Well designed learning programs have the power to disrupt prevalent notions and be a conduit for positive change
Smriti Paul, our next pathbreaker, Learning Designer at Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), leads the development of elearning courses on technical sustainability topics that focus on mitigating climate change and reducing the use of fossil fuels.
Smriti talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about how her love of teaching evolved into a career in Instructional Design that puts users at the center of the learning experience.
For students, exploration is the path to figuring out where you want to be, even if it means facing intermediate failures !
Smriti, can you tell us about your background?
I was born and grew up in Hyderabad. My mother was a teacher and my father was a marketing professional. I wasn’t great at school – I didn’t like mathematics, physics and chemistry. I had a horrible experience in school. I loved languages, biology, history and political science. I always knew I wouldn’t be a doctor or engineer and I didn’t work towards it.
Since I was excellent at writing in three languages by the time I was 16, I decided to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and political science – the best decision I made for myself. My parents were not convinced and wanted me to study BCom instead so I can pursue a MBA at a later point.
I always believed if I became a teacher I would do things differently – I would teach differently. I am sort of a teacher and yes, I do teach differently. I put my learners at the center of the learning experience and design courses and curriculum that allows all students at all IQ levels to learn successfully and apply their learning to become successful people, students and employees.
My mother was right, a person who wants to be a teacher is an attractive bride to many and they had decided to marry me off at the age of 20.
What did you do for graduation/post graduation?
I have a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in English Language and Literature.
What were some of the drivers that influenced me to pursue such an offbeat, unconventional and cool career?
I completed my BA. I managed to stall my parents from marrying me off by saying I am going to do my MA and need two more years. I kept managing to stall them every year and I eventually married when I wanted to and who I wanted to and I am very happy that I fought my parents so much. No regrets here.
Anyway, I went to Osmania University Arts College – the cradle of knowledge, to pursue my Master of Arts degree. We have the best professors, who are very encouraging and motivating. One of my professors told me about programmes in the USA and Australia in education technology. It was out of my reach or my parents’ reach as we were very middle class. I spent a lot of time researching education technology in my fourth and last semester in MA and I came across a role called Instructional Designer. This is a person who designs learning experiences using technology. It was eye opening as back in 2007, we didn’t use any kind of technology, except PDFs to study and learn. I knew this is what I wanted to do. My decision was final.
How did you plan the steps to get into the career you wanted? Or how did you make a transition to a new career? Tell us about your career path
An Instructional Designer works closely with Subject Matter Experts in organizations. The Subject Matter Experts provide content and Instructional Designers have to narrow the content down to what is critical to help a person or an employee achieve a performance goal. The Instructional Designer redesigns or interprets the content keeping a learner at the center, to ensure learning is not only taking place but is also being retained and applied. Instructional Designers sometimes choose to work in a organization where there are opportunities to work across different sectors such as finance, banking, telecom and more. Alternatively Instructional Designers can also opt to specialize in a niche sector either by actively applying for such roles completing certification – for example, pharma, sustainability, etc. Over the years I have gained experience across sectors.
I am currently transitioning into a product manager role for learning services and products. I am enrolled in a product management course, which has helped me map out the plans and strategy for the academy I am building.
I have had many jobs, essentially the same role, which changed rapidly over the years. Learning by doing has been the best way I have learned and grown. Learning by doing gives one the confidence to fail and ask questions. Failure is nothing but a lesson learnt, it is the first step towards success. Don’t be afraid to fail.
How did you get your first break?
I waited 10-months to get a call for an Instructional Design position and I went to the interview. Instructional Design was a very new field and the person who interviewed me was pretty surprised that I knew about it. Along with my CV, I also carried a few creative writing samples – one article, one short report and one short story. At that point in time, students entering the work market did not carry anything but a copy of their CV, so I easily stood out and was hired. I was not surprised to get the role, I was surprised with the salary offered. It was more than what both my mother and father earned per month for over 30 years. They were shocked that I was offered this kind of money for my first job and they still don’t earn that much. Of course, I became their favorite child and marrying me off was not on the table anymore. This is how I entered the learning and development field. I am still in it and I have grown over the last 16 years. I am currently in a management position and a digital learning expert.
What were some of the challenges you faced? How did you address them?
It was difficult to convince my parents that commerce and business are not the path I would be successful at. My mother relented first as she believed I could become a teacher like her and it is a good career option.
My mother convinced my father saying BA and MA cost nothing compared to BCom and MBA (which I believe is still true) and that young teachers can be married off very early. I used this to my advantage. BA is not easy but it is very rewarding. Studying arts teaches you life lessons, logic, philosophy and other power skills, such as presentations, public speaking, creative writing, emotional intelligence, empathy and more. These are qualities that must exist in all business leaders and in all sectors.
After completing my MA, It was a huge challenge to find the “Instructional Designer” role in 2008 in Hyderabad. Recruiters only called me for call center and voice roles and it was frustrating. But I stood my ground and finally got the role as mentioned above.
Where do you work now? Tell us about your current role
I work at RSB – Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials, a Swiss non-profit organization that aims to mitigate climate change through sustainability standards and best practices.
RSB – Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials is an association that sets, implements and certifies sustainable fuels and products. RSB’s 12 Principles and Criteria are at the foundation of all RSB technical sustainability standards. The target audience is very diverse and RSB members include organizations such as Microsoft and Amazon, major airlines such as Emirates, Air France and KLM and also academic institutions and other non-profit and non-government organizations.
What problems do you solve?
Our objective is to mitigate climate change and reduce the use of fossil fuels.
I am currently leading efforts on an online academy that RSB will be launching in 2024 with a set of technical sustainability courses that aim to upskill and equip current and future workforce to ensure sustainable products and fuels are developed to ensure sustainable production.
What skills are required for your role? How did you acquire the skills?
Through experience, learning by doing and being aware of and passionate about sustainability.
What’s a typical day like?
Very balanced day. I have many tasks to do but I am able to complete them all in 8 hours. I start my day at 7:00AM and log-off at 4:00PM to ensure I have work-life-balance.
What is it you love about this job?
The collaborative environment, the invitation to be ambitious, the opportunity to work with a team that is spread across five continents, opportunities for travel across the globe and of course the biggest opportunity to bring a conduit of positive change.
How does your work benefit society?
My work ensures that current and future workforce are equipped to deal with the challenges of climate change and be the leaders of change.
Tell us an example of a specific memorable work you did that is very close to you!
I am currently leading the development of elearning courses on technical sustainability topics – Sustainable Aviation Fuel, Sustainable Feedstock, etc which are huge areas of interest globally and a great career for anyone whether currently enrolled in science, math or business degrees.
Your advice to students based on your experience?
Don’t be afraid to fail. I used to fail in 4 subjects in school but I somehow worked hard enough to pass matric! If you are currently failing or have backlogs, it is not the end of the world. It is another opportunity for improvement. Don’t let failure demoralize you. There is a long life to live and it is a beautiful one. Give your best every day, even if it is not your 100%. The future is bright and yours, failures and successes included.
Future Plans?
Grow as a product manager for learning and eventually become a Director or a Chief Learning Officer.