{"panels":[{"content":{"params":{"text":"

A story about a working professional who decides to pursue post-graduate education, but is faced with the challenge of adapting to the technological landscape of modern education. <\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.AdvancedText 1.1","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"},"subContentId":"16ab80aa-7d43-4988-a39d-8b109aff1f48"},"title":"Redlight to Greenlight by Maithili Dixit"},{"content":{"params":{"text":"

This is an approach story. I am here to share my story, insights, and struggles that can be objectively understood, and if you choose, subjectively adopted, by either changing your reality or changing how you see it.
\n
\nI was doing well in my job as a corporate communications executive, working a 9-5 job, can say that I had found my work-life balance. But still, I could feel something missing. What was it? What did I expect more from life? The answer came to me via Instagram - a then-recent graduate (and a close acquaintance) was standing in front of the big Seneca College sign and posing away. I quickly google what the hype was of this college. Fast forward a few months, through the application process, writing the entrance exams, college interviews and receiving my acceptance letter. I decided to take the leap and quit my job to pursue my postgraduate education.
\n
\nThere I was super excited to get into college, experience a new culture, a new country and making new friends. The extrovert bunny inside me could not keep calm. And then Friday the 13th happened - a virus that started in a different country miles away quickly eloped the entire world, and a lockdown was announced.
\n
\nI decided to still go ahead and start my semester online during the fall. So, there I was, not knowing what to expect from students from different parts of the world, from different age groups, and bringing in different talents.
\n
\nI quickly understood that the marketing and communications landscape that I was used to working around was now on a global scale. My fellow partners in the assignments knew much more in - graphic design, HTML coding, writing in Canadian press style, using adobe suite and more.
\n
\nI panicked, I started self-doubting, and I started looking down on myself. How can I not know these things? The answer was pretty simple, back home, I used to create all the content and leave it up to the amazing designers to do their job at designing and delivering a finalized product.
\n
\nI stopped, I could see these as red lights. Redlights? Yes, the same ones you see as the traffic lights. I stopped. I made a list of all the platforms my colleagues, peers and the overall industry used. I must say the list was pretty long - Canva Pro, Adobe Photoshop, Coding, Microsoft office suite and the list went on. <\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.AdvancedText 1.1","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"},"subContentId":"f00a2761-be40-4dd7-82da-2621ace77782"},"title":"The Wicked Problem"},{"content":{"params":{"text":"

Now it is time to head to the orange light in our traffic light.
\n
\nI now had the list of skills I was lacking, the next thing I did was: <\/p>\n\n

\n\t
Check for online courses - (LinkedIn, Coursera, Hubspot, Google Digital Garage) I know this may sound like a tedious job - but trust me, it worked wonders. <\/p>\n\t<\/li>\n\t
\n\t
I started applying my learnings to my daily projects and assignments. Go that extra mile in your assignment - add that creative touch - be it small or big. <\/p>\n\t<\/li>\n\t
\n\t
Reach out to people who have similar backgrounds and seek help - I can't even begin to tell you how useful this was. Experts in the industry know more than what is projected in the videos. They use these tools daily.<\/p>\n\t<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n
As a result of this, I completed multiple certified courses that enhanced my learning for school work and added professional skills to my profile. Start with taking one platform to check out their courses. Next, select a few that resonate with what you are looking for. Then, weekly set 3-4 hours for professional development. You can either spread these hours into small bite side classes or take the courses at a stretch. I preferred to set two hours in the morning on my weekends.
\n
\nI quickly learned the skills, and now it was time to apply skills to my projects, assignments, personal work etc. You can use these skills from basic email to your class friends or professors or even use these skills to update posts on social media. The key is to go that extra mile - yes, it does take alot of patience.
\n
\nLastly, once I was confident about having achieved phase one or the beginners level, I hopped on to LinkedIn to check for communicators, marketers, graphic designers, specialists in these roles. I was looking to connect with them to understand how these tools are used in their daily lives and what more I can do to hone my talent. After identifying the specialists, I drafted a genuine but straightforward message with one sole agenda - to learn from them. 9\/10 times I received a reply, where the experts were willing to give me 20 mins of their time to explain the tools.
\n
\nBe mindful of their time, so show up, prepare for that meeting, keep a set of questions ready, and if possible, send those to them in advance.
\n
\nOnce you go through these steps to hone your personal as well as professional skills, you have reached the green light. You can now go, advance, and carry on to be the best and most confident self.
\n
\nAnd just like the traffic lights, this is not just a one-time exercise; mark my words, you will hit a red light in the next block, and it is ok. <\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.AdvancedText 1.1","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"},"subContentId":"55cd6865-d548-4af4-b5f4-820f5d9a0b33"},"title":"Finding a Solution"},{"content":{"params":{"text":"
Catching greenlights is about skill: intent, context, consideration, endurance, resilience, speed, and discipline. We can catch more greenlights by simply identifying where the red lights are in our life, and then change course to hit fewer of them. We can create more and schedule them in our future\u2014through force of will, hard work, and the choices we make. We can be responsible for greenlights.<\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.AdvancedText 1.1","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"},"subContentId":"2f159ee2-026e-4d60-9140-cfc827161cd2"},"title":"Final Thoughts"},{"content":{"params":{"text":"
Dixit, M. (2021, October 7). Redlight to Greenlight<\/em>. Liberated Learners. https:\/\/wicked.liberatedlearner.ca\/collaborator\/redlight-to-greenlight\/<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n"},"library":"H5P.AdvancedText 1.1","subContentId":"afefd32e-acc1-472f-a353-9f7e282de1f7","metadata":{"contentType":"Text","license":"U","title":"Untitled Text"}},"title":"APA Reference"}],"hTag":"h2"}

Redlight to Greenlight

Liam Peart