Sometimes all it takes is one opportunity at work to change your career direction.
For Jaimee Drew, it was being asked to join a team for a credit union’s organizational project. With many years of experience in various back-office roles for that credit union, Jaimee brought her unique perspective and organizational knowledge to drive the project forward.
What she got out of that project? A new career focus and ultimately a promotion.
“While working on that project,” Jaimee recalls, “I found that I really loved getting to work with a variety of teams from different areas. Communication and facilitation turned out to be what I really enjoy the most. I had never considered project management as a career before that experience.”
Fortunately, she didn’t have to look far to find her next step. A colleague had recently completed our Business Analysis certificate and had a great experience. “He told me that the project management certificate might be more of what I should look into,” Jaimee adds. “I did some research and felt that the UC Berkeley Extension program would fit my needs.”
The Project Management certificate opened doors for me that work experience alone would not have.
Namely, Jaimee was able to complete the entire certificate online—a bonus for anyone who needs to work full time and requires maximum flexibility for their schedule.
Reflecting on her journey to project management, Jaimee has these words to share:
On Online Learning
I was surprised at how interactive the classes were. Several of my instructors included group projects, which is more of a real-world analog.
One of the best parts of the program was hearing about projects from my fellow classmates and instructors who come from different industries.
My favorite instructor was Tim Bombosch. He really took the time to interact with students online, which helped the course feel more tailored to what our backgrounds were.
On Applying Course Material to Work
I was still on my first work project while taking classes, and the class curriculum helped me understand why our project was stalling. Specifically, the content in the Project Schedule and Risk Management and Project Management courses helped me understand why.
It also instilled in me the value of documentation and taking the time at the beginning of the project to properly plan.
The certificate helped me get into a project management role.
On Getting That Promotion
The Project Management certificate opened doors for me that work experience alone would not have.
After starting the program, I was promoted to a business analyst role. After I earned the Project Management certificate, I was promoted to IT Project Manager. I believe that the instruction from the UC Berkeley Extension teachers helped me be prepared for this role.
As a credit union IT project manager, I have the opportunity to help implement systems that benefit our members. As a project manager, my favorite aspects of the job are getting to work with different teams and constantly learning.
On Showcasing Her New Knowledge
I am very proud to have earned the certificate with distinction. I really feel like it showed I was serious about growing my career in project management, and I do believe that it helped me get into a project management role.
I definitely would recommend the UC Berkeley Extension certificate program. It’s a serious overview of project management that you can customize for your own focus. The program is challenging, but it prepares you for managing projects.
