Where do you see yourself in five years? If your current career isn’t setting you on the path to your ultimate goal, perhaps it’s time for a change. Trent Robbins, Angelina Courtney and Brant C. Backes all switched careers into IT with the help of Creating IT Futures.
Creating IT Futures, a nonprofit IT workforce charity founded by CompTIA, helps people launch their IT careers with programs like IT-Ready. This eight-week intensive class covers the technical and soft skills needed to succeed in IT and culminates in testing for CompTIA A+.
Keep reading to get inspired by these IT-Ready graduates and see if changing careers to IT is right for you.
From Hobby to IT Career
Trent Robbins didn’t know what he wanted to do after graduation, but he knew he loved tinkering with technology.
“I’ve always been tech savvy,” he said. “I use computers a lot and have a real interest in them.”
Once he found IT-Ready, he got the technical and soft skills he needed to launch his IT career.
“I went into it with an open mind, but I wasn’t expecting much, to be honest,” Robbins said. “It definitely was a great experience, and not one I was expecting.”
In October 2017, he graduated with his CompTIA A+ certification in hand and landed a part-time position as a level 1 help desk technician for a managed services provider (MSP). He recently moved into a full-time, permanent position with the company, ahead of schedule. Next on his agenda are earning CompTIA Network+ and CompTIA Security+.
“I’m extremely happy,” he said. “This was definitely a big career change, and definitely changed a big part of my life, getting it all together.”
Read more about Robbins in the Creating IT Futures blog.
Former Electrician Finds Success in IT Infrastructure
Angelina Courtney worked hard to become an electrician, but she was unable to join the local union. After struggling to make a career out of non-union electrician jobs, she set her sights on IT. She was working toward a degree in network administration when she learned about IT-Ready.
“I needed direction in earning entry-level CompTIA A+ certification that would make my network administration skills more appealing in the technology industry,” she said.
IT-Ready helped Courtney get the professional and technical skills she needed to break into IT.
“IT-Ready helped me gain skills as a professional, get acquainted to the personalities in the technology industry and understand the different avenues of technology,” she said. “IT-Ready also taught me how to make myself more marketable.”
After graduating from IT-Ready and earning a CompTIA A+ certification, Courtney landed a job as a network operations center technician with an IT solutions provider. She diagnoses, investigates and resolves issues with servers and network alerts, virtual private networks (VPNs) and remote access, network connectivity, system backups and web hosting.
“I am interested in network security,” Courtney said. “Ideally, I’d like to be a network administrator with exposure to Active Directory, setting up domains, running back ups and setting security policies.”
Read more about Courtney in the Creating IT Futures blog.
IT Success After a Layoff
After getting laid off from his manufacturing career, Brent C. Backes was out of work for nearly two years when he heard about IT-Ready in 2012.
“I couldn’t find a job,” he said. “Any available jobs in the area were immediately taken. At that point, I had no prospects and didn’t know where to turn.”
Backes enrolled in IT-Ready and prepared for an IT career. In addition to getting his CompTIA A+ certification, he gained invaluable soft skills that he uses every day.
“The soft skills prepared me to work with upset customers,” he said. “I’m able to diffuse the situation. I’ve also brushed up on my technical skills and my troubleshooting skills. I find myself determining root causes to issues much more quickly than normal. I’m also able to teach others this skill.”
After graduating, Backes took a job with an integrated health care system. He quickly climbed the career ladder, earning three promotions since 2012 and reaching the top level for his department as a desktop analyst principle. While this has provided his family with financial stability, it has also given him personal fulfillment.
“I would like to continue on my path to learn more about computers and technology,” he said. “I’m setting goals to get more certifications that will lead to a successful career.”
Read more about Backes in the Creating IT Futures blog.
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