SCOTTSDALE, AZ, March 05, 2026 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Barry Fingerhut has been featured on the Marquis Masters Podcast. The podcast celebrates leaders and innovators who have shaped industries and inspired generations. Each episode features an intimate conversation with a Marquis honoree, uncovering the personal stories behind their professional success. The show reveals what it truly takes to lead with purpose, resilience, and authenticity.

On this episode of the Marquis Masters Podcast, host Ryan Estes sits down with Barry Fingerhut, joined by Eric Barantes and Kevin Rogers, for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of education, workforce development, and artificial intelligence. Ryan opens by framing the central tension of the moment: students are told to pursue college degrees, adults are urged to reskill, and companies are racing to adopt AI, yet no one seems aligned on what truly prepares people for the future. Against that backdrop, Barry Fingerhut shares his journey from a decades-long career in New York's investment and venture capital world to leading Certification Partners in Arizona. After initially investing in and later taking control of the company, Mr. Fingerhut relocated to Arizona in 2010 to personally guide its transformation, turning it into a national certification body focused on practical, job-ready skills.

Eric explains that Certification Partners has evolved significantly over the past 15 years. Originally centered on web technologies and early cybersecurity offerings, the company now operates across artificial intelligence, drone technology, cybersecurity, programming, and semiconductors. It serves learners from kindergarten through adulthood and has delivered more than two million courses while certifying millions of students and thousands of instructors. The organization currently holds approvals in 37 states, including Florida, Virginia, Ohio, Arizona, and Michigan, with a strong emphasis on high school career and technical education programs. Eric notes that these programs were early adopters of industry certifications, recognizing that a traditional four-year degree is not the only pathway to success.

Artificial intelligence becomes a focal point of the discussion. Eric describes the company's introduction to AI certification, designed initially for middle school students but accessible to adults as well. The course teaches foundational understanding of AI applications, such as recommendation engines, while preparing learners for more advanced studies in data science and AI-driven programming. The curriculum is scenario-based and text-focused, emphasizing the vocabulary and practical language of the workforce. Both Eric and Mr. Fingerhut stress that AI is evolving so quickly that continuous education is no longer optional; unlike traditional degrees that end when coursework is complete, AI learning must be ongoing and iterative.

Kevin Rogers expands the conversation to national competitiveness and federal priorities. Drawing on his 40 years of federal government experience, he discusses the administration's focus on what he calls the "new tech force," aimed at strengthening U.S. capabilities in AI, cybersecurity, and quantum technologies. He highlights significant new federal investments and explains how Certification Partners aligns with this push through immersive learning models and competency-based credentialing. Kevin emphasizes that the hiring landscape is shifting away from resumes toward demonstrated skills. Certification Partners addresses this by offering both low-stakes and psychometrically sound high-stakes certifications that validate real-world abilities rather than theoretical knowledge.

A distinctive feature of the company's approach is its commitment to immersive and simulated environments. Eric describes lab-based scenarios where students adjust real code in front-end development or practice network security inside simulated systems that schools' IT departments would never allow on live networks. Kevin takes this further, explaining experimental "digital twin" environments that replicate real-world systems, including simulated social networks populated by benign and malicious actors. In these environments, learners are inserted into complex scenarios to test critical thinking, decision-making, and integrated skill application rather than simply following step-by-step instructions. The goal is to measure knowledge, skills, and abilities together.

The conversation also explores emerging industries. Eric expresses particular excitement about drone technologies, including not only commercial licensing but applications in agriculture, solar inspection, surveillance, and even underwater exploration. Mr. Fingerhut underscores the untapped potential of ocean research and unmanned systems, suggesting entire new career paths could emerge. Semiconductor education is another priority, especially given major manufacturing expansions in Arizona. The company aims to educate learners about the broader semiconductor ecosystem, from materials and wafers to manufacturing roles, helping demystify an industry critical to national security and economic stability.

Trust in AI surfaces as a recurring theme. Kevin recounts a Capitol Hill event where nearly everyone used AI daily, fewer used it professionally, and almost no one trusted it. The room could not articulate what would be required to build that trust. Certification Partners aims to address this gap by teaching learners to understand AI's limitations, including hallucinations, and to apply critical judgment. The team argues that education must combine expert human wisdom with AI acceleration tools, rather than relying solely on AI-generated content. Their strategy prioritizes subject matter experts as the foundation of curriculum development, using AI to enhance efficiency without replacing human insight.

Beyond Certification Partners, Mr. Fingerhut discusses Job Corps facilities he controls in Jacksonville and Kittrell, North Carolina, serving underserved young adults aged 18 to 24. He describes how structured training and career pathways can transform lives, reinforcing his broader philosophy that money is a tool rather than an end in itself. Rooted in a belief in repairing the world, he views education and workforce development as vehicles for social improvement. He also mentions his investments in women-owned startups and education initiatives supporting female artisans globally, particularly in Africa, reflecting his long-standing commitment to civic engagement and impact investing.

As the interview concludes, Ryan asks what keeps Mr. Fingerhut motivated when retirement is an option. Mr. Fingerhut dismisses the idea of retirement, describing himself as energized by venture building, writing, and the intellectual stimulation of new technologies. He reflects on having written 11 books and recently completing one centered on the poet Anna Akhmatova and a reimagined encounter with Socrates, tying his lifelong interests in philosophy, literature, and justice to his present-day work in innovation. For Mr. Fingerhut and his team, the convergence of AI, immersive education, and national competitiveness represents not a threat but an extraordinary opportunity—one that demands constant learning, collaboration, and a willingness to rethink what truly prepares people for the future.

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