Our Career Talk Series invites faculty, former Cengage student ambassadors and Cengage employees to share their unique journeys into their current roles, highlighting the motivations that guided them. Each talk delves into the unexpected twists and turns that shaped their paths, offering valuable insights and lessons for students as they think about their own future careers.
For this Career Talk discussion, we’re taking a turn of our own, and focusing on continued learning for career advancement. Our Cengage Communications team spoke with a few Cengage employees who furthered their education to enhance their skills and grow in their careers.
Zack H., Account Executive
Zack has worked at Cengage Group for six and a half years. He started off working on our Customer Support team and eventually transitioned onto our Inside Sales team.
Zack shared that when he initially attended college, he found himself unsure of his path and dropped out to focus on work. However, with his first child on the way, Zack felt a sense of responsibility to provide a better life for his family and decided to pursue his dream of earning a degree.
Zack enrolled in the Business Administration program at Indiana Tech, which specifically caters to working adults. This offered a high degree of flexibility that benefitted Zack throughout his education journey.
For Zack, juggling his professional responsibilities, coursework and the demands of caring for a newborn required careful time management and dedication. Establishing a routine and receiving support from his wife and parents helped him stay on track.
“Balancing full-time work, pursuing a degree and caring for a newborn was challenging. I am immensely grateful to my wife and parents for supporting and holding me accountable throughout my journey to achieve my professional goals.” Zach H.
Shiela S., Enrollment Training Specialist
Shiela has been with Cengage Group for 10 years!
Pursuing an Associate of Science degree in Business Administration and currently working towards a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a focus on management, Shiela faced and still faces the challenge of balancing full-time work and learning. Careful organization continues to play a key role in managing her workload.
Setting a good example for her adult children and grandchildren kept Shiela motivated throughout her education journey. Shiela believes in the importance of lifelong learning and self-improvement and wanted to demonstrate that growth knows no age limits.
Since furthering her education, Shiela has progressed from an Enrollment Representative to her current role as an Enrollment Training Specialist for ed2go. The knowledge gained through her coursework has directly impacted her ability to contribute more strategically. Her enhanced data analysis skills have allowed her to evaluate training effectiveness and align programs with the sales team’s needs.
Shiela encourages individuals to view learning as a long-term investment, fostering curiosity, proactivity and the utilization of available tools for continuous professional growth. She firmly believes that continuous learning is a personal investment that propels career growth.
“By furthering my education, I have exemplified the importance of lifelong learning and self improvement to my adult children and grandchildren. It has reinforced the notion that growth knows no age limits.” Shiela S.
Hans L., Manager of Cybersecurity
Hans joined our team six and a half years ago.
He pursued a Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity and Information Assurance, complemented by the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification. With 20 years of IT experience, this educational journey built upon his associate’s degree in applied science in information technology.
Balancing full-time work, learning and family responsibilities presented challenges, but with the support of his wife, Hans successfully managed. Time blocking helped him stay focused and on track. Hans shared that furthering his education has enhanced his professional growth, making him a more effective manager with a broader perspective on Cybersecurity & Compliance.
Hans stressed the importance of prioritizing well-being and family time while pursuing professional development. In his case, he managed to lose 50 pounds by exercising while listening to courses, demonstrating the integration of personal and professional growth.
“Integrating personal and professional growth is key. I discovered by incorporating workouts while listening to courses helped me to achieve a sense a balance and enhance my overall well-being, both mentally and physically.” Hans L.
Lindsey S., Associate Campaign Execution Manager
Lindsey joined Cengage Group three years ago. She was motivated by her long-standing goal of earning a bachelor’s degree and providing a better life for her son with special needs. She noted that Cengage Group’s strong work-life balance culture made her educational journey over the past two years achievable.
Pursuing a double major in Business Administration and Strategic Organizational Leadership, Lindsey earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wilmington College. Building upon her marketing background, these degrees were natural progressions in her career growth.
Lindsey admitted that working, learning and being a full-time mom wasn’t always easy. She credits the unwavering support from colleagues and family — and a lot of coffee — to help her make it through.
Furthering her education played a crucial role in Lindsey’s career growth. Her degrees provided her with new skills, a stronger strategic mindset, enhanced leadership abilities and a deeper understanding of organizational dynamics. These assets enable her to contribute more effectively to her team and the company as a whole.
Exploring new opportunities, embracing discomfort and challenging yourself leads to personal and professional growth. She advised not to hold back when pursuing a passion, regardless of the stage of life one is in.
“I had initial fears about returning to school, but I couldn’t let fear hold me back from pursuing my passions. Taking the leap, I embraced new opportunities, challenged myself and turned my dreams into earning a bachelor’s degree a reality!” Lindsey S.
Career advancement and growth through lifelong learning
Each story shared here shows that career journeys are rarely linear, and growth is an ongoing process. Opportunities often emerge in the ever-evolving professional landscape. Zack, Shiela, Hans and Lindsey remind us that it’s never too late to invest in ourselves and that every step of learning contributes to purpose and success — professionally and personally.
This article was adapted from our Cengage Group “Perspectives” blog. All four of these employees took advantage of the Cengage Education Assistance Program, which supports Cengage employees in their pursuit of degrees and certifications.
Read the original article here.
While here we focus on our employees’ paths to career advancement, another recent Career Talk article asks faculty about their teaching journeys. They share, in their own words, how and why they decided to teach.