Jobs That Make a Difference: UX Designer
At Cengage Group, we have jobs that make a difference in the world. From Student Ambassadors to Software Engineers, the work we do gives students the choice in how, where and what they learn. No matter what path learners take, Cengage Group employees are working to help them achieve their goals.
We spoke with Sarah R., UX Designer, who shared why she takes pride in the work she does and why she loves having an education technology job.
How does the work you do help students and learners?
UX Designers work with researchers to speak directly with instructors and students to find out their needs and pain points, and then design solutions to meet those specific needs. At a customer-obsessed organization, this work is so important because we never want to guess what our customers are thinking. We want to know exactly what’s working and what’s not and advocate for change based on this information. I came to Cengage Group because I wanted to work for a company that prioritized and championed the voices of its customers and in my experience that has proven to be true.
How do you feel about your work and the difference you’re making?
I find the work very satisfying. Cengage Group has been creating educational content for more than 100 years, so there’s a history you get working here that you wouldn’t get working for a lot of other tech companies. And despite the longstanding tradition, we’re a company that is dedicated to finding ways to disrupt and do things differently. Culturally, this is the best company I’ve ever worked for. Our leadership is constantly pushing for growth and change and it’s not just lip service. Being in an environment like that makes the work even more rewarding.
What’s something you’re proud of that has impacted learners?
When I was contributing to the Cengage Work team, we worked with students to find out what they needed to make their courses more affordable and accessible. We gathered some overwhelming feedback pointing toward one key change that was needed. As soon as that change was identified, our mission to design, test and launch a solution became the highest priority. It was awesome to see so many teams come together, acting on an evidence-based decision that puts students first.
How does it feel to work for an edtech company?
I have lots of friends and family members who are educators, and everyone I know has been, or will be a student at some point, so it’s cool to work in an area of tech that so many people are affected by and can relate to. Thinking about how technology in the classroom changed so much during my time in school, it’s fun to know that I’ll have an impact on that progress as my son makes his way through school. Obviously, education is meant to help people uplift and improve themselves and, it’s cliche to say so, but contributing to that makes waking up and going to work in the morning feel good.
What motivated you to work at Cengage Group and in edtech?
I worked in traditional book publishing for almost 10 years before coming to Cengage Group, and during that time my work focus organically evolved from print to digital. The switch into tech was natural for my skill set and I wanted to work at a place that felt familiar to the publishing companies I was used to and enjoyed. Cengage Group is a perfect fit for me, as a company that has strong roots in the book business, but leverages that super valuable content by building digital products and services to deliver it. I love that Cengage Group has the forward-thinking outlook of a tech company with the values of a publishing company. People seeking that sort of environment make amazing coworkers.
How does the culture at Cengage Group contribute to your success?
I think at a lot of organizations it’s easy for words like “transparency,” “flexibility” and “inclusion” to ring hollow. Of course, you want those things for your people, but it’s hard to make them happen in a measurable way. At Cengage Group, I’ve been super impressed by the action being taken in all these areas and it’s just undeniable that there’s always work being done to build a great culture. Between being part of two very active employee resource groups, having a mentor and tuning into weekly town halls led by our CEO, I’m always supported and making new connections. I also work on a fantastic team that’s encouraged to communicate, explore and grow our skillsets. I’ve only scratched the surface of the resources and opportunities we have here, but these systems that are in place help me feel valued and lift burdens off my shoulders that would otherwise get in the way of feeling successful at work. Every day is pretty much set up to be a good day, which makes it much easier to be ambitious.
Learn More
Cengage Group employees make an impact and change the world. Here, transparency and collaboration are core values. We provide challenging careers, competitive benefits, a strong technology focus and a great team of co-workers and customers.
Read about more jobs that make a difference at Cengage Group:
- Director, Strategic Marketing
- Manager, Software Engineering
- Senior Media Producer
- Senior Director, English Language Teaching