Video Recording - The AI-Ready Workforce: Learning and Leading with AI at UM

September 10, 2025

What does it mean to be “AI-ready” in 2025—and are students, faculty, and employers preparing for the new expectations of the workplace?

Join Craton Consulting, the Montana High Tech Business Alliance, and the Montana Jobs Network for a dynamic conversation on how AI is shaping education and careers. Highlights include:

• Keynote by Tom Stergios, Founder of Craton Consulting - exploring how to think about AI, the “speed of trust” and innovation, and how AI is being organized from the national to the local level, including UM’s involvement

• UM Student Voices – hear firsthand perspectives from:        

  • Sophia Ericsson, UM College of Business – sharing her AI experience at UM and Deloitte  

  • Griffin Edmondson, UM College of Forestry & Conservation – discussing how AI is evolving in science fields 

  • Mason Derendinger, UM graduate now at The Whole Group – reflecting on his academic research and current AI-focused work 

• Interactive Q&A with panelists

Time Stamps:

00:00 Start

2:25 How to think about AI

15:00 The University of Montana's approach to AI

22:00 Workforce considerations

29:00 Student voices from the University of Montana

49:00 Q&A

Resources:

• Craton Consulting - Helps investors, ISVs, and B2B clients adapt to the rapidly changing Quote to Cash ecosystem. The firm provides informed, objective advice on how companies can succeed as enterprise applications and emerging AI-driven solutions reshape how products are packaged, priced, and delivered

• Montana High Tech Business Alliance Webinar Archive - Recordings of previous webinars, trainings, and panel discussions

• PowerPoint slides from the presentation with additional AI resources

• Panelist emails for further inquiries:

  • Kate Pace: kate.pace[at]cratonconsulting.com

  • Tom Stergios: tom.stergios[at]cratonconsulting.com