The following was published in the May 18th edition of the Naples Daily News as part of their special pull-out section dedicated to STEM:
You know the guy, the IT guy. His hair is unkempt, his shirt is dirty, and
he smells faintly of desperation. You
may spot him as he rushes past you with a gallon thermos of coffee to his cave
of an office, rudely mumbling about software updates if you dare speak to him. In fact, you are pretty sure that he is just
the 12-year old son of the lady in accounting.
You know the guy.
He doesn't exist.
Technology workers in the modern workplace are
professionals. They need to look and
dress the part. They need to follow the
same rules of attendance and collegiality as their colleagues. Communication skills and teamwork are two of
the most important traits that they can have.
And they can be girls - pretty ones, too.
Immokalee Technical Center Instructor Amy McMullin prepares
female and male students of all ages and races for careers in the rapidly
evolving IT industry.
McMullin,
who teaches Computer Systems Technology and Applied Cybersecurity, says, “Aside
from the academic knowledge needed to pass the industry certifications, students
are encouraged to develop the “soft skills” needed to be successful in an IT
career. They must have strong
interpersonal skills, and they need to develop sharp critical thinking skills,
because they are training for jobs that do not even exist yet.”
iTECH students come into the programs with varying degrees
of experience. Jose Saucedo, who began the program as a
relative novice, said, “It’s pretty fun for me; I haven’t used a computer since
middle school.”
Alex Alcantar had a different experience. “When I first enrolled into the Computer
Systems Tech class at iTECH, I was already working on computers on my own. The classes showed me how much of the basics I
had missed out on when I was learning on my own. “
However, one thing is the same for all of them; the results
they have achieved from the effort they put into the program.
“I have learned many new things from the software,” says
Albert Mejia, “and also a lot from my teacher. Once I thought I knew almost everything
about computer, but now I can see that I was wrong and that there is a lot more
than meets the eye. So far I have felt
accomplished in the things I do in here, the certifications I have earned and
how well I am being prepared for the real world of the IT industry.”
Geovanny Navarro attended iTECH a few years ago, and he returned
to update his skills. “Having the help
of a very well prepared instructor makes it not only easier but also more motivating for me to
learn more—to perform like a professional technician following a set of
troubleshooting steps and to be successful.
“Learning about new or never- heard-of software tools, and learning
how to use those tools is very exciting. I could actually compare it to a chess
game where computer infection threats and malfunctioning hardware are competing
against me and my software tools and my research.”
Navarro explained that, after he succeeds in defending a
computer system against attack, he then documents each step in his process for
future use. Then he takes a moment to
enjoy his achievement.
“At the end of the day,” said Navarro, “’cool, comfortable,
helpful, instructional, well equipped, exciting and fun are the best words to
describe the Computer Systems Technology/Applied Cyber Security classroom.”
Birdie Barragan is another student with high
aspirations. After graduation, she plans
to enlist in the Navy as an Intelligence Technician/Specialist.
“Before I started this course,” said Barragan, “I knew
nothing about the software or hardware of a computer. Here in our class, my teacher taught us
everything. And I seriously have to
thank her because even the smallest devices in a computer can end up being the
most important feature.
“So every day I learned something new: from what goes on the
motherboard to how to set up a connection to the network. If you put your mind to it and set yourself a
future within this class you can conquer that. Not only can you make things
more understandable, but you can also love it.”
“People have doubted me, judged me, and told me I wouldn’t
be able to make it in this class. In
fact, I’m doing this for myself—not to not to show off—but because this is what
I’m really interested in.”
Birdie’s passion for IT and her hard work have paid
off. She is scheduled to graduate this
spring with her Career Education Certificate and several Microsoft
Certifications as well.
Eva Gonzalez came to iTECH shortly after moving to the area
from New York. As an older student, she
was apprehensive of about her job prospects.
She worried that employers would overlook her in favor of a younger
candidate.
McMullin
assured her that this was not the case.
“While her previous experience was not directly in the IT industry, she
has held many positions of leadership.” said McMullin. “Eva has a great work
ethic and a commitment to learning. I assured
her that employers would appreciate the maturity and professionalism that she
would bring into the workplace. Anything
else can be learned.”
With that encouragement, Eva completed the program with six
industry certifications from CompTia and Microsoft.
Eva’s story is reinforced by the program’s Advisory
Committee. McMullin regularly meets with
representatives from area companies, to discuss the state of the local market
and tailor the curriculum to fit the needs of local employers. These meetings consistently come back with
similar feedback: There is a significant
need for trained IT professionals.
However, the things employers look for when interviewing a potential
candidate is personality fit, lifelong learning, customer service, problem
solving and communication skills.
This message was reinforced when iTech students attended
TechMatch, an annual event hosted by the Southwest Florida Regional Technology
Partnership. TechMatch is designed to
bring students and business leaders together to interact. A panel of industry representatives discussed
the qualities and skills that employers look for, and they offered suggestions
for students seeking employment.
In addition to the
aforementioned customer service and communication skills, panel members said
they look for people with a love and passion for the job – and the ability to
work with a multi-generational workforce.
They also suggested that students engage in professional networking on
social media sites like LinkedIn, and that they join organizations such as
SWFRTP or Toastmasters.
More recently, McMullin’s students took a break from their
classwork on cloud technologies and virtualization, and visited Hodges
University for the Microsoft Azure Roadshow.
During the event, iTECH students were able to work closely with
Microsoft MVP’s to learn about the Azure platform and how to leverage the
technology for customers.
Jacob Hilario, a Computer Systems student, said, “I was
inspired by the trip to Hodges. It was
amazing to see the things that we are studying in class in action—and to meet
people who actually work for Microsoft.”
Another field trip brought students to Moorings Park in
Naples where they were able to tour their impressive data center and
facilities. Students also spoke with the
generous staff who freely gave their time to demonstrate the technology and give
the students an idea of what kind of jobs are available after program
completion.
These experiences, both in and outside the classroom, help make
iTECH students both well rounded and not your typical IT guy.
As Birdie Barragan said, “To those who have doubted me—look at
where I am now. While you’re still
figuring out what you want to do, I’m already half way to accomplishing my
dreams. Who would've known, coming back
here to start all over again with a course I knew nothing about ended up
changing my life.”
Immokalee Technical Center is a post-secondary vocational
institution and part of Collier County Public Schools.
To find out more about iTech and the programs
available please visit iTech.edu. If you
are interested in learning more about this program or any of the students
mentioned, please visit the instructor’s blog at
http://itech-cst.blogspot.com.
Tyler and Dustin have both now passed the two exams needed to achieve their CompTia A+ Industry certification. This is a big achievement for them both and I am very proud of how quickly they have completed this. It shows a tremendous dedication to their studies. They are both now hard at work on their Network+ so you will be seeing them again soon.
