MTECH Connect 2025 View Other Sessions

Join us for a reimagined professional development event, sponsored by the Michigan Technology Community! Building on the tradition of previous symposia, this dynamic, future-focused gathering brings together technology professionals from across the Ann Arbor, Dearborn, Flint and Michigan Medicine campuses for a full day dedicated to exploring, showcasing, and advancing opportunities for career growth, skill development, and the innovative use of technology in higher education.

Our 2025 symposium highlights U-M’s commitment to supporting staff and technology professionals at every stage of their careers. The agenda features interactive sessions, hands-on workshops, impactful presentations, and engaging networking opportunities, each designed to foster the meaningful sharing of knowledge, resources, and experiences.

Attendees will discover the many tools, programs, and platforms available at U-M—from mentorship and tuition benefits to on-demand learning and technology-focused career resources. Through sessions on digital and collaborative technologies, organizational learning, and campus success stories, participants will gain new insights into how the Michigan community nurtures professional growth and enables individuals to thrive in an evolving digital landscape.

Please ensure you register by December 2 to guarantee lunch will be provided for you.

Objectives:

  • Foster Dialogue: Bring together diverse U-M voices to discuss career growth, technology’s role in professional advancement, and the evolving needs of  technology professionals.

  • Showcase Resources: Highlight university-sponsored tools and opportunities for development, such as LinkedIn Learning, mentorship programs, and tuition support.

  • Promote Community: Facilitate collaboration and networking among U-M individuals and units, and with external partners and vendors invested in staff development.

  • Champion Inclusive Growth: Support career advancement for all, with an emphasis on accessible and equitable opportunities for learning and participation.

  • Identify Opportunities & Challenges: Explore emerging trends in IT careers, discuss barriers, and share strategies for success.

  • Support Continuous Development: Empower staff and technology professionals to learn, grow, and excel at U-M.



Session Is Over
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CCCB - Room 2420 - Classroom in the Round
James Cleaver (Center for Academic Innovation)

Michigan Online is transforming how we build educational technology, creating exceptional career growth opportunities for technologists. This presentation shares our journey from traditional software delivery to empowered product teams building a platform for 25 million global learners.

This presentation will:

  • Reveal how we're abandoning the "feature factory" model where developers merely code requirements
  • Demonstrate using concrete examples of how team members evolve from task-executors to problem-solvers: engineers who shape product strategy, QA professionals who architect platforms, and developers who become user advocates
  • Share the hiring philosophy—seeking missionaries over mercenaries—and what this means for career-minded technologists

Attendees will learn practical strategies for advancement:

  • Building T-shaped skills across disciplines
  • Transitioning from delivery to discovery mindsets
  • Recognizing organizations that truly empower teams versus those merely claiming transformation

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