1. August 5, 2025
Title: How I Learned to Build Secure AI Solutions in the Cloud
AI is everywhere these days—from chatbots answering customer queries to complex analytics predicting market trends. But with great power comes great responsibility. Securing AI solutions in the cloud is critical, and Microsoft’s Applied Skills certification on Secure AI Solutions taught me exactly how to do that.
Before this certification, I often worried about deploying AI models to the cloud: How do I keep them safe? Who can access the data they use? Could they unintentionally expose sensitive information? After completing the program, I felt confident in tackling these challenges.
What You Learn
Securing AI Workloads: You’ll dive into practical techniques to protect AI applications in the cloud, from access controls to secure deployment practices.
Protecting Sensitive Data: Learn how to safeguard the data that AI models rely on without slowing down operations.
Compliance and Governance: Implement policies that meet legal and regulatory standards so your AI projects are audit-ready.
Why It Matters
The certification isn’t just about knowing tools—it’s about thinking like a security engineer while developing AI. Whether you’re a cloud administrator, data scientist, or developer, these skills help prevent security incidents before they happen.
Real-World Application
After the course, I helped my team deploy an AI analytics platform safely in Azure. By implementing role-based access, encryption, and monitoring, we kept sensitive financial data protected while still delivering fast insights.
If you’re excited about AI but concerned about cloud security, this certification is a must. It gives you the knowledge and confidence to innovate safely.
2. August 20, 2025
Title: Protecting Your Data Has Never Been Easier with Microsoft Purview
We live in a world where data is constantly moving—emails, documents, sensitive client information. One accidental leak can cost a company millions. That’s why learning to protect information with Microsoft Purview was such a game-changer.
Through this certification, I learned that safeguarding data doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Microsoft Purview provides tools to label, encrypt, and control access to sensitive information—without slowing down everyday workflows.
Key Skills
Labeling and Encryption: Identify sensitive content and encrypt it to prevent unauthorized access.
Data Loss Prevention (DLP): Set up policies to automatically detect and block risky data movement.
Monitoring and Reporting: Track who’s accessing what and ensure compliance with internal and external regulations.
Why It Matters
Companies often underestimate how easy it is for sensitive information to leave their networks. Purview doesn’t just protect data—it gives teams visibility and control over it.
Real-World Application
I applied these skills to set up DLP policies for our organization’s HR and finance documents. Not only did it prevent accidental leaks, but it also gave our compliance team peace of mind knowing they could generate reports at any time.
This certification is perfect for IT professionals, compliance officers, or anyone responsible for safeguarding company data.
3. September 3, 2025
Title: Retention, eDiscovery, and Compliance: Your Secret Weapons in Microsoft Purview
Have you ever been asked to pull a document from five years ago for an audit—or worse, had to sift through hundreds of emails for legal reasons? That’s where Microsoft Purview’s retention, eDiscovery, and communication compliance features shine.
Through this certification, I learned how to manage organizational data throughout its lifecycle, ensuring we meet legal obligations while keeping things organized.
What You Learn
Retention Policies: Keep data organized and accessible while meeting company policies and legal requirements.
eDiscovery Cases: Run searches and investigations efficiently without drowning in paperwork.
Communication Compliance: Monitor emails and chats for risky or non-compliant behavior.
Why It Matters
Without proper retention and compliance management, organizations risk fines, litigation, and reputational damage. This certification gives you the tools to prevent those headaches.
Real-World Application
In my organization, we had to ensure all customer contracts were archived for regulatory audits. Using retention labels and eDiscovery in Purview, I automated much of this process, saving hours of manual work and reducing errors.
For IT, legal, or compliance teams, mastering these skills is like having a superpower that keeps your organization safe and audit-ready.
4. September 17, 2025
Title: Defend Your Organization Like a Pro with Microsoft Defender XDR
Cybersecurity threats are everywhere, and the reality is that even a small breach can cost millions. Microsoft Defender XDR (Extended Detection and Response) provides a way to detect, investigate, and respond to threats across endpoints, emails, identities, and cloud workloads.
Before learning this, I often felt reactive—waiting for alerts or suspicious activity to pop up. Defender XDR taught me how to take a proactive approach.
