One of the best ways to pick up a new skill is by doing it. But in the past, you may not have had the time to learn a new skill.
Today, there’s never been a better time to learn something new. Stay-at-home or quarantine orders have provided you with an opportunity to learn a new skill that will help secure a better, higher-paying job.
Udacity offers thorough projects that can be completed in 30 days and gives you the skills needed to move into a new career.
Now that summer is in full swing and the kids are out of school, many parents find themselves scrambling for ideas on what to do together as a family—projects that capture a diverse set of interests and maturity levels, as well as activities that strike that ideal balance between educational and fun.
It makes sense for parents to want to include their kids in activities and interests they can share and—good news—there are a ton of resources out there for introducing your kiddo to tech. Sure, you can definitely spark an interest in programming, but even if your child doesn’t grow up to be the next Steve Jobs, learning to love learning, think critically, and stay curious (just like mom and dad) will help your kids succeed in any field they may choose to focus on.
“I grew up in a home with three generations and ten to fifteen people crammed into four bedrooms,” laughs Marlon Avery, Udacity Tech Coach. “It was a wonderful time, and no matter how tough any one group of people has it now, it’s important to remember we all have it much easier than our grandparents!”
Marlon’s personality is as big as the smile on his face as he recounts his youth, but despite the breezy way he tells stories, growing up as a black man in the South and working in tech, he has most assuredly faced adversity.
“The thing about adversity is that it’s all in the way you look at it,” he says. “You can focus on it and not get past it. Or, you can create a conversation around it and invite everyone to take part and, through that, reach a kind of understanding.”
As the calendar year comes to a close, it’s natural to look back and compare yourself to where you were this time last year. In December 2018, we were celebrating 50,000 graduates with the story of Anna Preis, who earned a Nanodegree from Udacity and used it to build a career she truly cares about. Now, in December 2019, we’re celebrating 100,000 graduates as well as a load of other exciting achievements this year.
Great leadership is the foundation of any organization, big or small. Without capable leaders guiding the way, growth is impossible. Effective business leadership requires a skillful captain to navigate the ship, and not simply a passive presence standing near the helm. Quality leadership is active, not static. One person who knows what it takes to be a successful leader is technology veteran Sue Barsamian.
We sat down with Sue during our recent Udacity Thought Leader Series Webinar to discuss the qualities leaders need to create and manage high-performing, productive teams. Sue’s extensive background in general management, marketing, sales, and engineering is a testament to her reputation as a foremost expert in team development. Currently, Sue serves on the boards of Symantec, Box, Gainsight, and Xactly. Previously, she was the Executive Vice President, and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer at Hewlett Packard Enterprise Software, where she orchestrated the successful spinning-off of the division from HPE and merger with Micro Focus International, to form the world’s seventh-largest software company.
Jean Luc Godard said, “Sometimes reality is too complex. Stories give it form.” And while a quote from the French New Wave Film director might be an unusual place to start a blog about one of Udacity’s instructors, Michael Dedrick would, no doubt, agree with the sentiment.
“Storytelling is key to all aspects of teaching and working in tech,” says Michael. “From the portfolios, you create while searching for a job, to the curricula you create while teaching a class, everything is a story. Your portfolio tells your story to employers. It shows how you created the work. And, ultimately, you hope your story is more engaging and more pleasing to the employer than the stories told by others who are competing for the same job!”
Some people have such an innate understanding of a subject that being in their very presence makes you feel like you’re learning something, almost through osmosis. Udacity Instructor, Melissa Hui, is one of those people. Talking to her is a revelation. Melissa is the founder and principal of Context Leap, an agency specializing in employing human-centered design to help organizations manage culture transformation, empower leadership, and discover how to work in more productive, creative, and innovative ways.