit behind the Global Kitchen video series from the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA), which just released its second season showcasing the best street food and culinary hidden gems in destinations worldwide.

Then if these glimpses of global flavors inspire dreams of travel, USTOA tour operators can help make them a reality. Whatever cuisine you want to try, tour companies vetted and backed by USTOA have the expertise to take the planning and logistics off your hands, so you can relax and enjoy the journey.

Discover the unique flavors of 3 featured cities

USTOA’s Global Kitchen season 2 offers fun, fast-paced videos from local chefs and food experts who sample flavors of diverse cities including Québec City, Canada; Cali, Colombia and Chongqing, China. The one thing these cities’ foods share is their distinct sense of place. From local ingredients to the cultural traditions that created them, these foods immerse you in each destination.

Here are highlights you’ll want to check out.

Unique sweet and savory treats in Québec City, Canada

Follow food columnist Allison Van Rassel as she tastes sweet and savory items that seem familiar, but with a uniquely Québécois twist. Ingredients and culinary influences rooted in the foodways of the region’s Indigenous Nations blend with Québec’s French heritage to create dishes worth savoring.

You’ll witness a celebration of winter as locally sourced maple taffy is pulled over fresh snow by La Petite Cabane à Sucre de Québec’s Rebecca McWhirter. You’ll also watch the creation of a famous Gerry Burger (named for Québécois rock singer Gerry Boulet) at La Baraque à Frites: fried chicken on a grilled brioche bun with crispy bacon, pickles and Buffalo mayo sauce. Then enjoy seeing a mouth-watering grilled cheese sandwich made on a crisp gaufrette (waffle) with Charlevoix cheese and sautéed apple at Chez Maude.

Bountiful fruits and thriving markets in Cali, Colombia

Journey to the Pacific region of Colombia, where the city of Cali, known worldwide as the salsa capital, draws from its indigenous roots, Spanish Colonial history and incredibly diverse local ingredients to create street food you need to explore on foot.

Chef Catalina Vélez brings you to La Alameda Market, where you’ll find an amazing variety of fruits not found anywhere else in the world, like the chontaduro fruit (from chonta palm trees), which must be cooked before it’s eaten with salt and honey. You also get to watch how tamales are made from cornmeal dough (masa), filled with pork and/or chicken, potatoes, carrots, peas, onion, garlic, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and hogao (a traditional Colombian sauce), then wrapped in plantain leaves and cooked. Vélez then samples a local treat called cholados from a street cart: shaved ice topped with fruit syrup, fresh local fruits and coconut, drizzled with condensed milk.

Spicy meals in Chongqing, China

Take a trip through the neighborhoods and night markets of Chongqing, China with Chef Charlie Yang and content creator Matt Soren. They watch cooks create glutinous rice balls and sample Chongqing’s signature xiaomian: a spicy noodle dish tossed in chili oil and Sichuan peppercorns.

Yang and Soren visit a night market featuring dishes where visitors choose their own culinary adventure. This includes Chongqing’s renowned “hot pots,” communal meals that diners cook themselves using meat and veggies in bubbling broth with chili oil and Sichuan peppercorns, plus barbecue stalls where diners choose skewers of local meats, seafood and veggies like lotus root and eggplant to be grilled on the spot.

Try your hand at global recipes

Before traveling, immerse yourself in international cuisines through the online Global Kitchen Cookbook, with recipes from the featured cities:

• Buenos Aires: Beef Empanada Baked in A Wood-Fired Clay Oven
• Germany: Swabian Maultaschen
• Malta: Ricotta Pastizzi
• Finland: Lohikeitto Salmon Soup
• Calgary: Cedar Planked Prime Rib Roast of Alberta Beef
• Hong Kong, China: Olive Oil Sour
• Yucatan: Cochinita Pibil
• Madrid: Madrid Contemporary Cocido
• Türkiye: Kadinbudu Köfte
• Chongqing, China: Mapo Tofu
• Québec City: Crispy Waffle Grilled Cheese with Apples, Onions and Melted Cheese
• Cali, Colombia: Torta de Pandebono

Plan your culinary adventure

While all the cities in the series are very different, they share one important quality: a food scene worth traveling the world for. To find the best food around the globe, you need a guide who knows where to find top local restaurants and markets. Plan your next trip with a USTOA tour operator member who can draw on their expertise and connections to help you taste dishes worldwide, while you explore the culture and history that inspired them. Learn more at USTOA.com.