Key Skills
Real-Time Threat Detection: Identify attacks before they escalate.
Automated Response: Configure actions to stop threats instantly.
Strengthening Security Posture: Analyze trends and adjust strategies to prevent future incidents.
Why It Matters
This isn’t just IT work—it’s protecting your organization’s reputation and continuity. In a world where cyberattacks can halt operations, being able to act fast is critical.
Real-World Application
After the certification, I helped my company implement automated alerts for suspicious login attempts and unusual file activity. It drastically reduced our response time and prevented potential breaches.
Defender XDR skills are invaluable for anyone in cybersecurity or IT—because prevention is always better than damage control.
5. October 1, 2025
Title: Turn AI Research Agents into Your Productivity Superpower
If you’ve ever spent hours digging through spreadsheets, reports, and web pages for a single insight, you know how exhausting research can be. That’s where AI research agents come in. Microsoft’s Applied Skills certification taught me how to use AI agents to gather, analyze, and report data—saving time and boosting productivity.
What You Learn
Automated Research: AI agents can scour multiple sources and pull relevant data in minutes.
AI-Driven Reporting: Turn raw data into actionable insights automatically.
Enhanced Decision-Making: Get recommendations backed by analysis instead of gut feeling.
Why It Matters
Time is money. Being able to automate research tasks doesn’t just make your life easier—it enables faster, smarter decisions.
Real-World Application
I used AI research agents to prepare a market analysis report for a new product launch. What would have taken me three days manually was done in under an hour. Not only did this impress the leadership team, but it also freed me to focus on strategy instead of data entry.
If you handle data or reports regularly, mastering AI research agents is a game-changer.
6. October 15, 2025
Title: Make Business Workflows a Breeze with AI Chatbots
Imagine a colleague who never sleeps, can answer repetitive questions instantly, and streamlines workflows automatically. That’s essentially what AI chatbots can do. Microsoft’s Applied Skills certification on AI chat showed me how to set up, manage, and optimize chatbots to improve business operations.
What You Learn
AI Chat Deployment: Build chatbots for internal teams or customer interactions.
Workflow Automation: Use AI chat to handle repetitive tasks, freeing your team for higher-value work.
Monitoring and Improvement: Track performance and refine interactions for better results.
Why It Matters
Repetitive tasks slow down productivity and frustrate teams. AI chatbots can solve this, creating smoother workflows and happier employees.
Real-World Application
I implemented an AI chatbot to handle internal IT requests. Employees now submit tickets via chat, and the bot guides them through solutions or routes the issue to the right person. It reduced ticket backlog by 40% in the first month.
If your team spends too much time on repetitive tasks, AI chat can transform the way you work.
7. October 29, 2025
Title: Getting Started with Cloud Security and Monitoring: Tips That Actually Work
Cloud security can feel overwhelming—so many tools, so many alerts, and endless dashboards. Microsoft’s Applied Skills certification helped me break it down into actionable steps, focusing on what really matters.
What You Learn
Identify and Fix Vulnerabilities: Spot gaps before attackers do.
Set Up Alerts and Monitoring: Receive proactive notifications to act quickly.
Understand Risk and Compliance: Learn which areas need attention to meet regulatory requirements.
Why It Matters
Cloud adoption is growing fast, and security can’t be an afterthought. Starting with the basics ensures your workloads are safe without feeling overloaded.
Real-World Application
After completing the course, I configured monitoring for our cloud storage accounts and set up alerts for unusual file activity. This simple step prevented potential unauthorized access and gave our team confidence that we could act fast if something went wrong.
This certification is ideal for anyone new to cloud security or looking to strengthen foundational skills.
8. November 12, 2025
Title: Azure Management Made Simple: From Zero to Confident
Managing Azure doesn’t have to feel intimidating. Before taking this certification, I often struggled with basic tasks like deploying virtual machines or configuring storage. Microsoft’s Applied Skills program showed me how to manage Azure efficiently and confidently.
What You Learn
Deploy and Manage Azure Resources: Virtual machines, storage, and networking become much easier with structured guidance.
Monitor and Optimize Workloads: Keep your Azure environment efficient and cost-effective.
