Success Stories

Real Student Testimonials and Career Transformed Journeys

Success Stories

Every graduate in our program possesses a unique narrative of ambition and achievement. Coming from diverse backgrounds, they unite with a common aspiration: to create a successful future in the field of IT.

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Frank Greco Testimonial

“There’s so much getting thrown at you and it feels like so much, but it’s not as much as it seems if you just break it down and take it one step at a time.”

Frank Greco Testimonial

Man in cozy living room with stone fireplace

Frank Greco Testimonial

“There’s so much getting thrown at you and it feels like so much, but it’s not as much as it seems if you just break it down and take it one step at a time.”

 

 

My name is Frank Greco. I graduated in November of 2025. I actually worked as a correctional officer for years, but I finally decided I wanted to shift. I wanted to go and do something else. And I actually got a job at a place called Sumpco and I got in the maintenance division after a bit and I was only working about, you know, 60 hours a week or more, 23 days in a row sometimes. So way overworked. And one day, one of the people happened to walk in and he was like, “Oh, this computer’s not working.” And it showed up and started to work on the thing, ask you questions. And I just happened to be in the room. And I’m like, “Hey, you know what? I always thought about getting a desk job. What would I do? Let me look into it more cuz I I want to use my brain.”

What made me decide to go to MyComputerCareer was actually me and the guy were talking and he he had he went to college way back before and that’s how he got into it. But one of his buddies had gone to a different learning center for it and I started to look up common ones, uncommon ones and I’m like MyComputerCareer stands out from what I can see now. I couldn’t be sure but I reached out to them and just started to ask some questions.

My first 30 days, it really, it was my first day of class, I was like, like I’ve done a lot of stuff with computers, hardware and software, but man, it’s just I don’t get it. Day one, I don’t get it. That was not the way it turned out. Obviously, like day 1, day five, day 10, it’s going to just feel crazy. That’s how it is. Like there’s so much getting thrown at you and it feels like so much, but it’s not as much as it seems if you just break it down and take it one step at a time.

When I started going to MyComputerCareer, I was actually blessed in that since I was a veteran, I was able to focus 100% on the school to study completely. So, when I really started to look for a job, one of the first jobs I got was at this place called Concentrics. They work with Turboax and it was customer relations. So it wasn’t deep in it. So I knew I was going to keep searching. I ended up finding a job at a place called Bell Technologics, which is a much bigger name than I realized at the time. The search was very difficult in the beginning. It just seemed like there wasn’t much out there, but my career service advisor had warned me that that time of year there’s just less. You know, it was November, December.

What I learned was every interview was a perfect example not just to get better at doing your interviews, but to learn something. There was one or two questions here or there that while I could answer, I knew I needed to answer better. And then I went and did my research. So when I got those questions later and I did in many cases get a question from one interview in another, I was able to nail it and sometimes nail it beyond what I thought possible.

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Chris Philips Testimonial

“If you have one feeling that, hey, I wonder if I can do that, you will never know until you try. Just believe in yourself, invest in yourself, and do it.”

Chris Philips Testimonial

Man wearing glasses and headphones indoors

Chris Philips Testimonial

“If you have one feeling that, hey, I wonder if I can do that, you will never know until you try. Just believe in yourself, invest in yourself, and do it.”

 

 

My name is Christopher Phillips and I graduated in March of 2023. Life before enrolling in MyComputerCareer was tough for me. I didn’t have a job. I didn’t really know what I wanted to do in life. I heard about MyComputerCareer on the radio. I didn’t want to call because I didn’t see it for myself. But then I called and I talked to one of the recruiters and it was a wrap from there. I was I was ready to go.

The point when I realized that I needed to make a change was just barely being able to pay the bills and then I had a son and I just I wanted so much better for him. I remember putting together taking apart and putting together computers with my big brother. I’ve always liked technology. I didn’t know for sure if I was going to be good in it, but I knew that I did like technology.

The first 30 days were tough. I was literally forcing myself to go. I still didn’t grasp everything, but I knew I had to keep going. I couldn’t give up. Managing school life and home life was fairly easy because my wife was very supportive.

MyComputerCareer impacted my life in a major way. It made me realize that there is a chance for financial freedom. It changed my life. Like I said, I was Door Dashing. I’ve had jobs as cooks, cashier, and with my CC, it it made me feel like I could do so much more. So, after graduation, it wasn’t easy finding a job. It wasn’t. I was so discouraged because I couldn’t find on my own. And I’ve never been the person to really ask for help. So, I just went and looked for the jobs on my own. My wife is like, “Reach out. That’s what they’re there for.” And I’m like, you know, I don’t want to bother these people. I can find a job on my own. But as soon as I reached out, I had a job within a week. And that’s where I’m working now at one support as a support specialist.

