Ryan Schaffer

"I am an active duty Senior Master Sergeant and have served in the United States Air Force for over 19 years. My initial path to join the Air Force was quite rocky and consisted of dropping out of high school at age 16 and obtaining a General Education Diploma (GED) a year later. I then enlisted in the Air Force as a Biomedical Equipment Maintenance technician and have been stationed around the world. Through maturity, promotion, and deeper project involvement, I have led numerous high-level teams and hospital projects surrounding the installation of X-ray rooms, Computed Tomography (CT) scanners, and leading the construction effort of a liquid oxygen bulk storage tank, culminating in the delivery of patient care. After completing my master’s in business administration in early 2024, I decided to shift focus and pursue a Project Management Professional Certification. I began this journey on 03 June 2024 using PM-ProLearn’s program facilitation service. They provided an in-depth 35-hour bootcamp that introduced all the concepts related to the PMP, as well as offered hundreds of practice questions. I studied nearly every day between work and other responsibilities, scheduling the test for 29 July 2024. My goal was to have the entire program wrapped up in July. I took the exam and passed with an AT/AT/T result. All the hard work paid off and I gained so much valuable knowledge that I could immediately apply to my current work center. All-in-all, it was a wonderful experience and I am happy to share my perspective with others. The PMP will not only benefit me throughout my career but will also help provide business value to the organization and most importantly, it will help me lead people more effectively."