For Sandesh Shivakumar, moving from Bangalore, India, to enrolling in UC Santa Barbara’s Master of Technology Management (MTM) program was about accelerating growth. With a computer science degree and three years at Dell Technologies, Sandesh wanted more than technical expertise, “MTM delivers in nine months what would normally take three to four years of work experience.” Through MTM’s hands-on curriculum, Sandy gained skills in business strategy, digital transformation, and go-to-market planning.
A highlight was leading a field project with Santa Barbara startup BridgeDoc, analyzing market strategy and risk to bring a construction management tool to market. The program’s small, diverse cohort, industry-experienced faculty, and personalized career services have been key to Sandy’s success. Plus, he was offered mentorship and networking with alumni at top tech companies. Before Sandy graduated this year, he landed a job as a Sales Engineer with Commvault.
"The MTM program equipped me with the business acumen to complement my technical foundation, enabling me to break into sales engineering—a domain that is both transactional and transformational—driving successful customer outcomes and operational excellence."