Assignment: Define Your Learning Goal

• Building Your T-Shaped Skill Set

• 1. Select a Focus

  • Example

• 2. State Your “Why”

  • Example

• 3. Outline Your Learning Path

  • Example

    • Resources

    • Mentorship/Peers

    • Hands-On Practice

• 4. Set Measurable Milestones (Using SMART Goals)

  • Example

• 5. Draft Your Success Criteria

  • Example

• 6. Potential Blockers & Overcoming Them

  • Example

    • Blockers

    • Strategies

    • Immediate Next Step:

• Submission Guidelines

Building Your T-Shaped Skill Set

Your previous training has given you a broad awareness of the full spectrum of technology roles. This serves as the horizontal bar of the “T-Shaped” learning model. Now it’s time to develop the vertical bar by choosing a specific focus and “niching down” into a role or skill area.

Use the sections below as a template to structure and document your learning plan. Each section includes a brief example to help you shape your own responses.

1. Select a Focus

Find a few “dream job” postings. These will serve as your “North Star” as you progress. Identify a specific technology, tool, or certification path that aligns with your “dream job”. Ensure it’s realistically achievable within the next few months.

Example

• Dream Job Posting: Entry-level Cloud Support Engineer position at [Company XYZ] requiring basic knowledge of Azure services.

• Skill Focus: Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900)

2. State Your “Why”

Explain why you chose this skill or certification. Consider how it might support your professional development, enhance your employability, or address a problem you care about.

Example

I want to stand out in a competitive job market. An AZ-900 certification shows I have foundational cloud knowledge, which is valuable as more companies migrate to cloud services.

3. Outline Your Learning Path

List the resources you plan to use (links to online courses, official documentation, books, practice projects, study groups, etc.). Identify mentors or peer groups you can tap into for guidance or feedback. Consider how you’ll apply hands-on practice.

Example

Resources

• Microsoft Learn AZ-900 free online learning paths

• Official AZ-900 study guide from Microsoft

• YouTube tutorials on Azure basics

• AZ-900 Practice Exams

Mentorship/Peers

• Ask a senior engineer at my current workplace for advice on cloud best practices

• Join an Azure-focused Discord channel to discuss progress

Hands-On Practice

• Set up an Azure account to explore services (Azure Virtual Machines, Azure Storage, etc.)

• Deploy a portfolio project on Azure

4. Set Measurable Milestones (Using SMART Goals)

Break your goal into specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound steps. Assign a timeline or due date for each milestone. Schedule weekly study sessions or time blocks to ensure consistent progress.

Example

• Milestone 1 (2 Weeks): Complete Microsoft Learn AZ-900 modules and take notes.

• Milestone 2 (4 Weeks): Finish one official practice exam, aiming for 80% or above.

• Milestone 3 (6 Weeks): Revisit weak areas and retake the practice exam until consistent 90% scores.

• Milestone 4 (8 Weeks): Schedule and attempt the official AZ-900 certification exam

5. Draft Your Success Criteria

Define clear metrics or outcomes that prove you’ve acquired the skill (e.g., completion certificates, test scores, portfolio projects). Describe how you’ll know you’re job-ready (e.g., meeting prerequisites for your dream job posting).

Example

• Certification Achieved: Passing the official AZ-900 exam.

• Practical Knowledge: Comfortable spinning up basic cloud resources for test projects.

• Job-Readiness: Meeting the technical requirements for an entry-level Cloud Support Engineer role listed in my “dream job” posting.

6. Potential Blockers & Overcoming Them

Reflect on possible obstacles (time constraints, limited resources, personal motivation, etc.). Brainstorm specific strategies to address these challenges. Identify one immediate next step to move forward right away.

Example

Blockers

• Limited time due to a full-time job

• Procrastination or burnout from balancing multiple responsibilities

Strategies

• Add 1-hour time blocks on my calendar for uninterrupted study

• Use the Pomodoro Technique (25 minutes on, 5 minutes off) to stay focused

• Ask a friend to be an accountability partner

Immediate Next Step:

• Register on Microsoft Learn and start Module 1 of AZ-900 training this weekend

Submission Guidelines

Write a short, clear document (1-2 pages) outlining each of the steps above. This will be a “living document” that you will update as you reach milestones and adjust as you learn more.

This can be written in a Google Doc (anyone with link can comment), GitHub Gist, or other similar platform.

Please write your “Learning Goal” document and share your url.

Have you written your “learning goal” document?

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