My name: Leigh Shocki
My company: Alaska Airlines
My title: Manager, Compliance Training Programs
My location: Seattle, Washington
Best business advice I ever received: Be an ‘A’ student. Failure might happen, but striving for excellence in the things you can control will ensure solid projects and good relationships with your leadership.
Most daring personal career move: Moving into the position I am in now. I went from designing training for airport employees, which encompassed a variety of roles—from ticket counter to cargo—to designing corporate compliance training for the entire organization. My learner audience nearly doubled and the learning product must be effective for all employees, regardless of their role. I had to learn very quickly about the areas of the business that I was less familiar with, as well as how to use resources to continue to develop effective training efficiently.
What I’m most proud of: Professionally I’m proud of taking the leap into instructional design when it was still an emerging field. It was a risk, but I’m extremely fortunate to have found my passion.
Current workplace challenge: Corporate compliance training doesn’t always speak to the realities of our business. Most airline employees don’t work in an office, which is the setting for most corporate compliance training. My continued challenge is to make the learner experience more customized, relevant, and engaging. Responsive design is also a huge step that we are taking as a business. Our training must function on phones and tablets so that pilots and flight attendants have access to the same quality of training as employees who have computers.
Something people don’t know about me: Like most airline employees, I love to travel. I’m a history buff, and I like to plan themed trips based around historical events. My favorite trip was a tour through central France visiting sites of the Hundred Years’ War. (So many castles!)