Become an AI-Ready Instructional Designer

AI changed what it takes to get hired as a new instructional designer, but not in the way you think. Get the whole picture from Jill Davidian, an instructional designer for 20+ years and a former hiring manager.

These nights are for you if you're coming from a classroom, a training team, a university or a whole other field. No AI experience necessary.

Brand-new workshopYour head start on 2027
  • Mon, Nov 9 to Thu, Nov 12
  • 6:30pm CT / 7:30pm ET / 5:30pm MT / 4:30pm PT
  • Live on Zoom, 60 minutes a night
Jill Davidian

With Jill Davidian1,200+ Applied Instructional Design Academy (AIDA) graduates · 4.8 on Trustpilot from 148 reviews

Save your free seat.

Are you authorized to work in the US?

Your welcome gift: the Corporate ID Portfolio Blueprint, yours the minute you sign up.

Replays stay up in the Launchpad through Tue, Nov 17.

The four nights

See what's in each night
  1. 1What AI Has Changed About the Instructional Design Transition
  2. 2The Anatomy of an AI-Ready Portfolio That Replaces Experience
  3. 3Watch Me Build a Course With AI
  4. 4The AI-Ready Job Search

Now they're instructional designers.

Before ID, they taught K-12, ran corporate training, wrote software or taught college. And these are just a few. Most people come into this field as a second career.

4.8Trustpilot
148 reviews 4.9Google Reviews
Andi StanfieldAndi StanfieldTraining Officer, Arizona Department of Economic SecurityFormer high school teacher, 18 years
Jesse DowdenJesse DowdenInstructional Designer, American Medical TechnologistsFormer corporate trainer
Sarah PetersSarah PetersClient Education and Knowledge Manager, Jackrabbit TechnologiesFormer math teacher, 10 years
Monique WilliamsMonique WilliamsLearning Experience Designer, SweetRushFormer software engineer, never taught
I have an amazing instructional design team that I literally look forward to working with every day.
Chloe TibbittsTeacher (7 Years) → Associate Instructional Designer, UnitedHealth Group
I wake up every morning, and it doesn't feel like I'm going to work, because I absolutely love what I'm doing.
Kristen MaclinInstructional Coach → Supervisor, Training Legal Operations, Navy Federal Credit Union
My current position is part time and I still make more than I did when I worked full time. Plus, it is all remote, so I work from home.
Kellie BassettOffice Manager → Instructional System Specialist, MLT

Where my grads work now: UnitedHealth Group, Navy Federal Credit Union, Raymond James, PwC, Humana, Best Buy, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Adventist Health and more.

Who these nights are for.

You're looking at instructional design as your next career. Maybe you're still deciding whether it's the move, or you've decided and can't see the first step. You don't need anything figured out to come.

You teach, or you used to.

You've been designing lessons for years, and some of that carries over. You'll see which of your skills translate, which ones you still need, and how to show a hiring manager both.

You already work in training.

You know the LMS, the stakeholders and the language. A hiring manager still wants to see you build a course start to finish on your own, and your best work belongs to your company. These nights show you how to get past both.

You're in higher ed.

You have the degrees, and you've built courses in an LMS. Corporate instructional design asks for training built from scratch for adults at work, with tools like Storyline. You don't need another degree for it.

You're coming from another field.

Healthcare, marketing, tech, government, nonprofits. Instructional designers come from all of them, and knowing an industry well makes your work stronger. We'll start with what the job is day to day.

Wherever you're starting, what's missing is usually the same. You haven't had the chance to learn how corporate instructional design works: the process, designing training for adults, and the tools. So there's nothing yet a hiring manager can look at that shows you can do the job. A portfolio changes that, and over four nights I'll show you how to build one.

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Sound familiar?

  • You keep seeing "instructional designer" on job boards and still aren't sure what the job is.
  • You asked ChatGPT, "What are alternative careers for teachers?"
  • You already work in training, and the design jobs keep going to someone else.
  • You've trained new hires for years on top of your real job, and nobody calls it instructional design.
  • Your adjunct contract is up for renewal again.
  • You found an ID job you liked on LinkedIn, and it already had 100+ applicants.
  • Every spring you tell yourself this is the year.

So, will AI take instructional design jobs?

People in the chat were asking, ‘Is it saturated?’ I had three job offers, and I was able to negotiate my salary.
Morgan StevensHigh School Science Teacher → Instructional Developer V, Core4ce

One post says AI is about to replace instructional designers. The next one says instructional design is the best career move you can make. You can't plan a career change around both.

I've been in the instructional design field for over 20 years, and I've spent the last year deep diving into AI. But the more I learn and build, the more I see how much instructional designers are needed. And the more hiring managers I talk to, the more I realize they see it too.

Here's the real deal. AI changed how training gets built, what employers look for and what your portfolio has to show. It didn't take the instructional designer out of the work. The people getting hired now can show a hiring manager all three: the fundamentals, the tools and AI fluency. And many IDs who have been in the field for years have not kept up with their tech skills, so there's now a gap. That's not to say you have to be tech-savvy. It's actually not that difficult to pick up if you spend a little focused time on it.

