Our people: Judy Zhu

“Working at Learnosity means being part of a real melting pot. Even though as someone from China I have chatted with people from over 20 provinces, the diversity at Learnosity blew me away.”

Judy Zhu is a Software Engineer who works out of Learnosity’s Sydney office. Here she tells us about the challenges of cultural transition, the work she’s most proud of, and the hazardous worlds of stock market investing and marathon running…

What do you do at Learnosity?

I work as a software engineer in the assessment team.

How did you get into that area?

As a Zoomer, I grew up having access to the Internet. Before joining Learnosity, I lived in Shenzhen, often dubbed the “Silicon Valley of China”, where technology permeated every aspect of life. Most residents of Shenzhen are immigrants from around China, making up the youngest population in the country.

Immersed in that dynamic environment, I naturally gravitated toward technology. I was fortunate to participate in several industrial projects before graduation. Those experiences solidified my decision to pursue a career as a software engineer after I graduated. 

However, after experiencing the relentless demands of the 996 working hour system, I embarked on a more sustainable career path—one that not only prioritizes personal well-being but also fosters long-term growth and prosperity for the company. This led me to travel to Sydney solo, where I joined a dynamic company and continue to thrive.

What would you say has been your biggest challenge at Learnosity to date?

While daily technical challenges are certainly demanding, the identity issue stands out as a predominant challenge. Moving from the East to the West involves navigating cultural differences, communication styles, and workplace norms that may differ from what I used to. This journey, while enriching, also posed challenges that affected my sense of identity and belonging. For example, companies in the East predominantly make decisions from the top down. However, at Learnosity, people are encouraged to take the initiative and embrace individual autonomy.  

Although these shifts have been challenging, I’ve come to view them as valuable opportunities for growth. They have greatly improved my capacity to adapt and thrive in a variety of cultural and professional environments.

Companies in the East predominantly make decisions from the top down. However, at Learnosity, people are encouraged to take the initiative and embrace individual autonomy.   Share on X

What work project are you most proud of and why?

For the past five years, I’ve been involved in various projects (you could check out plenty of demos on our Demos page). The one I’m most proud of is the ResetResponse project. It was my first encounter with all the question types in our products, requiring extensive testing within a tight sprint timeframe. Each question type presented a unique user interface challenge, so achieving completion in both development and testing brought a satisfying sense of accomplishment.

In your opinion, what makes working at Learnosity different?

Working at Learnosity means being part of a real melting pot. Even though as someone from China I have chatted with people from over 20 provinces, the diversity at Learnosity blew me away. It’s remarkable that our colleagues represent so many nationalities and languages. But perhaps more importantly, I am impressed by the level of accessibility in the products we support as a team.

What do you do to relax in your spare time?

In my spare time, I like to mess around with coding in different languages other than those I use for work, which helps me relax while I am also doing computer science courses at University of New South Wales. Those assignments at UNSW are surprisingly chill. 🙃

Jokes aside, I am still exploring various interests. I used to enjoy road trips immensely—until I had a car accident that wrote off my car. After dedicating months to learning about investments, I bought Nasdaq stocks, only to find that I had lost half of my initial investment within a year. I took part in the Gold Coast marathon last year, but ended up with bruised toes that are still healing. So this year, you’ll likely find me at the Sydney Marathon … but as a volunteer instead.😉