College Experiences That Helped an Associate Production Manager at Dreamworks Animation Succeed
Priyaa's undergraduate success stemmed from intentionally placing themselves in "uncomfortable situations," such as joining student council and acting as a class rep, which unexpectedly built crucial skills in "managing things, organizing things, [and] making sure we deliver things on time"—directly transferable to their Associate Production Manager role at Dreamworks Animation. These extracurricular activities proved more valuable than academics in developing teamwork and people management skills, essential for career success.
Project Management, Teamwork, Communication, Overcoming Challenges, Leadership
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Priyaa Kalkura
Associate Production Manager
Dreamworks Animation
MOP Vaishnav College for Women, Chennai
University of Sydney, Film Studies
Film, Media Arts, Visual Arts
Arts, Entertainment & Media
Operations and Project Management
Immigrant
Video Highlights
1. Actively seek out uncomfortable situations and challenges to build skills outside your comfort zone.
2. Participate in extracurricular activities like student council or class representative roles to develop organizational, management, and teamwork skills.
3. Focus on developing soft skills through experiences, such as managing projects and working with teams, as these are highly valuable in a production management role.
Transcript
What did you do in undergrad to set you up for success in your career?
As I said before, I put myself in uncomfortable situations. I thought I wasn't good at public speaking, but when I was in college, I asked myself why I didn't join the student council and see what happened.
I also thought I wasn't good at something else, so I asked myself why I didn't join a committee and see what happened. I was part of the student council and also a class representative.
In those roles, I learned how to manage and organize things, and how to ensure we deliver on time. This has really helped me in my current role as a production manager, where I manage people and deliverables.
Extracurricular activities have helped me build skills like working with people and teams, which is super important. So, do a lot of things outside of studying; it will really help set you up.