From Admin to HR Analyst: How Loreelei Changed Her Career

Loreelei

Loreelei worked in administration for a municipal utility for 11 years when she decided it was time for a change. Through HR courses on Coursera, she found a new passion for human resources. Within a year, she successfully transitioned to an HR career and landed a role at a new company.

I got my first taste of HR work supporting the senior management team and hiring managers at a municipal utility company. I knew it was time for something new, but it was hard to take the first step. I finally decided to take matters into my own hands and sign up for courses on Coursera that could help me achieve my goals. Gaining new knowledge and relevant skills through Coursera helped me break out of the mold I had been in for over a decade and helped me secure a job at a new company.

First, I took HR courses. I earned an HR certificate by completing all five courses in the University of Minnesota’s Human Resource Management Specialization. Next, I signed up for a Society of Human Resources Management Certified Professional (SHRM-CP) preparation course through the University of California at Riverside Extension Center. I became SHRM-CP certified in December 2017.

Recently, I started a new job as a human resources analyst at a large public transportation agency. I used to support a department of approximately 642 employees, but my new company has approximately 9,800 employees. I’m excited for the chance to implement the skills I learned in this new environment and to work with a talented team to support the company.  

Take a look at Loreelei’s course list:

A large part of my success is due to the high quality education offered on Coursera. Coursera helped open doors for me.

When I started looking into how to change careers, Coursera was my best resource. My new personal goal is to finish the University of Illinois’ iMBA program, which I heard about while taking courses on Coursera. A big factor that previously deterred me from obtaining my Master’s was tuition costs. I feel lucky to have found the University of Illinois MBA program through Coursera. The Gies College of Business has a great reputation and the program tuition fits my budget. I was accepted to a program at a state university near my home, but their on-campus tuition cost significantly more than the iMBA.

I’m proud to have a combined balance of HR and business experience. Moving forward, I want to learn about data analytics because I believe that these skills will open doors for me in the future.

Was that real or VR? Learn how to make virtual reality lifelike from top researchers

Virtual Reality has the potential to change how we shop, learn in school, and get treated in the hospital. Businesses are hunting for people who understand how to design technology and experiences for this new medium. Starting today, we’re excited to make it possible for anyone to become leaders in applying VR to enhance everything from gaming to training.

The Virtual Reality Specialization, launching today, is taught by Dr. Sylvia Pan and Dr. Marco Gillies from Goldsmiths, University of London, based on their combined 25 years’ experience working in some of the world’s most well-known Virtual Reality labs. Their expertise is in the generation of interactive and engaging virtual characters, a primary focus in the new Specialization they teach on Coursera.

“Many of the mistakes made by Virtual Reality content creators come from not understanding the psychology of how VR works and what it means for how we create content, which is an important feature of this Specialization,” said Dr Marco Gillies. “In Virtual Reality users need to physically interact so they feel present in the surrounding environment. This means other characters must respond in the same way they would in the real world.”

“These courses combine theory – the basic psychology of how VR works – with practical production skills. All the time learners are doing the practical work, they are also having to think about the psychology behind it.”

The Specialization includes five course modules, starting with an introduction to Virtual Reality, designed for non-technical learners interested in gaining a basic understanding of the applications of VR. At the end, learners have the chance to use the skills developed in each course to create their own Virtual Reality game. Throughout the Specialization, learners get hands-on experience using leading technology tools for Virtual Reality, including Unity.

“The potential for Virtual Reality to change the way we work, learn, and play is significant, but we need more people educated in VR technologies and design to get there,” said Jessica Lindl, Unity’s Global Head of Education. “This series of courses from the University of London is a great example of a credential that can really help anyone interested in applying Virtual Reality in the work that they do.”

The Virtual Reality Specialization is open for enrollment on Coursera now – learn more and enroll here.