December 21, 2023
Stephen Zhang, a recent graduate of Mission Ready, believes his career entry into the world of UX designing has broken the cultural norms of his society.
Stephen says before joining Mission Ready, he had completed high school with little guidance regarding his next step.
He says, “I had no idea what I wanted to pursue in life. I certainly didn’t want to be a doctor or engineer, which all my friends were pursuing, so that left me feeling disheartened.”
Stephen took up graphic design during his first year at university but was still “clueless” about his future. “I knew I wanted to do something creative. I was curious about the world and loved problem-solving, coming up with ideas, and using sticky notes. I didn’t know what that was until I heard about Mission Ready.”
Stephen says finding Mission Ready was like finding a whole new world.
He adds he decided to use 2022 to dive head-first into the 19-week UX designer course. Recalling, “I thought to myself that at worst, I would use a gap year to discover my interests, and at best, I would land a full-time UX role.”
Now working as a full-time product designer for ezyVet, Stephen says entering the world of UX designing was the best choice.
“My 19 weeks were definitely challenging but rewarding. It’s incredibly fast-paced. I learned more in the initial nine weeks of Mission Ready than in my entire university year.”
Stephen adds the mentoring, and educational support he received from Mission Ready helped pave the path for his career.
“Having a mentor over the ten weeks was indispensable. There were days when I didn’t know how to move forward, and my mentor gave me the guidance I needed. We also made a career plan of action together to get my portfolio finished and start applying for jobs.”