Automate Tasks: Use scripts and templates to save time on repetitive tasks.
Why It Matters
Without proper management skills, Azure can quickly become messy and expensive. This course gives you the confidence to control your environment and prevent issues before they escalate.
Real-World Application
I used these skills to optimize our Azure environment, automate deployments, and monitor resource usage. The result? Reduced downtime, faster deployments, and happier stakeholders.
Whether you’re new to Azure or want to sharpen your management skills, this certification is a practical and rewarding step.
9. November 20, 2025
Title: Take Control of Identities and Access with Microsoft Entra
Managing who can access what in your organization can feel like juggling flaming torches—one mistake and suddenly someone has access they shouldn’t. Microsoft Entra, through the Applied Skills certification, teaches how to simplify identity and access management while keeping security tight.
What You Learn
Secure Identity Policies: Set rules that protect users and data without slowing workflows.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Add layers of security that are easy for teams to adopt.
Access Control Across Apps and Resources: Ensure the right people have access to the right systems at the right time.
Why It Matters
Identity breaches are one of the top ways attackers gain access to sensitive data. Learning Entra gives you control, reduces risk, and builds trust across your organization.
Real-World Application
I implemented MFA and conditional access policies across our company. It reduced risky logins, simplified compliance reporting, and gave leadership confidence that sensitive systems were protected.
Whether you’re in IT, security, or operations, mastering Entra helps you prevent breaches before they happen—and keeps your organization running smoothly.
10. November 28, 2025
Title: Secure Your Azure Workloads Without Breaking a Sweat
Running workloads in Azure is powerful—but it comes with responsibility. Microsoft Defender for Cloud provides tools to monitor security, enforce compliance, and detect threats. The Applied Skills certification taught me how to secure Azure environments effectively, without feeling overwhelmed.
What You Learn
Security Best Practices: Protect your Azure workloads with proven methods.
Automated Compliance Reporting: Keep up with regulations without extra stress.
Threat Detection and Remediation: Spot and fix risks before they become real problems.
Why It Matters
Organizations rely on Azure for critical workloads. Ensuring these environments are secure and compliant is not optional—it’s essential for business continuity.
Real-World Application
I set up automated compliance checks and alerts for our Azure workloads. When a misconfigured storage account popped up, we were able to fix it immediately—preventing potential data exposure.
If your team manages Azure resources, this certification gives you practical tools to sleep better at night knowing your environment is safe.
11. December 8, 2025
Title: How Microsoft Sentinel Transformed Our Security Operations
Before learning Microsoft Sentinel, our security monitoring felt like searching for a needle in a haystack. Logs from multiple sources, alerts everywhere, and no real way to prioritize. Sentinel changed all that.
What You Learn
Centralized Logs and Alerts: Bring together data from endpoints, cloud, and apps in one place.
Custom Dashboards and Alerts: Track what matters most to your organization.
Automated Incident Response: Reduce response time and human error with playbooks.
Why It Matters
Fast and informed responses to threats are critical. Sentinel gives your security team the tools to act quickly and efficiently.
Real-World Application
I built a dashboard for our SOC team that prioritized alerts by risk level. We automated responses for common threats, which cut incident response time in half and prevented several potential breaches.
For SOC analysts or IT security teams, this certification is a must-have for modern, proactive security operations.
12. December 18, 2025
Title: Active Directory Made Easy: Admin Skills That Matter
Active Directory is the backbone of many organizations’ IT infrastructure—but it can be intimidating. Microsoft’s Applied Skills certification helped me understand and confidently manage users, groups, policies, and security in AD DS.
What You Learn
User and Group Management: Add, modify, and control accounts efficiently.
Secure Authentication and Authorization: Keep access safe across the network.
Troubleshooting AD DS Issues: Solve problems quickly to avoid disruptions.
Why It Matters
AD mismanagement can lead to security breaches or downtime. Knowing how to handle it effectively ensures smooth daily operations and reduces risks.
Real-World Application
After completing the course, I automated group management and configured policies to enforce strong authentication. This simplified administration and reduced support tickets.
Whether you’re an IT admin or managing enterprise networks, mastering AD DS is essential for a secure and efficient environment.