By:Gillian Seely
“I always knew I wanted to work in IT,” explained Westley Ward, an IT apprentice with Phoenix-based managed services provider (MSP), Total Networks. “However, I didn’t have the math background to major in computer science in college. And, I didn’t have a professional background or work experience, so I knew I had to get something under my feet to help me find a position.”
Ward’s story is impressive, but not unique. Countless would-be tech workers are barred from accessing entry-level IT employment due to highly spec’d job roles that require an increasingly rare mix of work experience and higher education credentials.
Fortunately, Ward’s online search skills led him to CompTIA where he learned about a 17-week training program for people interested in breaking into IT employment. That program, Ticket to Tech, is a talent development initiative offered jointly by CompTIA and software company ConnectWise. Ticket to Tech would, he reasoned, give him some much-needed hands-on IT experience, while also giving him a shot at earning the CompTIA A+ certification; both things would make his job search much easier.
During the training phase of Ticket to Tech, Ward spent three hours a day learning online with a group of peers from around the country. They attended lectures, participated in discussion groups, and completed group activities where they worked together to solve real-world IT problems. Throughout the program they were encouraged to ask questions of instructors at any time and also had the chance to take practice tests to help them prepare for the certification exam.
While people from all educational backgrounds are encouraged to apply for Ticket to Tech, Westley partially credits his own success to the time he spent as a college student.
“I’m used to the long class hours coming from a block system in college,” he said. “So, taking a three-hour class is normal for me. I was able to sit through it and stay focused.”
Ticket to Tech students aren’t just limited to learning about the hard skills needed to work in IT but are also provided the opportunity to build durable skills – an increasingly vital part of any job-seeker’s toolkit.
“We learned how to conduct yourself in a corporate environment, how to always present your best self and how to communicate effectively,” he shared.
Westley soon earned his CompTIA A+ certification and was then shepherded through the daunting job application process with the assistance of a CompTIA advisor.
“After getting CompTIA A+, I devoted all my time to job-hunting,” he said. “CompTIA was so amazing at helping me find positions. I can’t thank them enough for guiding me through that process. They would do weekly check-ins and would also help follow up with leads, reaching out on my behalf. Having someone from CompTIA serve as a confidence-booster when no one was responding from the job hunt was incredibly helpful. I ran into so many dead ends and brick walls before that point.”
Within a matter of weeks, Ward learned about an opportunity with Total Networks, an MSP that works across an array of verticals including healthcare and legal.
“That caught on like wildfire,” he said. “They did an in-person interview, which went well. And I started a few weeks later.”
Soon after, Ward was putting his new skills and knowledge to work on the job. He now works as an apprentice 40 hours a week for Total Networks, where he is under the guidance of a highly skilled mentor.
“In the day-to-day, I am shadowing or being shadowed on phone calls for tech support. I’m also submitting tickets, setting up laptops and workstations for deployment so our on-site team can take them to client sites. I also work at a desk and handle phone calls,” Ward said.
Understandably, a healthy dose of nerves accompanied him on his first day.
“When I made my first phone call, I was so nervous. I was stumbling and a mess,” he said. “But the more I did it and the more I shadowed I have gotten more calm and more slowed down and figured out how to talk.”
What does the future look like for Ward? He hopes to obtain more certifications and work his way up to a role in cybersecurity. For now, he says, he is taking the new job one day at a time and thoroughly enjoying the experience.
While Ticket to Tech has given Ward an array of skills that will make him highly employable for the foreseeable future, he expressed that he believes the biggest benefit is something less tangible.
“The best thing about this whole thing has been the boost in confidence I’ve gotten in myself,” he said. “I don’t just have to imagine a career in IT; I am an IT professional, and I have what it takes.”
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