MyComputerCareer gave me the discipline to just get up and do it, to be attentive, to learn it. I I I really honestly love where I’m at right now. And and I I owe that to my CC. If you hear it on the radio, if you see it online and you have one feeling that, hey, I wonder if I can do that. Can I go to MyComputerCareer and be in the IT field? You will never know until you try. If I had just disregarded that commercial or that advertisement on the radio, I wouldn’t be right here with you right now. So, just do it. Just just believe in yourself, invest in yourself, and do it.

Woman with glasses speaking indoors against decorative wall

Breanna Goodman Testimonial

“It was exactly what I needed when I needed it. Because of MyComputerCareer, I now have a much stronger resume and I’m definitely qualified to progress and work in roles far above where I started.”

Breanna Goodman Testimonial

Woman with glasses speaking indoors against decorative wallBreanna Goodman Testimonial

“It was exactly what I needed when I needed it. Because of MyComputerCareer, I now have a much stronger resume and I’m definitely qualified to progress and work in roles far above where I started.”

 

My name is Breanna Goodman and I attended the cyber warrior program at MyComputerCareer. When I was transitioning out of the Air Force back in 2024, I was really nervous. I’d been in for 13 years, so most of my adult life and it was the only career I knew. And I was very apprehensive to return to civilian life. I was looking for something to fast track my way into a solid start in the civilian career. I knew that I was a good worker. I just needed some certifications to back that up. I had a friend who recommended a similar program. I knew that my funding was secured because of my GI Bill®. I specifically landed on MyComputerCareer because it popped up in my feed somewhere. It was exactly what I needed when I needed it.

When I first started the cyber warrior program, it was it was a bit difficult to transition to initially because I had to get back into the swing of studying. But my instructors were amazing and very understanding and shared both success stories and people who overcame barriers. So, it made me more optimistic because it wasn’t so much confidence that I would pass, which I was fairly confident, but it was more so confidence that I could recover from any barriers that I was I was going to overcome. When I was in the program, I really specifically liked the fact that it was face-toface online and not an asynchronous schedule like my my college classes.

So the job that I currently have, um, as a server repair technician, I 100% got it through MyComputerCareer. I’ve gotten a lot of good feedback from my supervisors there. They reiterated that they’re pleased and um, I am on the right path. They should be to a permanent position. Where I foresee myself in this industry long term um, like years from now would be cyber governance, risk, and compliance. So, um, again, I’ll probably pick up a few more certifications, maybe like CASS or potentially CISP, but I will definitely be using the study skills and and probably networking with those from MyComputerCareer to make that happen.

If there were a veteran out there that was was in the same position I was in and potentially considering a career change or delving into what MyComputerCareer has to offer, I would 100% support it. Because of MyComputerCareer, I now have a much stronger resume. I’m definitely qualified to to progress and to to work in roles far above where I started. MyComputerCareer was definitely worth it. I’m ecstatic that I did the cyber warrior program. All the late nights, all the weekends, they were worth it and I would I would do it all over again.

Smiling woman with long braids indoors

Qiyamah McDonald Testimonial

“It was a challenging thing, but it was worth it. Like, I knew what I wanted at the end. I got it, but I’m not done yet. So, I’m definitely back in MyComputerCareer.”

Qiyamah McDonald Testimonial

Smiling woman with long braids indoorsQiyamah McDonald Testimonial

“It was a challenging thing, but it was worth it. Like, I knew what I wanted at the end. I got it, but I’m not done yet. So, I’m definitely back in MyComputerCareer.”

 

 

My name is Qiyamah McDonald and I went to MyComputerCareer. I graduated from information technology and security. I always had a passion for it. Even like on my early on days, I couldn’t really figure out which field I wanted to go. I was riding somewhere to an event and I was like, “Okay, they advertised it again.” I was like, “Oh, MyComputerCareer.” It was like, “Okay, they have everything that I want.

I’mma go ahead and just step off on the limb and just be like, “Okay, I’m going to go ahead and do it.” So, I I got my c my certificate from MyComputerCareer. There was times where I was like, “Yeah, maybe this not for me.” But then I I had to understand like every challenge is is, you know, it’s a challenge for a reason. But once you reach that goal, it’s pretty much like, “Okay, that challenge was worth it.” The adviserss, my teachers, like everybody was definitely on standby whenever I needed. There was no lacking communication. They was always on standby when it comes down to me needing my help as far as like when I’m stagnant with an assignment or I’m like frustrated. They always kept they always poured into me in regards to the assignments. They made sure that I needed if I needed extra help, they gave me the resources to do that to pursue whatever I need to pursue to make sure that I did what I had to do to be a a successful student.

I definitely had to learn how to be more disciplined. and I it gave me a little bit more structure because I knew like my ending goal is for me to get this certification. I definitely had to put myself on a study regimen because of the simple fact that I am not I don’t like to study but I know I had to you know have the discipline to study because I didn’t want to I already invested so much time into trying to get myself together mentally and go through the things that I had to go through mentally trying to make sure I keep myself motivated to stay in the program.

