
Every day, 43 million (and counting!) Coursera learners are redefining what’s possible.
From dorm rooms to lunch breaks, learners like Emmanuel, Kelly, Tristen, and Kara saw the opportunity to take a goal and turn it into a new reality.
We’re proud to be a global community where anyone, anywhere can come to Coursera to find expert instruction from world-renowned universities and companies and use what they learn to achieve their goals. From mastering new skills in a Specialization, to getting job-ready for a new career with a Professional Certificate, or transforming a career with a university degree or MasterTrack™ Certificate — on Coursera, anything is possible!
This back-to-school season, we’re celebrating the many ways that the Coursera community is redefining what’s possible. Read on to get inspired by some incredible Coursera learners. Then, share your own story with us using #RedefinePossible on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.
How Emmanuel, Kelly, Tristen, & Kara are redefining what’s possible
Emmanuel mastered new technical skills to land his first full-time job
Emmanuel knew he wanted to work in tech after college, but he wasn’t sure how to get there. He was learning great critical thinking skills from his liberal arts program, but knew he needed more hands-on experience with data analysis, machine learning, the cloud, and more. When he started asking around for advice about how to land a technical internship, an engineer at Google recommended Coursera. One hundred courses later (we’re not exaggerating!), Emmanuel discovered not only the ability to master new technical skills, but he also rediscovered a love of learning.
“Learning from university and industry experts on Coursera gives me the chance to tackle topics that can seem intimidating and allows me to create a plan to take on those courses without the fear of failure.”
Not only did he gain new confidence for his technical interviews, he also had real work to showcase. Now he’s starting his new career as a software engineer at one of America’s biggest investment banks and he says he’s definitely not done learning.
“Coursera lets me know that even if I don’t know something, I can learn it. It’s allowed me to shape my career. I’m now working as a software engineer in New York City.”
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Kelly tried a piece of a master’s program and used what she learned to start her Master of Education degree at the University of Illinois
Working at Yale, Kelly is immersed in both sides of the learning process. By day, she supports students and assists professors with coursework and research. By night, she switches hats to complete her own courses online. Knowing she preferred the flexibility of learning on her own time and at her own pace, Kelly enrolled in the Instructional Design MasterTrack™ Certificate from the University of Illinois to get a taste of a graduate degree.
“The fact that I could take just the two MasterTrack courses for a standalone credential with the option to apply the credits to a full degree program if I was accepted really made it an easy decision to enroll!”
Aftering completing the Instructional Design MasterTrack Certificate, Kelly applied and was accepted to the Illinois Master of Education Degree Program. She can’t wait to use what she learns to further her career at the intersection of technology and higher education.
“My primary goal was to determine if instructional design was something I wanted to pursue further. I was really hoping the MasterTrack program would be a springboard into a full master’s program, which it was. Goal achieved!”
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Tristen got job-ready for his new IT career by learning from the experts at Google
Tristen first discovered his love for IT when he saw how he could use technology to help people. While in his second year of college, Tristen made the difficult decision to leave school in order to help his mother provide for their family. While he had to take a break from his studies, he never gave up on his dream of a career in IT. But for more than a decade, it was hard to find a way forward.
“Getting into IT always felt insurmountable, because it was either I had the time but not the money, or I had the money but not the time. When I discovered the Google IT Support Professional Certificate I knew: this is my gateway. This is my path. This is how I can get into IT.”
The path required dedication – he’d often make time to learn after the rest of his family had gone to sleep. In less than a year, his dedication paid off and he earned his Professional Certificate. When he saw an opening for a technology analyst, he went for it and used his coursework to demonstrate his new IT skills.
“After my supervisor saw my coursework, she was confident that I was the right person for the job. Thanks to the Google IT Support Professional Certificate, my family gets to see me finally achieve my dream of being in IT.”
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Kara found new confidence from a quality MBA that fit her life
From working as a journalist to owning her own company, Kara’s career didn’t follow a straight path forward. She thought about getting her MBA for years, but with a full time job, two young kids, and a life she loved, finding a real degree that could fit into her life wasn’t easy. Most programs didn’t stack up to her objectives–real university learning without the impossible price tag. Then she found the iMBA from the Gies College of Business on Coursera.
“It’s a really big deal to offer an online MBA that’s a real MBA at a price that’s achievable. This program is totally disrupting higher education.”
As the first in her family to get a degree of any kind, Kara knew she was setting a powerful example for her kids. She used the modular nature of the iMBA to learn everywhere from poolside at swim meets to on the plane and in hotels when traveling. Every week she was learning something she could use at work the very next day from the top instructors at the Gies College of Business.
“I just wanted my kids to know you never stop – it’s never too late; a goal is something you can continue to work for even if it takes you awhile. Now I’m in a career I absolutely love and the MBA was a really important part of that.”
No matter your goal, there’s a path forward on Coursera. Show us how you’re redefining what’s possible: