Covid Lockdown or Career Glow Up?

The pandemic was a game changer for everyone. But for Rena, a mom of three born in Japan and living in Israel, it was also a career starter. 

With a degree in computer science, Rena had spent 25 years working in her field. But like so many when Covid hit, she was laid off and forced to look for something new. 

Needless to say, she found it: Masterschool.

Her Defining Moment

Thanks to Covid, Rena lost her job in localization. Even though she was sending CV’s like it was her full-time job—and even with more than two decades of experience in software localization—replies were scarce and rejections were plentiful.

“This wasn’t something I was used to,” explains Rena. “Even though I had so many years in the hi-tech industry, the international economy took a massive dive and the localization market halted.”

Rena continued to find lockdown a struggle, which made the need for change all the more prominent.

“I simply had to make a plan,” she explains. “Holding on to my dream, I looked around for programs and came across Masterschool.”

Masterschool’s Data Analytics program caught Rena’s attention, and felt like the perfect pairing for her interest in the field of natural language processing. She was soon signed up and soaked up every moment of it.

“It was jam-packed, and not in the normal run-of-the-mill kind of way,” she says. “The syllabus was so full and informative, supplying all the knowledge and tools I needed.”

Life as a Masterschool Graduate

Masterschool didn’t just give Rena a new set of credentials, but also the boost of confidence she needed. 

While in an internship, she was “eased into” working in the data science environment. And then came the big leap: a full-time role.

“A job agency in Germany contacted me on LinkedIn for a position at Cerence Inc. working as a computational linguist. I understood it wasn’t straight forward data science, but it was something I had always wanted to do, so I went for it.”

“Every day is exciting for me,” says Rena. “Making a product marketable in a local market is interesting, challenging and allows for growth. Every day and every project is different.”

“Shortly after completing the program, I approached a recruitment agency with my new found confidence earned from Masterschool,” Rena explains. “They were excited to place me after seeing the program on my resume, which in itself gives Masterschool a massive thumbs up.”

Although Rena admits that the work can have a steep learning curve at times, she’s supported by an “amazing manager who explains complex concepts exceptionally well”, allowing her to always improve and complete tasks at a speed that keeps on improving, just like her career.

Saying Yes to Chances and Change

“I’m the luckiest person alive working in this position,” says Rena. “The change of pace is thrilling and challenging. I am so happy and loving every minute of my working life”.

Rena has flourished in her role, taking everything in stride as she gives above and beyond to the company that’s invested in her growth. 

For those thinking about their own growth, Rena has some advice.

“Life takes you in many different directions, but on the journey, never lose sight of your dreams. Make it happen. I did!”