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  • Prince William County CTE Provides Rubin to English Department

    Prince William County CTE Provides Rubin to English Department

    Prince William County Schools in Virginia, a trusted Rubin partner, uses our Emerge employability skills curriculum and Aspire career exploration video library across the district within CTE courses.

    Now PWCS, under the guidance of CTE specialist Shawnell Carmichael, has shared Rubin with the English department to assist with digital literacy skills. Rubin covers writing topics like email etiquette, resumes, thank-you notes and how to sign your name in cursive.

    Rubin is built for the CTE classroom but also addresses critical writing and literacy themes. PWCS has an overarching goal to collaborate across departments, and Rubin serves that purpose well.

    “We are preparing students for life beyond high school,” said Carmichael. “This cannot be a sole job of a CTE teacher. English is also an ideal place to support employability skills for college and career.”

    Here’s an example of a Rubin Emerge lesson that addresses literacy skills.

    How to Remove Pronouns

    Use the search function and look for the following pronouns: this, that, these and those. Ask yourself, “Could the reader become confused by the pronoun? Is so, delete and replace.

    • “Sally gave me this to say thanks” becomes “Sally gave me the present to say thanks”
    • “I wrote that to prove a point” becomes “I wrote the grammar lesson to prove a point”
    • “These events are a good way to meet people” becomes “The networking events are a good way to meet people”
    • “I did a lot of those at my internship” becomes “I did a lot of visits to client sites at my internship”

    Additional pronouns to find: he, she, it, we, they, who, them, him, her, us

    Identify the pronouns in this email:

    Subject line: Did you get it?

    Hi Jane,

    Good morning.

    Did you receive it yet? I sent all of them over to your office earlier this week.

    When I called, she said the mail had not arrived, and I need to know ASAP if you have all of it.

    Please let me know,

    – John Doe

    Complete your work

    Submit a corrected version of the email from Step 2 by replacing at least four pronouns with nouns of your choosing (any noun you want). 

    Below the corrected email, list the four pronouns you removed.

    Use the examples in Step 1 as a guide to correct the email.

    Rubin is the answer for digital literacy skills.

  • Rubin Becomes Employability Skills Partner for The School District of Philadelphia

    Rubin Becomes Employability Skills Partner for The School District of Philadelphia

    Rubin is excited to announce a multi-year agreement to provide online employability skills resources with CTE students in The School District of Philadelphia.

    The agreement, which runs through 2027, allows Rubin to deliver our Emerge employability skills curriculum, Aspire career exploration videos and Propel email etiquette tool.

    CTE teachers for classes like marketing, automotive and culinary arts now use activities for email etiquette, handshakes, phone skills and more within Google Classroom. Rubin provides single sign-on access to its resources through Google Classroom. Students and teachers can view Rubin resources without the need to sign in with a traditional password.

    The School District of Philadelphia is the largest district in the state. We are honored to provide our resources across multiple career pathways to strengthen employability skills.

    “After piloting Rubin in health care classes, district leadership believed that Rubin is a smart choice for all CTE pathways,” said Danny Rubin, founder of Rubin. “Now we are able to help students write, speak and lead no matter what career path they choose.”

    Want to see what Rubin can do for YOUR district? Book a Demo today!

    Largest school district in PA

  • Rubin Supports the Family and Consumer Sciences Industry

    Rubin Supports the Family and Consumer Sciences Industry

    At Rubin, we are proud to support Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) and its vital role assisting individuals, families, and communities to live healthy and successful lives through the provision of education, research, and technology.

    FCS programs provide individuals and families with essential life skills, including financial literacy, nutrition and wellness, human development, and consumer resource management. These competencies are crucial for fostering well-rounded, capable, and resilient individuals who can thrive in today’s dynamic world.

    And the research conducted by FCS professionals and their work with local municipalities, counties, and states support the creation of healthy and resilient communities.

    We have witnessed the positive impact of FCS services including education, outreach, and research and development firsthand. Employees with a background in FCS bring a unique set of skills that enhance their ability to balance work and personal responsibilities, make informed decisions, and contribute to a positive workplace culture. Their preparedness and adaptability are invaluable assets to our company and the broader community.

    Investing in FCS education is an investment in our future. It equips individuals with the tools they need to lead healthy, productive lives and supports the development of a skilled and knowledgeable workforce. Whether those students enter the workforce as a nutritionist, financial advisor, early education assistant, or other areas, they are better prepared to be successful in their careers due to their knowledge in all areas of FCS. We believe that continued support for FCS programs will yield significant benefits for our society and economy.

    We stand with FCS students and professionals and are committed to advocating for the importance of these programs, services, and the FCS industry. Together, we can ensure that Family and Consumer Sciences education continues to thrive and make a lasting impact on our community.

