Udacity

We feature a Nanodegree student each month to show how their Udacity experience has impacted their lives.

We will learn more about Sezan, an AI Engineer living in Japan, whose passions include robotics, machine learning, and the future of artificial intelligence. He also enjoys traveling around Tokyo, soccer, and cricket.

Why did you choose Udacity?

Udacity was recommended to me by some friends, and I thought it would be beneficial to me too. The Udacity projects impressed me the most. They provided students with the latest, real-world scenarios so they could understand and learn the material. Upon completing the projects, you can include the work in your portfolio or CV.

How was Udacity versus traditional college studies?

My undergraduate degree was in Mechanical Engineering, so taking the Nanodegree from Udacity was such a great opportunity to apply theoretical learnings practically in real-world projects.

Traditional academic study can be competitive and often has difficulty with translatability to reality. Udacity allowed me to take what I had learned from lectures and immediately apply them in useful ways.

When I started the Nanodegree, I was already working for a robotics company. It enabled me to better comprehend theoretical ideas and develop applicable skills that would serve me in my job.

What did you think of the hands-on concepts?

My studies provided me with invaluable insights into the practical side of mobile robotics, which helped me to make sense of the theoretical concepts. For example, while carrying out a project on behavioral planning, I got to witness the Finite State Machine in action. In all honesty, without this first-hand experience, I would have remained clueless about this technology. 

Apart from aiding my professional understanding of the field, it has also been instrumental in pushing me towards making open-source contributions in Autonomous driving, even though I am still at an early stage. My experience with the nanodegree has allowed me to become better acquainted with both academia and industry-related aspects of robotics, thus giving me the confidence to be considered a subject matter expert.

How did you balance your day-to-day demands with your Nanodegree program?

During my Nanodegree program, I worked. On Saturdays, I took time to travel and relax. On Sundays, I studied and reviewed concepts. During the week, I reviewed concepts and watched videos every day.

Did you ever consider giving up and why didn’t you?

No,I set a goal to complete the program and paid for it, so giving up wasn’t an option. My goal was to upgrade my skills while learning new things, and that gave me inner joy. I also consider the financial security I will have in the future.

Would you recommend Udacity to others and why?

For a number of reasons, I would highly recommend Udacity. In addition to helping you manage your time, the projects are good to learn, and watching the videos prepares you for success. Finally, mentor reviews help you learn as they provide feedback and their experiences.

How did the Udacity experience change your career path?

Taking classes with Udacity taught me how to manage my time and also how to share my technical knowledge with others to help them learn.

What did the Nanodegree give you the confidence to tackle?

The Nanodegree gave me the confidence to start working in robotics. It exposed me to all facets of the field and gave me the opportunity to explore new career paths.

Train for Artificial Intelligence jobs with Udacity

With its market value expected to exceed $190 billion by 2025, AI is one of the most disruptive technologies of our time. In just three months, you will be able to complete AI courses and advance your career in this revolutionary field.

Consider enrolling in one of Udacity’s many interesting Nanodegree programs in its School of Artificial Intelligence today and equip yourself with in-demand skills in technology and business.