Liuyi Shu
M.A., 2018
I am so keen on in my career professional development path. I came to UT with a bachelor’s degree in Educational Technology. But, the experience of the LT program was so different from my undergrad. I learned by engaging in hands-on projects, visiting middle schools, and talking with real customers. My learning experience and degree earned at UT prepared me for the job market. And yet, I am able to apply what I learned from the LT program to my daily work and life.
I remember the first assignment in the fall semester was to prepare an elevator speech introducing ourselves, as instructional designers, to strangers. It’s interesting because not many people exactly know what instructional design means. I am persistent and passionate in learning technologies, as it’s a promising field but has not been fully excavated yet.
Why UT?
UT has great educational resources. My research skills and academic writing ability got highly improved in graduate school. University writing center was one of my favorite spots of UT, as it is a lovely place for any international students. I was attracted by Alien Rescue project when I browsed LT website. Luckily, Dr. Liu invited me to join the project. The experience of working in the team helped me earn extra points in job interviews.
UT’s location is attractive as well. Austin is a tech city and thousands of tech companies locate there. I got the chance to do a summer internship in a tech start-up at Austin. Easy access to SXSW is another highlight for UT. Lastly, the tuition of UT is affordable to my family.
Life after UT
Currently, I work for PwC as an E-learning Developer for Learning Technology team and a Graphic Designer for Innovation team. At PwC, the content of e-learning products that I create cover tax, assurance, and consulting. The target audience range from fresh graduates, managers, directors, and partners. I work with project managers, course managers, subject-matter experts (SMEs), and programmers. I enjoy the diversity of tools which I can use to present my ideas and instructional content to learners. I use the technical and communication skills I learned from the LT program to provide learners with the best online learning experience.
Advice for Students
Digitalization is the trend in any field. In the industry, online learning is replacing real instructors. Pioneer companies are transforming classroom training into online training. Building e-learning products is fast, new, and innovative. My advice for new students is to be open to embracing new technologies, be fast in learning new tools and be collaborative in teams. And for international students, the cohort with diverse backgrounds is valuable to work and collaborate with.
