Post by Soham Sheth

After spending the last few years working across PMO, release management, and enterprise systems, I made the decision a few months ago to step back from industry and begin my Master’s in Engineering Management at Northeastern University with the goal of strengthening my understanding of how technology, operations, and business decisions come together at scale. My experience so far has been rooted in execution — managing dependencies, aligning cross-functional teams, and driving delivery. Through this next phase, I’m looking to build on that foundation with a stronger focus on structured problem-solving, data-driven decision making, and program-level thinking. Coming in, I thought I had a fairly structured approach to problem-solving. But this semester challenged that in unexpected ways — from working through ambiguous problem statements to collaborating in diverse teams and thinking beyond just execution. One of the biggest shifts for me has been moving from driving delivery to understanding the “why” behind decisions. It’s been less about having the right answers and more about asking better questions — something that continues to shape how I approach problems. Beyond academics, adapting to a new environment while balancing coursework and collaboration has been a learning experience in itself. As I approach the end of my first semester, I’m grateful for the perspectives, challenges, and people that have pushed me to think differently. Looking forward to continuing to learn, unlearn, and apply these insights while building on my industry experience in new environments. #EngineeringManagement #GraduateSchool #LearningJourney #NortheasternUniversity