2026-10-09T18:31:00

(BPT) – Are you a fan of scary movies? Sitting in a cold, dark theater isn’t the only way to enjoy the chills and thrills of horror. You can bring the deliciously unsettling fun home by creating a Halloween home cinema experience. Check out these three scary-smart ways to turn an ordinary night on the couch into a spooktacular evening.

1. Let the lighting follow the fear

What is the last thing you do before you settle in to watch a Halloween classic? You turn off the lights. Lighting is an essential tool in creating a more immersive horror film experience, and there’s more that you can do beyond simply flipping a light switch.

Imagine if you could adjust the lighting to match the onscreen action. With the new Govee TV Backlight 3, you can supercharge the chills with adaptive lighting. The TV Backlight automatically syncs with each scene, while its AI content filters and SGS-certified color accuracy help enhance the lighting effects. So if you’re watching a thriller, the surrounding light will become moodier and more restrained, boosting the building tension.

2. Enjoy a terrifying Halloween marathon in comfort

When marathoning Halloween films old and new, you need to prioritize staying comfortable from one fright fest to the next. Make sure you have enough cozy seating, warm blankets and seasonal snacks and refreshments for everyone to enjoy.

You should also consider how you can make it easier for your eyes to take in every scary moment during a long viewing session. For example, with the Govee TV Backlight 3, you can create a balanced pool of ambient light for bias lighting without filling the room with harsh glare. Instead of projecting a single wash of color, the system divides the screen into multiple zones to pick up colors. The result? A layered, natural glow around your TV that creates a more comfortable viewing environment.

3. Set the mood with eerie decor

One of the most enjoyable parts of the Halloween season is decorating — and not just outdoors. Decorating your living room for a night of cinematic frights can turn simple goose bumps into a whole-body shudder. Drape spider webs above the doorways, add bloody handprints to windows and stick glow-in-the-dark ghouls on the wall.

Lighting can also become an integral part of your Halloween decorations. Using Govee’s TV Backlight solutions, you can turn your TV area into a sinister focal point for the season. Whether you choose the Backlight 3 Lite, Backlight 3 Pro or the AI Sync Box 2, these options offer easy, tool-free installation with adhesive backing and flexible light strips that adapt to different TV sizes. It’s one of the simplest ways to transform your ordinary living area into a scary sight for the season.

Dim the lights and cue the screams

Silence your phones, curl up on the couch, click play and get ready for a creepy cinema experience from the safety of your home. Whether you’re following a slow-burn thriller or a cult classic slasher, these three tips can turn your place into a spine-chilling Halloween theater. Happy haunting!

2026-10-09T17:01:00

(BPT) – Key takeaways

• Training only the leadership team in generative AI creates a bottleneck, because the wasted hours live on the front line.
• Free courses from the AI companies are worth taking, and each one teaches a single platform.
• AI products change month to month, so the timing of training matters as much as what it covers.
• Certification gives a client something visible to trust.

A recent survey by Certified AI 360 found 84% of respondents said their company is not ready for AI. In most of those companies the tools are already paid for. The skills are the line item nobody budgeted.

The AI skills gap describes a company’s paid tools and the employees who lack the skills to use them. It opens in a predictable way. An owner and a couple of managers try ChatGPT, CoPilot, Claude or another model, find it useful, and everyone else keeps working exactly as they did before.

Start with the people doing the work

Most AI rollouts begin at the top, because that is where the budget sits. The bottleneck shows up a quarter later, when the only fluent people in the building are the ones furthest from customer calls and proposals.