Maybe you haven't used AI at all. Maybe you tried it a while back and haven't kept up, or you're not really sure what's going on with it. This is the perfect workshop for you. No experience necessary.

For four nights, I'll show you what changed and what it takes to get hired now.

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The four nights.

Every night starts at 6:30pm CT and runs about an hour, with time for your questions.

I've built a toolbox of resources to support you on your instructional design journey, and I'm excited to give many of them away for free because I really believe they will give you a boost for this transition. Come live to each session and grab one of the tools in my toolbox each night.

Night 1 · Mon, Nov 9

What AI Has Changed About the Instructional Design Transition

We'll talk about how companies are using AI in instructional design, whether AI is going to take jobs, and what it's changed about making the move into ID. You'll learn the LEAD AI Framework™ and what job postings mean when they ask for AI fluency.

You'll leave knowing whether there's room for you in the field and how to create a game plan for your transition.

Come live tonight: the LEAD AI Checklist. When you see "AI fluency" in an ID job posting, what does that even mean? Get the checklist I use to give AI the right context and evaluate what it hands back, so your work meets the standards companies expect, and you can claim AI fluency on your resume.

Night 2 · Tue, Nov 10

The Anatomy of an AI-Ready Portfolio That Replaces Experience

In 2026, you'll need an ID portfolio to show employers you've learned the skills they're asking for. I'll show you real portfolio examples of the five samples employers expect to see, and how each one shows your instructional design skills and your AI fluency. Having a solid portfolio can often get you hired faster than someone who has experience but no portfolio. You'll also meet an educator who transitioned into instructional design and hear about their journey.

You'll leave knowing how to create a portfolio that gets you hired, even with no ID job on your resume yet.

Come live tonight: the Hire-Ready Portfolio Kit. A rubric for every sample your portfolio needs, so you know what to include and skip the beginner mistakes hiring managers spot right away, plus a guide to building your portfolio site with AI.

Night 3 · Wed, Nov 11

Watch Me Build a Course With AI

Same tool, two courses. I'll build a course twice in Rise, one of the tools instructional designers use to build eLearning. Once with an instructional designer in the loop, using the LEAD AI Framework™, and once without. You'll vote on which one you'd put your name on and see what made the difference. Then I'll show you how to build your own for your portfolio, using AI the right way.

You'll leave knowing the step-by-step process to building your own Rise sample with AI, and what an instructional designer adds that AI can't.

Come live tonight: the Portfolio Sample Topic Generator. Sometimes getting started is the hardest part. You know you need a portfolio, but you've heard that your samples need to be focused on something a business would use, and you have no idea what that means. Turn something you're already knowledgeable about into a corporate sample topic with a business case.

Night 4 · Thu, Nov 12

The AI-Ready Job Search

We'll talk about your resume, your LinkedIn profile and your interviews, updated for AI, including how to translate your current skills into ID language and how recruiters use AI to find candidates. We'll also talk about my secret weapon for getting to the front of the line and getting hired.

You'll leave knowing how to create a resume and LinkedIn profile that stand out, and how to get them in front of the people doing the hiring.

Come live tonight: the ID Interview Question and Answer Bank. The top instructional design interview questions, updated for AI, with exactly what the hiring manager is listening for and tips for answering each one.

What people say about my ID transition workshops.

As a former teacher seeking a new career path, I was unsure of how to make the leap into instructional design until I attended a bootcamp led by Jill. From that first session, I knew I had found something special.
Regina Byrom PitcherTeacher → Instructional Systems Designer, Qualus
After hearing a lot of other people's stories in the workshop, I had this vision. I thought, why not me? I can do that.
Hannah ThranFormer First Grade Teacher → Instructional Designer, True Group
It was encouraging for me to hear from my demographic that this transition was possible and there is a light on the other side (and now I’m one too!)
Jennifer OrmondBiology Teacher → Senior Instructional Designer, Percepta
I was completely unhappy in my 21st year of teaching. I felt stuck, unfulfilled and at my wits' end. I had heard about instructional design, and on a whim signed up for Jill's Jumpstart Workshop.
Jen GregorisTeacher (21 Years) → eLearning Specialist, USI Insurance Services
I decided to join the Jumpstart Workshop, and I was stunned. The level of detail, the ability to get real practice in Storyline and learn how to use the tool properly.
Melissa CortesHigh School Teacher (16 Years) → Manager of Learning and Development, Americor

Come live all four nights.

The replays stay up in the Launchpad through Tue, Nov 17. But when you come live, you add a new tool to your Toolbox each night, to help you on your instructional design journey.

Come live all four nights and you're in the drawing for one of three seats at Portfolio Sample in a Day (a $297 value), a day live with me where you build a complete Rise sample that meets the bar employers expect. Walk in starting from scratch and walk out with a complete sample for your portfolio.

