Employee Spotlight: Jessica McCrerey

We’re excited to be shining the spotlight on Jessica McCrerey today, one of FMP’s Managing Consultants. Jessica is originally from Harrisburg, PA, and she earned degrees from James Madison University and Virginia Commonwealth University before joining FMP in 2012. Keep reading to learn more about Jessica and her work related to learning & development, upskilling, and the AI landscape.

Tell us about your professional/educational background.

I joined FMP right after earning my master’s in public administration and policy. I started two months after graduation and have been here ever since! For my first role, I spent 18 months on-site at a federal agency, gaining hands-on experience and a fast-paced introduction to federal HR. Working side-by-side with internal HR specialists, I supported a wide range of projects across workforce planning, reporting and analytics, business process analysis, recruitment and retention, and performance management. Since then, I have worked with dozens of organizations supporting initiatives that span every facet of human capital. After working across our service areas, I made the intentional decision to focus on learning and development, which has allowed me to lead large-scale strategic learning projects for clients, while also helping shape our internal L&D strategy and playing an active role in developing FMP staff – designing and delivering training for new hires, contributing to our internal L&D Center of Excellence, and most recently leading the development of our new AI curriculum.

When you’re not working, where can we find you?

Surrounded by family and friends – my husband, Austin, and I have three little ones – Ethan (5), Hunter (3), and Bella (1) that keep us very busy. We love being outside, preferably at the beach, trying new restaurants, and cooking. Though it can feel so chaotic in the moment, both boys love helping in the kitchen, which makes mealtimes extra special.

How did you get into the learning & development space, and what do you enjoy about working on L&D projects?

My very first training project sparked a passion for L&D. I’m incredibly grateful for exceptional mentors who helped me build strong technical skills, instilled a mindset of continuous learning, and encouraged my growth through diverse project opportunities. These experiences have been instrumental in growing and refining my expertise. What I love most about L&D is the blend of theory, creativity, and collaboration. It has allowed me to explore new content areas I otherwise wouldn’t have been exposed to, like advanced residential mortgage lending or easement administration. The challenge of partnering with SMEs to master unfamiliar content and translate it into engaging, accessible learning experiences is one I really enjoy. And on top of the work is, of course, the impact – helping employees build confidence, grow their skills, and take meaningful steps in their careers is one of the best parts of this field.

“Upskilling” has been a major buzzword lately, both within the L&D space and more broadly. What is something organizations should keep in mind when looking to upskill their workforce?

Compared to traditional training methods, upskilling represents a critical shift towards flexible and continuous skill development to meet evolving organizational needs. It not only helps to close critical skill gaps quickly and cost-effectively, but enables the workforce to stay agile and continuously deliver. When considering when and how to upskill, it’s important to think beyond content creation and instead focus on curation, accessibility, and timing. Successful upskilling is putting the right learning content in the right team members’ hands at the right time. It ensures relevant resources are at employees’ fingertips exactly when they need them, enabling staff to quickly find and apply what they need when they need it. Ultimately, upskilling is not just about learning; it’s about equipping employees to efficiently and effectively perform in the moment.

How does the rise of AI factor into the upskilling conversation?

As AI evolves at an unprecedented pace (and maybe even faster than most of us expected!), the need for upskilling continues to be a necessity. In this dynamic environment, teams are playing catch up, and it’s not uncommon for employees to feel overwhelmed and behind. This gap will only continue to widen if we don’t adapt our training approach. Rather than focusing solely on the development of traditional training programs, the priority needs to shift to getting practical, relevant resources in employees’ hands quickly so they can practice, learn, and apply new AI skills in real time. I think we can all agree, AI is here to stay. It’s transforming the way we work, and, to remain competitive, organizations must enable their employees’ skill development and help them get up-to-speed as quickly as possible.

Zoe Nerantzis joined FMP as a Consultant in May 2021 and works with the National Science Foundation team by supporting NSF’s learning and development branch. Zoe is from Rockville, Maryland and can generally be found reading fantasy novels, working out in her basement, or rooting for the Washington Commanders.