Sam Richter is co-founder and lead instructor of Certified AI 360, a Hall of Fame professional speaker who has trained more than 1 million business professionals worldwide.

“When two managers are the only ones trained, every AI idea in the building waits in line behind their calendars,” said Richter. “The people writing the quotes and answering the phones know where the wasted hours are. Give them the skills and they will go find them.”

Are free AI courses enough to train a team?

Free AI courses are a real starting point, and each one teaches a single platform. Anthropic opened Claude Academy with free courses on AI fluency and workplace rollout on Aug. 20, according to EdTech Innovation Hub. OpenAI Academy publishes free self-paced courses on applying AI at work, and every major AI company now offers instruction on its own product. Subscription libraries such as LinkedIn Learning add breadth, bill per person per month and run on pre-recorded video.

An employee who finishes one of those courses knows one tool well. On a normal Tuesday that same employee may open Copilot in Outlook, Gemini in a shared document and ChatGPT on a phone.

What to look for in team training

When considering team training options, prioritize these four factors:

• Coverage of more than one platform, so people choose the right tool for the task at hand rather than the one the company happened to buy.
• An update schedule you can see. A course recorded a year ago teaches habits the tools have already outgrown.
• Lessons shaped like the job: a sales email that earns a reply, or a contract summarized before a Monday meeting.
• Proof at the end that a customer can actually see.

Certified AI 360 is a whole-company AI training and certification program for small businesses, covering ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot and every major AI platform. Training runs about 8 hours per employee. It’s self-paced, the curriculum is updated weekly, and every employee who finishes earns an individual credential while company plans also earn a company badge.

“Eight hours is less than one workday, and any business can find that,” said Richter. “What no business gets back is the customer who went with the competitor who answered faster and knew more.”

Take the free 10-question AI readiness assessment and see how whole-company certification works at www.certifiedai360.com.

2026-10-07T09:01:00

(BPT) – For busy adults juggling careers, families and full lives, going back to school has often meant fitting into a system that was not designed with them in mind. The good news is that competency-based education — a more flexible, skills-centered approach that allows learners to progress by demonstrating what they know and can do, rather than simply moving through a traditional schedule — is gaining traction. In fact, as of last year, more than 1,500 U.S. institutions have adopted roughly 2,400 undergraduate and 750 graduate competency-based education programs.

The rise of competency-based education could not have come at a better time. Right now, employers are focused on hiring employees who can demonstrate the skills needed to succeed in their field. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ Job Outlook 2026 survey, nearly 70% of employers now use skills-based hiring, while SHRM research has found that 78% of HR professionals say pre-employment assessments have improved the quality of hires.

This marriage of learners seeking more control and employers seeking clearer evidence of capability underpins DeVry University’s national study, “Beyond Flexibility: What Today’s Learners Expect From Competency-Based Education,” which has guided the institution’s design of DeVry-Keller Fast Track — the university’s competency-based learning format.

To explore how competency-based learning can address workforce demands and the needs of working adults, Jason Horne, DeVry University’s Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer, discusses the trends shaping higher education and how they informed the design of DeVry-Keller Fast Track.

How does competency-based education connect more directly to the skills employers need today?

Higher education as it is currently structured is not always fit for purpose. In a job market where employers seek talent with specific competencies and skills, prospective learners need to see that the education they receive will translate into job opportunities. Competency-based education helps bring those two needs closer together by focusing on what learners can actually demonstrate.

Our research found that 95% of prospective learners said they found competency-based education appealing. What’s even more telling is that 40% of graduate-level prospects and 31% of undergraduate prospects said they would only enroll if a competency-based option were available. These findings indicate that a large group of students is either not adequately served by traditional models or not served at all.

Why is now the right time to introduce a competency-based program like DeVry-Keller Fast Track?