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3 seats

Portfolio Sample in a Day, live

Sat, Nov 21, with Jill. A $297 value, drawn from everyone who comes live to all four nights.

Night 1Night 2Night 3Night 4

What gets you hired now.

A portfolio. In instructional design, your portfolio is a small website with samples of training you've built, and it's how a hiring manager sees what you can do before you've ever held the job. A good one can stand in for years of experience you don't have yet.

And building one is 100% doable. You can do it with no ID experience at all, and it doesn't matter if you're coming from teaching or any other field.

What has to be in it has changed. The people getting hired now show the whole package: the instructional design fundamentals, the tools to build eLearning, and the AI fluency to use AI on the job and stay in charge of the work.

You don't need any of it built to come. Night 2 walks you through what a hiring manager needs to see, piece by piece, so you know what you're building before you start.

Kirah Robinson’s portfolio home page
Two real portfolio home pages, built by my grads.

Nobody wants a job just to have a job.

Maybe for you it's your evenings and weekends back. The flexibility to work from home, or from anywhere. A paycheck that stretches further. Being there for your kids. Being trusted to do your job. Instructional design can get you there, and these four nights show you what it takes, including the time it asks of you.

Your seat comes with the ID Launchpad.

It's your one-stop shop for the four nights. Sign in with your email, and your replays, live activities, Toolbox and welcome gift are all in one place.

Your welcome giftThe Corporate ID Portfolio Blueprint, a step-by-step map of what employers specifically look for in an ID portfolio. It's waiting for you the minute you sign in.
The replaysEvery night, up through Tue, Nov 17.
The live activitiesWhat we do together each night, from your phone.
Your ToolboxAdd a new tool every night, and see what you have and what's still to come.
ID Transition BingoMark your card as you go and win prizes.
Jill Davidian

Hi, I'm Jill.

I've been an instructional designer for 20+ years. For my first 10 years, I worked full time at companies like BP and Discover. Then I switched to contract work and designed training for clients like Deloitte, Chevron and Hilton. I've also been the hiring manager reading the applications, so I know what makes one stand out and what gets one passed over.

I've worked from wherever I want since 2016, including a summer in 12 countries with my son. Instructional design gave me that freedom, and helping you find yours is why I teach. More than 1,200 people have graduated from my program, the Applied Instructional Design Academy (AIDA), and I'll tell you the real deal about this career, the hard parts included.

This year I've been diving deep into AI, and I updated my whole program for it. In these four nights, I'm bringing you everything I've learned.

Start embracing who you are, not as a teacher, but the skills that you have. Take ‘teacher’ out of your vocabulary and start thinking about all of the skills that have made you a total rock star in your jobs.
Marion CallahanTeacher (16 Years) → Instructional Systems Design Manager, CPaT Global
I chose to enroll in the Applied Instructional Design Academy (AIDA) largely because of the expertise of its founder, Jill Davidian, and the program's length, and I'm really glad I did.
Donette BrantnerHigher Ed → Contract Instructional Designer, Career Certified

Questions before you sign up.

Is it really free?+
Yes. All four nights are free, and so is the ID Launchpad.
What if I can't make it live?+
Every night's replay goes in the Launchpad and stays up through Tue, Nov 17. Come live when you can. That's when you can ask me your questions and do the activities with everyone else.
What do I get for coming live?+
Each night's tool, free to keep: the LEAD AI Checklist on Night 1, the Hire-Ready Portfolio Kit on Night 2, the Portfolio Sample Topic Generator on Night 3, and the ID Interview Question and Answer Bank on Night 4. Come live all four nights and you're in the drawing for one of three seats at Portfolio Sample in a Day (a $297 value).
Do I need any experience or software?+
No. You don't need ID experience, an Articulate account or a resume ready to go.
I haven't really used AI. Is this for me?+
Yes. No experience necessary. On Night 1 we'll start with how companies are using AI in instructional design, and on Night 3 you'll watch me build a course with it, step by step.
I'm not a teacher. Is this for me?+
Yes. Instructional designers come from every field. You'll find trainers, professors, nonprofit staff and people from corporate jobs of every kind in the room with the teachers.
I already work in training or L&D. Is this for me?+
Yes. You'll see what a hiring manager looks for before they hand someone a design title, how AI is changing the work, and how to show what you can do when your best work belongs to your employer.
I've been to one of your workshops before. Is this the same thing?+
This one is new. AI changed what employers look for and what your portfolio has to show, so I built these four nights around that.
Will you talk about your program?+
Yes. On Night 2, I'll tell you about my program, the Applied Instructional Design Academy (AIDA), for anyone who wants help building a portfolio and running the job search. Every night's teaching is yours to keep either way.

Save your seat for Nov 9.

If you're feeling a little nervous about this transition, the intersection of excited and scared is where you grow. Four free live nights at 6:30pm CT, with replays in the Launchpad through Nov 17. I'd love to see you there.

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