I have a Master’s degree from Rutgers University in machine learning and another from Northwestern University in cognitive science. I’ve worked for Schwab, Delta, and Blue Shield of California, introducing metrics, measurements and process changes for increased productivity. But my career needed a boost and I wanted a leadership role.
I was working in quality, but without a certification. Simplilearn helped move my career forward when I pursued Lean Six Sigma Green Belt training to prepare for the IASSC certification exam. When researching how to prepare for my certification exam, I chose Simplilearn in part because it is affiliated with the Project Management Institute (PMI) as a registered partner. This meant their training was in alignment with PMI concepts, so it would be aligned with my other certifications.
I also liked the format offered by Simplilearn, which offers interactive webinar courses and maximum flexibility for balancing work and life. It was easy to choose the times and durations that would fit with my work and home commitments. In addition, the format was interactive which made it more effective. Being able to engage with instructors during the sessions made it feel like a classroom environment, but in my home office!
Once I started on the coursework, I discovered the high quality of the content, as well. The level of the instructors was top-notch and their passion for their field came through. In addition, the lessons learned were immediately applicable to my job. The course was filled with real world examples, and students were encouraged to share their experiences. The instructor worked us through potential solutions that we could take back and immediately put into practice.
It wasn’t just about listening to the material being presented. The value really came from the instructor’s wealth of experience and presenting real-life examples of the concepts they taught. It’s one thing to learn how to create metrics. It’s another to hear a story of a problem, the metrics and measurements created to solve the problem, and the results—which could be failure or success.
I also appreciated being able to download links so I could go back and listen again to certain material, and use those downloaded links as reference.
After earning my certification, I became a Senior Project and Quality Program Manager at Blue Shield, providing oversight with a focus on streamlining efforts and increasing performance. I build and implement quality standards and metrics for the Project Management Life Cycle (PMLC), streamline processes for moving projects through the PMLC faster, and establish the “Customer’s Voice” to create a continuous improvement cycle with other project managers. I also combine quality metrics with User Acceptance Testing practices, serve as lean process expert to improve the product pipeline, and have built a high performance onshore/offshore team to procure and install new cloud technology.