The needs of learners — especially working adult learners — are changing, and higher education must change with them. What we hear again and again is that students are looking for education that is accessible, fits around work and family responsibilities, offers a strong career outcome and provides an attractive time-to-value. Fast Track is our answer to that.

What makes DeVry-Keller Fast Track different from more traditional approaches to higher education and other competency-based programs?

The fundamental difference with competency-based education is that students’ progress is based on demonstrating mastery of those competencies. With DeVry-Keller Fast Track, expert faculty have designed courses and curricula around the skills and competencies that employers seek. They’re baked right into the courses. For students to actually advance, they have to demonstrate through assessments and applied work that they have mastered those skills and can apply what they have learned. This modality is a win for individual learners and employers seeking people who can bring relevant, demonstrated capabilities to the workplace.

That said, DeVry-Keller Fast Track has taken competency-based learning to a new level. It seeks to balance flexibility with the structure many learners value. Our research underscores why that balance matters: Nearly half of the prospective learners we surveyed said structured deadlines help them stay on track, while 58% preferred structured, instructor-led weekly classes.

AI is another important component of the program. Our research found that almost a third of prospective learners expressed concerns about overreliance on AI. With that in mind, faculty remain central, with technology used to support a more responsive learning experience while preserving meaningful human interaction. The goal is to give learners greater control over their educational journey while maintaining clear expectations and strong human support.

How does DeVry-Keller Fast Track fit alongside DeVry’s existing programs and student support model?

By offering competency-based education alongside traditional programs, we recognize that no single learning model is right for everyone. We want students to have freedom and flexibility. That said, we don’t want them to feel like they’re navigating the experience alone.

Flexibility without support can start to feel ambiguous and isolated, and that’s not an environment where students can thrive. That’s also why we’ve put DeVry Care front and center in Fast Track. It’s been our secret weapon in achieving nearly 90% student persistence, and we believe that’s because it provides human-centered support essential to learning.

Why did the university choose the MBA as a starting point for DeVry-Keller Fast Track?

The MBA was a strong starting point because our research showed strong interest among graduate business learners in a competency-based approach. More importantly, MBA learners and prospective learners also tend to be comfortable with a more self-directed learning experience, making the program a natural starting point for this model.

Another reason we chose the MBA program is that the students are often working professionals, our core demographic for Fast Track. They already bring substantial experience and knowledge to the classroom, and that is exactly the type of background that will allow them to advance more quickly through a competency-based program if they can demonstrate, through rigorous assessment, the experience and knowledge they already possess.

How do you see DeVry-Keller Fast Track evolving as learners and workforce needs continue to change?

We see opportunities to expand DeVry-Keller Fast Track into additional programs and reach more students at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.

As we move forward, we hope that DeVry-Keller Fast Track can be more than a new learning modality. It can provide a platform for the university to continue rethinking and reimagining how to make education more personalized, more skills-focused and skills-oriented, and better connected to the workforce.

In short, our vision is to create the most career-relevant 21st-century graduates, and this modality as it’s currently envisioned — and as it continues to evolve — will allow us to deliver that vision.

To learn more about DeVry-Keller Fast Track and other offerings, visit DeVry.com.

2026-10-07T08:01:01

(BPT) – Are you thinking about adding a home backup system to your house in the form of a solar generator or portable power station? If not, it’s a good idea to consider sooner rather than later.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. electricity customers averaged 11 hours of power interruptions in 2024, nearly twice the annual average of the decade before, with major events like hurricanes accounting for 80% of those hours.

Planning ahead for a power outage with a backup battery can give you real peace of mind no matter the weather.

That said, there’s no one-size-fits-all option. The solar power generator that’s perfect for your neighbor may not be right for your household. That’s why it’s crucial to know how much power you’ll need to find the right fit.

Finding the right battery backup for your home may sound intimidating, but it’s actually as simple as 1, 2, 3.

1. Start by making a list of the appliances and devices you cannot go without and how long you want to keep them running.

2. Using that list, find out how much each item needs at one moment (known as watts (W)) and add them together to determine how much power you’ll need.

