Christine Burkette is a serial entrepreneur. She began her career as a chemist dealing with data, and today she's parlayed that expertise into several enterprises.
One of these is the Promising Integration Consulting Firm (PICF), Inc., an artificial intelligence and information technology consulting firm.
Burkette explains that, with AI advancing rapidly, her company helps organizations make informed AI and technology decisions, guiding them through scaled execution.
According to Burkette, retail sits at the center of the ongoing AI transformation. Fittingly, she also operates La'Merde LUX Athleisure, her online store.
During her workshop, "Retail & Digital Commerce Presentation Framework," for the Service to Nation Virtual Career Fair, Burkette quickly covered career opportunities and roles within digital commerce.
She highlighted openings in online shopping, mobile apps, TikTok shops, Shopify stores, the Amazon marketplace, AI-powered shopping, personalized recommendations, and digital advertising.
Next, Burkette outlined the latest retail technologies: AI chatbots, personalized recommendations, smart inventory systems, predictive shopping trends, augmented reality for virtual try-on for clothes and makeup, furniture preview apps, automated warehouses, smart delivery systems, self-checkout, trend tracking, robotics and automation, and data analytics.
She emphasized that every advance creates new jobs, such as cybersecurity specialists who set permissions and logistical experts needed in fulfillment centers.
Entry points into the field include certifications, a high school diploma, relevant experience, and on-the-job training, leading to roles like customer support specialist, digital marketing assistant, social media coordinator, warehouse tech associate, and retail sales tech.
In parallel, through her nonprofit Michigan Youth STEM, Tech & Aeronautics (MYSTA), Burkette trains individuals for top technology careers, including AI prompt engineer, data analyst, cybersecurity analyst, UX/UI designer, e-commerce specialist, cloud support technician, web developer, and digital content creator.
The focus of these roles ranges from AI systems and customer data to security, user experience, infrastructure, and digital branding.
Looking ahead, Burkette identifies future high-growth careers in AI governance, virtual store design, retail automation, drone delivery, supply chain intelligence, metaverse commerce design, and digital brand strategy.
She notes that the fastest way into the workforce is through certifications, such as Google IT Support, Meta Digital Marketing, and Shopify. To hear Burkette’s full insights, start listening at the 4:00 minute mark.