    FCS matters now and into the future.

  • Rubin Awards 1,200+ Digital Badges in Sept/Oct 2024

    Rubin Awards 1,200+ Digital Badges in Sept/Oct 2024

    With the 2024-2025 academic year underway, students are busy in Rubin Emerge learning in-demand employability skills.

    At the end of each unit (ex: Email Etiquette — Beginner), students take a post-test. Once students pass the post-test, they earn an Emerge digital badge. So far, students have garnered 1,200+ digital badges for email writing, job outreach strategies, networking, resumes and more.

    Here’s a snapshot:

    • Email Etiquette — Beginner: 383 badges
    • Email Etiquette — Advanced: 172 badges
    • Job Outreach: 106 badges
    • Networking: 86 badges
    • Resume Writing: 78 badges
    • Cover Letter Writing: 52 badges

    Each badge features a QR code that brings the person to this page on the Rubin site. The pages explains the skills students gained to earn the digital badge.

    The badges are ideal for a resume, portfolio, LinkedIn profile and anywhere else students can showcase skills learned.

    Badges abound from Emerge.

  • Teacher Spotlight: For Kyle Bashore, Rubin “Sets the Standard”

    Teacher Spotlight: For Kyle Bashore, Rubin “Sets the Standard”

     

    In Kyle Bashore’s classroom, Rubin isn’t just a curriculum tool.

    Since 2021, Rubin is the standard of excellence his students must strive to meet.

    Bashore is a CTE teacher at Cathedral City High School near Palm Springs, California. He teaches inside the HEAL Academy (Health and Environmental Health Academy of Learning), and he’s also the co-advisor of the school’s HOSA chapter.

    Bashore draws on our Emerge employability skills curriculum and Aspire career exploration video library to ensure his students write and speak like professionals.

    In particular, Bashore has students complete the Emerge Project Management unit to learn how to communicate in a clear, professional manner with teammates.

    “I notice a huge change in formality and consideration of others after the Project Management unit,” said Bashore.

    Bashore integrates Emerge and Aspire through a seamless connection with his Google Classroom. He carefully selects different topics for the health sciences classes he teaches.

    For example:

    General resource throughout his classes: Emerge unit called Email Etiquette-Beginner where students learn to write a proper email.

    For the TAs (teaching assistants): The TAs practice speaking skills through the Emerge unit called Phone Etiquette.

    Emergency Medicine and his HOSA chapter: Emerge units called Project Management and Public Speaking.

    Medical Terminology: Emerge unit called Ethics Discussions for tricky workplace situations.

    Public Health: Emerge unit called Website Content, which guides students to write a business website.

    Bashore also has students search the Aspire career exploration video library to learn about roles in health care (ex: surgical assistant) and also discover cool jobs in fields like STEM, marketing, sports, law and the trades.

    Above all, Bashore relies on Rubin to help him prepare students for the world after high school.

    “At the start of the year, students begrudgingly work on Rubin assignments as if to say, ‘Do I REALLY need this?’” said Bashore. “By the end of the year, I see significant changes in their professionalism. Without me even asking, they hold themselves to a new standard.”

    Thank you, Kyle, for being a wonderful partner in the classroom.

    Check out Rubin Emerge and Aspire for yourself! Free trial available here.

    CA teacher embraces Rubin Emerge and Aspire

  • Irvine USD Creates “Light Bulb Challenge” with Rubin Propel

    Irvine USD Creates “Light Bulb Challenge” with Rubin Propel

    When learning becomes a game, the teachers win and so do their students.

    At Irvine (California) Unified School District, a longtime Rubin partner, students practice their email etiquette through a competition.

    Our Propel tool provides feedback on a student’s email in the form of lightbulbs next to the words that need correction (ex: capitalize a lowercase word if it begins a sentence).

    Special education students in a class called Directed Studies now vie to see who can write an email with the fewest light bulbs (mistakes). The students, all in grades 10-12, have fun while improving their professional skills.

    “We weren’t sure how the students would respond to Propel,” said Career Link Supervisor Renee Melton. “Right away, they found the tool engaging. Plus, Propel helped their emails improve.”

    We love to see how educators incorporate Propel into their instruction. The tool is a simple resource that can be modified in dozens of ways. As long as students strengthen how they communicate with teachers, employers and other adults, we are satisfied!

    Work turns into play in California.

  • Rubin Team Hits the Road for Successful Summer 2024

    Rubin Team Hits the Road for Successful Summer 2024

    The Rubin team was on the move in summer 2024!

    Houston, Ft. Worth, Orlando, Northern Virginia and more…we attended conferences and teacher in-service days to both promote Rubin products and train teachers on our resources.

