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From Maker to Manager: 10 Strategies to Advance Your Career
Role Play
Rating: 4.6 out of 5(243 ratings)
978 students
Last updated 4/2026
English

What you'll learn

  • Dozens of strategies to advance your career
  • An rich overview of the management profession
  • Learning pathways needed to succeed as a manager
  • Insights into essential leadership and managerial skills
  • Introductions to business finance, data analysis, negotiation, team building and much more
  • Key ideas about goal setting, problem solving methodologies and time management
  • The value of industry certifications in your career
  • Tons of resources to prepare for a managerial role

Course content

1 section14 lectures2h 2m total length
  • Introduction7:44

    Move from maker to manager by mastering ten key strategies, including business, finance, collaboration, salesmanship, and data analysis, with a practical path to promotion and leadership.

  • Become a Lifelong Learner10:50

    Become a lifelong learner to move from maker to manager, mastering in-demand skills through self-directed learning and strategic focus on organization, industry, transferable skills, and business trends.

  • Upgrade Your Communication Skills8:53
  • Master Time Management9:40

    Master time management by applying opportunity cost thinking and time blocking, using the Eisenhower matrix to prioritize urgent versus important tasks.

  • Practice Sales and Negotiation8:14

    Develop sales and negotiation skills to advance your career by understanding your audience, focusing on total cost and return on investment, and negotiating honestly for win-win outcomes.

  • Earn Certifications8:20

    Earn certifications to gain third-party validation from professional organizations through a rigorous exam and ongoing education, boosting your marketability from maker to manager.

  • Strengthen Your Data Analysis Skills18:16
  • Learn Business Finance9:47

    Learn essential business finance for managers, including financial and managerial accounting, return on investment analysis with net present value, budgeting, product costing, and the four main financial statements.

  • Use Problem Solving Frameworks11:29

    Develop problem solving skills with Six Sigma, Lean manufacturing, and design thinking to reduce variation, eliminate waste, and create human-centered solutions.

  • Become an Effective Goal Setter9:11

    Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-based goals, write them down, and share them with others to build momentum toward lasting success.

  • Improve Your Collaboration and Team Building Skills9:37

    Develop soft skills like active listening, empathy, and collaboration to move from maker to manager. Master difficult conversations, mentor others, and seek feedback to boost promotion prospects and team impact.

  • Consider Servant Leadership2:58

    lead with a servant mindset by prioritizing how your decisions affect others rather than personal gain. embrace responsibility and act as a servant to your team to positively influence lives.

  • Develop a Basic Career Growth Learning Plan
  • Conclusion3:58
  • Bonus Lecture3:41

    Ray Harkins' bonus lecture from the manufacturing academy introduces quality engineering topics like root cause analysis, statistical process control, and Lean Six Sigma; maker-to-manager career insights.

Requirements

  • A desire to move into a management position
  • A basic understanding of business

Description

Moving from an individual contributor role into management is one of the toughest transitions in any career. As an engineer, technician, programmer, or maker of any kind, you’re rewarded for what you accomplish. As a manager, you’re evaluated on what your team accomplishes. The skills that made you successful in your technical role are not the same skills you’ll need to succeed as a leader.

That gap trips up countless talented professionals: some find themselves passed over for promotions, while others step into management only to struggle and get pushed back into maker roles. This course is designed to help you bridge that gap with clarity, confidence, and a clear roadmap forward.

Who this course is for:

  • Engineers, programmers, and technicians preparing for or recently promoted into leadership.

  • Manufacturing and technical professionals who want to advance their careers into supervisory or managerial roles.

  • Any individual contributor in a technical field who wants to develop the essential skills of management.

What you’ll learn:

In this course, you’ll explore 10 key strategies that every new manager needs:

  • Data Analysis – understanding problems and making better decisions.

  • Team Building & Collaboration – developing soft skills that help you inspire others.

  • Sales & Negotiation – learning how to advocate for your ideas and win resources.

  • Written & Verbal Communication – becoming a clear, influential communicator.

  • Time Management – mastering prioritization and productivity.

  • Business Finance – understanding the “language of business” so your ideas gain traction.

  • Goal Setting – using proven methods like SMART goals and the flywheel effect.

  • Problem-Solving Frameworks – applying Lean, Six Sigma, and Design Thinking.

  • Professional Development – certifications, lifelong learning, and building your resume.

  • Servant Leadership – the mindset shift that separates effective leaders from micromanagers.

Each section combines key concepts with practical tools, curated resources, and clear next steps. You’ll also gain access to recommended books, articles, and even other Udemy courses to deepen your learning.

Why take this course with me?

I specialize in helping technical and manufacturing professionals take the next step in their careers. My courses are designed to make complex topics approachable, practical, and directly relevant to your day-to-day work. Students know me for:

  • Clarity – concepts are explained simply and directly.

  • Practicality – examples and tools you can use right away.

  • Responsiveness – I do my best to answer all student questions within 48 hours.

Why learn on Udemy?

When you enroll in this course, you’ll receive:

  • Lifetime access to all lessons, updates, and resources.

  • Learn at your own pace — on desktop, tablet, or mobile.

  • Certificate of completion to share with your employer or network.

If you’re ready to move from being a great maker to becoming a great manager, this course will give you the foundation, tools, and confidence you need to succeed.

Enroll today and take the next step in your career journey.

Who this course is for:

  • Engineers
  • Technicians
  • Programmers
  • Analysts
  • Craftsmen
  • Operators
  • Designers