Real People, Real Outcomes: How Certificates and Courses Make Career Growth Possible Without Putting Life on Hold

When family comes first

While transitioning out of the military, moving to a new city, and settling his family, Eddie Utuk enrolled in the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt program. He discovered the program midway through an interview for a dream job. Using veterans' benefits, he applied and completed the course in just five months.

"At the time that I was transitioning, I was also in the process of relocating and establishing my family, and I think the program allowed me to be able to have a balanced approach, be able to get a skill while still taking care of my family. Because for me, that's number one."

That balance paid off. Utuk has built a career as a lean consultant while also launching the Infinite Horizon project, helping other veterans secure jobs, generating $3.2 million in first-year salaries and improving processes by 20%. His next step forward did not come after life settled down. It happened in the middle of it.

When purpose becomes the path

Uyen Tran had an MBA and more than a decade of experience in finance and accounting before she realized her career was misaligned with her personal calling. While raising two young children, she struggled with breastfeeding. While pumping for her second child and searching for a place to donate extra milk, she began to reconsider what she wanted her work to be.

"One day, I was pumping for my second baby at work and looking for a place to donate my extra milk, and the light came on that I couldn't do this forever, but I could work in a space that supports parents to do this for their own babies instead."

She pursued that shift through the Lactation and Perinatal Education program. Today, she is an international board certified lactation consultant working full time with WIC, runs her own private practice and teaches infant massage. She also works within the AANHPI (Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander) Lactation Collaborative, focusing on representation and systemic change. What began as a personal challenge became the foundation of her career.

When preparation happens in real time

As a UC San Diego undergraduate studying earth sciences, Anna Maldonado noticed a pattern in job postings: GIS skills were often required. Instead of waiting until after graduation, she proactively enrolled in the Geographic Information Systems certificate program while still completing her degree.

“I noticed that GIS was a required skill for many of them, and I wanted to make sure that I was a good candidate for those positions.”

Thanks to the program’s fully remote, asynchronous format, Maldonado could balance coursework with her academic schedule. For her capstone, she mapped Santa Cruz following the 2020 wildfires, analyzing evacuation center locations based on road access, facility type and proximity to affected communities. Armed with the GIS certificate, she entered the field immediately after graduating. She has since progressed through several roles, advancing from technician to analyst as her projects gained complexity.

When life and learning intersect

Teresa Seitle-Martinez attended UC San Diego through the University and Professional Studies (UPS) program during her undergraduate studies at the International School of Management in Munich, then returned for a second study abroad experience while completing her master’s. 

“I took classes on both the main campus and Extended Studies, and we often worked together in teams with people from different backgrounds,” she said.

Seitle-Martinez built a life outside the classroom in San Diego, living in Pacific Beach, driving a Mustang convertible, surfing and working her way through Taco Tuesdays at local spots. She formed friendships with both international and local UC San Diego students—including one who introduced her to her future husband.

Her academic experience led to a marketing internship with International Programs, where she applied what she had learned through UPS. "I got into Options trading during my internship in the marketing department at Extended Studies," she said. That experience helped lay the groundwork for a career in commercial real estate. She earned her master's degree and now lives in Los Angeles, where those experiences continue to shape her professional path. 

When reinvention happens in the margins

Magdalena Esparza transitioned from a 10-year career in biochemistry to community art and children’s book illustration while working full-time, becoming a mother, and living in Houston, Texas. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the Children’s Book Illustration certificate moved online, she seized her opportunity.

“It had to be flexible with my schedule. I could sit at night and say, ‘Now is my time,’ and start studying and start painting,” she said.

Over time, she built a new career incrementally, launching her own studio and taking on public art projects for children. The certificate added credibility, helping clients feel confident in her work.

“It was really nice for my clients that they know that I [have] a certification in children’s books because they know that it’s going to be safe...they feel so comfortable working with me."

Moving forward, fully

Across these experiences, our students demonstrate that learning is not a separate phase of life but is integrated with it. Families, personal milestones, passion projects, social connections and professional growth all coexist. Programs at UC San Diego Extended Studies—whether online, in person or a combination—provide the flexibility, real-world experience and supportive networks that make it possible.