    In July, we had a busy and productive time in Houston at the 2024 International Leadership Conference for HOSA — Future Health Professionals. We spoke with dozens of health science educators about our resources for employability skills. And now we have several conversations in the works to implement our Propel email etiquette tool within CTE programs coast to coast. See Propel for yourself! www.rubineducation.com/explore

    conference for employability skills
    In Houston, Rubin founder Danny Rubin posed with Kyle Bashore, a CTE teacher who uses our Emerge curriculum, and several of his students.

    In Orlando at the 2024 National Leadership Conference for the Future Business Leaders of America, we had a wonderful time catching up with Holly Atha, president and CEO of MBA Research. The organization supports educators in the preparation of students for careers in the areas of business management, finance, marketing, hospitality and tourism management and entrepreneurship.

    conference for employability skills
    Standing with MBA Research CEO Holly Atha.

    In August, we hit the nation’s capital for in-person trainings in Loudoun County and Prince William County, two of the largest school districts in Virginia.

    In the photo below, Michael Grubbs, director of career, technical and adult education (CTAE) in Loudoun County, Virginia (near Washington, DC), proudly holds a Rubin poster. Loudoun County uses our Emerge curriculum for in-demand employability skills. Director Grubbs leans on Rubin to help students learn how to build meaningful relationships for college and career opportunities. Thank you, Loudoun County Public Schools, for all you do!

    training on employability skills
    Loudoun County CTE Director Michael Grubbs with a Rubin poster!

    The next day, we attended CTE Secondary Day for Prince William County Schools.

    We have worked with PWCS the past year on a content collaboration so teachers can access the Rubin Emerge employability skills curriculum and Aspire career exploration videos through Safari Montage and Canvas.

    Thank you, PWCS, for being a trusted partner as we help students learn to communicate professionally.

    In the photos below, PWCS teachers hold up Rubin posters.

    employability skills activities

    Spreading the Rubin message in person.

  • New Record: Students Log 1.3 Million Minutes in Rubin Emerge in 23-24 Academic Year

    New Record: Students Log 1.3 Million Minutes in Rubin Emerge in 23-24 Academic Year

    Students nationwide spent 1.3 million minutes in Rubin’s Emerge curriculum for employability skills during the 23-24 academic year. As a comparison, students logged 375,000 minutes in the 22-23 academic year.

    Students in places like Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Fairfax County and more gained critical workplace readiness skills that employers and colleges want to see.

    Why the 4X increase in logged minutes?

    Our team works hard to bring on new school partners. Beyond that, we pore over the details to deliver our Moodle-based learning management system to school districts. We insist on single sign-on access when possible to eliminate the need for students to sign in with a traditional password or manually create an account.

    The ease of use allows students to visit Emerge with one click from their school’s LMS and engage right away with Emerge readings, videos, assignments and assessments for critical topics like email/phone etiquette, conversation skills, interview prep and more.

    Digging into the 1.3 million minutes, here are the most popular assignments students accessed:

    • Texting vs Emailing: 16,447 submissions
    • How to Compose a Subject Line: 12,877 submissions
    • How to Prepare Smart Interview Questions: 5,676 submissions
    • How to Set Your Own Voicemail: 3,996 submissions
    • How to Email an Instructor About a Poor Grade: 2,770 submissions

    “We focus every day on the student and teacher experience in Emerge,” said Rubin founder Danny Rubin. “When we see logged minutes jump into the millions, it says that we make it easy for customers to use our product — and to want to keep coming back for more. We continue to work in summer 2024 at the user experience because the journey and task is never done.”

    Explore Emerge for yourself and then request a free trial!

     

    4X increase from previous year

  • Gracie Gustafson from Iowa’s Boone HS Takes 1st in America’s Next Great Intern Contest

    Gracie Gustafson from Iowa’s Boone HS Takes 1st in America’s Next Great Intern Contest

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Virginia Beach, VA (April 8, 2024) – Boone, Iowa’s own Gracie Gustafson is America’s Next Great Intern. The senior at Boone Community School District competed against nearly 200 hundred high school students nationwide and demonstrated top-tier communication skills essential to an internship.

    Gustafson wins a virtual job shadow with an executive from an in-demand field (one option is a music producer for Jay-Z and Beyonce). She will also receive national recognition throughout the CTE community and a banner for the school to display. Her teachers, Ms. Lindsey Hyman and Ms. Amy Bossard, receive a $250 cash bonus to support their classrooms.

    Second place: Sahasra Bangaru, 11th grade student from Ardrey Kell High School in Charlotte, North Carolina. Teacher: Ms. Sandra Wheeler.

    Third place: Parisa Majumdar, 10th grade student from Enloe Magnet High School in Raleigh, North Carolina. Teacher: Ms. Benicia Ledford.

