Ecem Carson
Learning Experience Designer at an engineering company Instructional Designer
ID Professional Certification
Ecem was already designing learning experiences for an engineering company when a layoff gave her an unexpected chance to decide what she wanted next.
Rather than rush into the next opening, she took time to reflect on the part of the job she loved most, designing learning that helped people succeed, and chose to invest in that. Peck Academy became the place to sharpen her instructional design skills, build a stronger portfolio, and prepare for the next stage of her career.
“Instead of seeing the layoff as the end of something, I treated it as an opportunity to grow, learn, and build a career that I'm genuinely excited about.”
— Ecem Carson
Clean, Graphic, and Unmistakably Hers
Ecem's portfolio is clean and graphic-oriented, which makes it easy on the eyes and easy to navigate. Warm colors, a friendly introduction, and a pronunciation note for her name give the site a personality that carries through every page.
The homepage leads straight into her featured project, Building Patient Trust Through Communication, and frames it the way an employer would want to read it: the audience, the problem, and the performance the experience is designed to change.
Apply NowA First Day on the Job, Start to Finish
Ecem's flagship project is an immersive, scenario-based simulation that puts the learner in the role of a new dental assistant, starting the night before their first day and carrying them through the first day of work. Along the way they practice patient conversations, make decisions, and build trust in a risk-free environment.
The visual storytelling is compelling, with cinematic effects and realistic patient interactions that heighten the sense of being there. The conclusion is a fitting, uplifting end: a drive home that recaps the good decisions the learner made along the way and connects them to the outcomes a dental practice actually cares about.
Structure, Mentorship, and a New Mindset
Before Peck Academy, Ecem spent a lot of time researching instructional design programs, and none felt like the right fit. She was cautious about investing in one without knowing it would build real, job-ready skills. In the meantime she leaned on YouTube videos and free resources, but found it hard to chart a clear learning path on her own: what to learn next, how to build a strong portfolio, and what employers were actually looking for.
The program gave her the structure, mentorship, and practitioner feedback she had been missing. The coursework was hands-on, built around real projects and portfolio pieces rather than theory alone, and the community made a career transition feel far less lonely. Weekly live workshops covered new AI tools and emerging trends, project workshops surfaced feedback from peers, and Storyline workshops helped her troubleshoot and keep improving her technical skills.
By the end, Ecem had more than a portfolio. She left with practical experience, a supportive professional network, an instructional designer's mindset for solving performance problems, and the confidence to talk about her work in interviews.
“Before joining the program, I was working for an engineering company as a Learning Experience Designer, where I created training content and learning materials to support employees and the organization. Unfortunately, I was laid off due to the company's financial challenges. After that, I took some time to reflect on my career because I was feeling burned out and wanted to be intentional about my next step. I realized that the part of my job I enjoyed most was designing learning experiences and creating content that helped people succeed. In a way, life gave me lemons, and I chose to make lemonade. Instead of seeing the layoff as the end of something, I treated it as an opportunity to grow, learn, and build a career that I'm genuinely excited about.”
“One of my favorite parts of the program was the community. Making a career transition can feel lonely, but being surrounded by people who were on the same journey made a huge difference. We celebrated each other's wins, supported each other through challenges, and learned from one another's experiences. The coursework was very hands-on and practical. Instead of just learning theory, I was able to apply what I learned by building real projects, creating portfolio pieces, and working through scenarios that reflected real instructional design work. By the end of the program, I not only had stronger technical skills but also the confidence to talk about my work in interviews and showcase it to employers.”
“The program has had a huge impact on both my career and my personal growth. It didn't just teach me instructional design skills, it helped me develop an instructional designer's mindset. What makes the program unique is that it doesn't leave you feeling like, "Okay, I'm done learning." Instead, it encourages you to become a lifelong learner. I left the program with much more than a portfolio. I gained confidence, practical experience, a supportive professional network, and the mindset to keep growing as instructional design continues to evolve.”
