Katherine Porter
Educator (10+ years) Learning Experience Designer
McDermott Will & Emery
ID Bootcamp (Now the Certification Program)
Katherine was an educator for 10+ years before she started feeling the full effects of the emotional toll of the job.
She decided to leave her tenured teaching position and began researching how to become an instructional designer, a field that matched her background in both business and education. After trying to make the transition on her own with little success, she joined the ID Bootcamp.
“I don't know that I would be where I am today without the bootcamp.”
— Katherine Porter
A Portfolio That Gets Hiring Managers to Stop Scrolling
Katherine developed an effective and engaging portfolio with a cohesive color palette, clear and informative content, and attention-getting animations that helped direct hiring managers to her flagship project.
Apply NowA Learning Experience Built for Managers
Understanding her audience, Katherine crafted a learning experience geared towards managers, keeping the content professional while including a diverse set of characters to make the experience warm and inviting.
Hitting the Ground Running
Katherine tried making the transition on her own. She applied to many roles and worked with a resume writer, but found little success. The ID Bootcamp gave her the skills and portfolio she needed to stand out.
She landed a Learning Experience Designer role at McDermott Will & Emery just weeks after completing her portfolio.
Now about a month into her role, Katherine credits the bootcamp's structured progression (working with SMEs, storyboarding, and building eLearning) for her ability to hit the ground running from day one.
“I don't know that I would be where I am today without the bootcamp. My technical skills and critical thinking skills have grown, giving me the competitive advantage and open door that I needed to help people kind of see the skills that I have and how applicable they are to what they're looking for. The community is very supportive. I mean, you get a group of teachers together and it's a positive party of like, 'you can do it' and 'this looks really good' and 'try this.'”
“I've been in my role for about a month, and I feel very strongly that the reason that I can kind of hop into things and hit the ground running is because I had those months in the bootcamp where I was kind of already absorbing learning and building my skills. Whether my job has me working with SMEs, storyboarding, or building eLearning, it really does follow that progression and process that I followed in the bootcamp.”
“I feel like I'm at a point in my career where I'm no longer kind of running away from something that doesn't fit anymore. I'm really excited to be where I am.”