    “Up and Coming” middle school winners:

    First place: Zabdiel Dewar, 8th grade student at William R. Davie Middle S.T.E.M. Academy in Halfiax, North Carolina. Teacher: Mr. Fredirick Lapitan.

    Second place: Errili Perez, 8th grade student at Aliamanu Middle School, Panther Academy in Honolulu, Hawaii. Teacher: Ms. Cherie Teraoka.

    Rubin, the leader in online curriculum for employability and workplace readiness skills, hosted the competition.

    Demand for intern and job applicants with “soft skills” is a top priority across all industry sectors. According to a 2022 survey of employers by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), 76% of respondents want to hire young people who can work on a team, 73% want ones with strong written communication skills and 58% seek new hires who can speak well.

    The submission period for the America’s Next Great Intern contest ran throughout February 2024, which is National Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month. All middle school, high school and post-secondary CTE students were eligible.

    The instructions were drawn from Rubin’s Emerge curriculum, a broad library of online exercises for employability skills like email/phone etiquette, job interview prep, LinkedIn communication and more. Rubin provides Emerge to CTE programs nationwide.

    The students were assessed across five areas:

    1. Elevator Pitch: Video recording about the student’s background and interests/passions.
    2. Ethics and Leadership: Written response to a challenging ethical dilemma.
    3. Team Communication: Email to update a teacher or employer on the status of classwork or a project at an internship/job.
    4. Resilience & Determination: Written example of a time in which the student demonstrated resiliency.
    5. Job Interview Preparation: Written questions to show curiosity ahead of a mock interview conversation with either Nike, Disney or Marriott.

     

    “Employers often lament that students don’t possess the ‘soft skills’ necessary to engage in an office setting or on the job site,” says Danny Rubin, founder of Rubin. “Once again, our contest shows that, yes, there are motivated young people coast to coast who will add value to any business or organization.”

    About Rubin:

    Rubin is the leader in online instruction for employability and work readiness skills. The company, based in Virginia Beach, Virginia, provides Emerge, a digital curriculum that teaches effective writing and speaking skills, to thousands of students in middle school, high school and higher education. Rubin also has a soft-skill notification tool for email writing called Propel and a career exploration video library called Aspire.

    Founded in 2017 by Danny Rubin, a former CBS television news reporter and consultant to NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Rubin teaches students nationwide critical lessons for email/phone etiquette, networking, team communication, leadership communication and more. Our motto: “Write well, open doors!”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

    We have a winner!

  • In First Two Months, Rubin Propel Gives Email Etiquette Advice 30,000 Times

    In First Two Months, Rubin Propel Gives Email Etiquette Advice 30,000 Times

    In January 2024, we launched our Propel email etiquette tool for Gmail and Outlook.

    Immediately, the tool went to work helping students nationwide become more professional with their messages to teachers and employers.

    See how Propel works — 1 minute video!

    Quick stats: 

     

    Number of school districts participating: 37

    Number of students who have Propel as an email extension: 936

    Number of emails written with the help of Propel: 5,449

    Number of Propel rules shared with the students: 30,019

    Let’s break down the data

     

    Propel guides a student to structure an email (ex: include a greeting and closing) and then analyzes the message to offer further suggestions for grammar and soft skills.

    Propel offers advice, but students must make the changes. No AI, no ChatGPT. Pure learning.

    Among the 30,019 times Propel offered advice:

    • Include a greeting (ex: Good morning): 3,357 times
    • Add a period at the end of the sentence: 2,415
    • Address the person with a proper title (ex: Ms. Smith): 2,351
    • Don’t write the email as one “blocky” paragraph: 544
    • Be sure to capitalize the first word of a sentence: 460
    • Remember to sign your name at the end: 397
    • Don’t use a lowercase “i” to describe yourself: 250

    What’s more, 99% of students who use Propel write a subject line as a cogent summary of the message. The #1 complaint our team hears from educators about student emails is that students write the entire email in the subject line.

    Propel has solved the subject line problem.

    “The Propel tool was easy to use and helped my students so much,” said Shelley Roberts, a teacher in Johnston County, North Carolina. “It is disappointing that many students have no idea what the correct format of a letter/email should be. Propel reintroduced terms like body and greeting. The students love the easy, ‘fill in the blank’ process.”

    The bigger picture

     

    Propel is an optional extension in a student’s email, which means the initial batch of pilot students choose to use Propel. They want the guidance.

    “When a student fixes a small mistake like not capitalizing the first word of a sentence, instantly the message becomes more professional,” said Danny Rubin, founder of Rubin. “The student will then be taken more seriously in the business community, and opportunities can happen more quickly.”

    Rubin added: “In that way, Propel is a tool for equity and eliminating bias in the marketplace.”

    Click here to request a trial! 

     

    Launch and scale.