3. Match it to a battery that can store enough energy over time (watt-hours (WH)) to power your essentials.

With this basic information, you can start to narrow down backup power options. Check out this simple three-tier guide to find the essential home backup that fits your space, your routine and the devices you rely on most.

Tier 1: The apartment or condo

You’re working from home, typing away in your cozy fourth-floor apartment when suddenly the lights go out. You can’t see in the dark and you can’t work or communicate with your team that you’ve lost power. On top of all that, you’re not sure how long the blackout will last, which could mean hundreds of dollars in spoiled groceries.

The good news is that there are home backup options ideal for those who rent an apartment or own a condo.

A portable power station like Jackery’s HomePower 1000 Plus V2 is a small yet powerful plug-and-play option that doesn’t require permanent installation. With an 1800W output and 1024Wh base capacity, it can run roughly 80% of standard household appliances, keeping your router, desktop and refrigerator online during an outage. On its own, it can keep a refrigerator, freezer, Wi-Fi router, phone, computer and lights running together for about 5 hours. Adding battery packs expands the unit’s capacity to 11kWh, so you can start small and grow backup power as your household’s needs grow.

Another great option for apartment and condo residents is the HomePower 2000 Plus V2. This power station weighs 21 pounds less than its predecessor and delivers 2400W output and 2048Wh capacity. Right out of the box, that’s enough to run a refrigerator, freezer, Wi-Fi, phone, computer and lights for about 10 hours. Add one battery pack and that doubles to about 20 hours, with room to expand all the way to 12kWh. Plus, it features Jackery Priority Routing™, which sends remaining power to your essential devices (like your router, refrigerator and lights) first. This unit is a valuable steppingstone for families who want real preparedness without a major up-front investment.

Tier 2: The suburban family home

It’s a quiet Wednesday evening at home. You’re working on storing leftovers in the fridge, while your 10th grader is working on a school presentation in your office and your 6th grader is looking for an outlet near the sofa to charge their phone. The next thing you know, a storm rolls in and knocks out the power.

You can easily keep the kitchen, home office and family room powered for a day or more with a higher-capacity home battery like the compact HomePower 3000. With 2072Wh capacity and 3600W output, it can keep the essentials running through extended outages for a day or two. This compact unit features Jackery’s ZeroDrain™ technology, which keeps the battery at nearly full charge for up to 12 months, so you can easily tuck it away until you need it.

If you want a powerful backup battery on wheels that can easily roll from garage to living room and back, check out the HomePower 3600 Plus. With 3584Wh base capacity and 3600W output, the unit on its own can run a refrigerator, freezer, Wi-Fi, phone, computer and lights for about 18 hours. Add a battery pack for about 36 hours, or expand up to 21kWh and connect to essential home circuits with a Manual Transfer Switch to carry your household through a multiday outage, whether from a wildfire shut-off, a downed line after a storm, or an overloaded grid on an unusually cold night.

Tier 3: The rural or larger home

A winter storm has hit your rural town, knocking out the electricity and your well pump and your HVAC along with it. Now you’re out of power, water and heat.

If you live in a rural or storm-prone area, it’s a good idea to have a heavy-hitter that can minimize grid disruptions, like the Explorer 5000 Plus. With 7200W rated output and 14400W surge power, it can run HVAC, refrigeration and well pumps all at once. A single unit, with no expansion, can keep a refrigerator, freezer, Wi-Fi, phone, computer and lights going for about 25 hours, and modular expansion adds capacity up to a potential 60kWh. With a Smart Transfer Switch, this solar generator can automatically take over essential circuits. It can recharge in 8 ways, including high-voltage solar input. It’s the ideal choice for households that plan ahead of hurricane or winter storm season and want to stay powered independent of the grid.

Find the right size for your home

The best home battery backup is not necessarily the biggest one you can buy. It’s the one that protects the essentials, fits the way you live and gives you enough room to grow if your needs change. To learn more, visit Jackery.com.