I am actually back in the alumni program and I’m studying for my certification for networking+ and security+. So, it was a challenging thing, but it was worth it. Like, I knew what I wanted at the end. I got it, but I’m not done yet. So, I’m definitely back in MyComputerCareer.

Man with glasses speaking in dark setting

Jonathan Mohler Testimonial

“They say it’s never too late and I’m proof it’s never too late. All the stuff I’ve done through MyComputerCareer feels good. It feels like I haven’t wasted any time.”

Jonathan Mohler Testimonial

Man with glasses speaking in dark settingJonathan Mohler Testimonial

“They say it’s never too late and I’m proof it’s never too late. All the stuff I’ve done through MyComputerCareer feels good. It feels like I haven’t wasted any time.”

 

 

My name is Jonathan Mohler and I graduated from the ITSA program at MyComputerCareer. After years of manual labor, I started waking up feeling like I was 50 years old in a 36-year-old body and decided I wanted to do something different. Back in 2010, I had a friend that actually started the program and now he’s super successful. That’s what made me choose MyComputerCareer. I pretty much have only ever used computers for surfing the internet, stuff like that. Nothing really intricate. I finished my A+ certification in seven weeks with super supportive instructors.

My biggest challenge was the end of the course when we still had about 2 months or whatever it is to finish our certifications. Man, it was just like it was difficult to stay focused long enough to go take the exams. When you’re in the class every twice a week or whatever it was I was in there, it’s really easy to stay on track. But man, life gets a hold of you, you know, gets a hold of you and takes over the goal of succeeding. You know that means I wasn’t going to take no for an answer. You know what I’m saying? Like I was going to finish the program and I was going to be successful with it. There was no other way about it. And one of the students had created a Discord channel and me and like a few of the other students still are in contact.

When I go in there, I don’t spend any more time than I need to when I answer questions cuz second guessing myself typically leads to the wrong answers. I finished my certification exams like my CompTIA in like 22 minutes or something and then if I you know failed the test by you know a few questions or whatever it was I go back and study a little bit more go in the next time I finish my other A+ certification the second half in like 17 minutes. If I think about it too long I’ll make stuff that don’t make sense make sense. The will to succeed, I mean eventually somebody’s going to take a chance on me and I found somebody, especially not having a background in technology at all. I mean I went from manual labor my entire life to wanting to start out. I mean, they say it’s never too late and I’m proof it’s never too late.

I got that job through my Career Services lady. She had reached out to me and said that she had an opportunity and I just happened to be the first one to get my resume submitted with quickness and that’s what got me that position. All the stuff I’ve done through MyComputerCareer feels good. It feels like I haven’t wasted any time. Everything was definitely worth it. I mean just the Career Services department, it makes the whole tuition worth it. I mean to me it does cuz you get that for the rest of your life. I mean you can’t replace that. Don’t give up. And with dedication and motivation, it’ll come.

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Leslie Fluger Testimonial

“It was a challenging thing, but it was worth it. Like, I knew what I wanted at the end. I got it, but I’m not done yet. So, I’m definitely back in MyComputerCareer.”

Leslie Fluger Testimonial

Blonde woman speaking indoors on webcamLeslie Fluger Testimonial

“It was a challenging thing, but it was worth it. Like, I knew what I wanted at the end. I got it, but I’m not done yet. So, I’m definitely back in MyComputerCareer.”

 

 

Before MyComputerCareer I was working at a corporation as a corporate threat analyst. I would monitor all sorts of reporting to protect the brand name, the assets. I was doing the same thing every day, just like vetting people, like down to a nanny. It just got boring. I ended up leaving to pursue cyber security because it seemed more fun. I talked with my VA and they suggested MyComputerCareer.

When I enrolled it was back in March. It was the Cyber Warrior program and it was perfect for me at that time because I was no longer working and I wanted to figure out how to get into cyber security. It seemed like it was what would work because one, like I said, I was not working, secondly that’s what I wanted, and thirdly I would get four CompTIA certs in a very short time.

When I took the course it was fully immersive. We had a very charismatic instructor. The instructor, because of how engaged he was with us, making sure we were on top of things and basically making learning fun. Like you’d think that learning IPs, segmenting, subnetting, hardening your systems, penetration testing, it sounds boring, but he made it fun.

While I’m working right now full-time, I didn’t expect to get a job so quickly because I wanted to continue with getting my certs. Right now I am focusing on getting my certified ethical hacking, my Linux and my CCNA. If you’re going to enroll, make sure you got the time. That’s the first thing. I mean the money obviously, but time is the next expense. If you’re military or prior military, this would really work for you because in four or five months I got my CompTIA A+, CompTIA SEC+, CompTIA Net+. I got my dream job before I even got my CYSA. So then I got my CYSA and I can use that as a bullet on my employee review. It was hard but it was worth it. Who can do that in such a short amount of time?

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Roy Garrett Testimonial

“The first 30 days I felt like I wasn’t going to make it. I felt like I was going to fail every single certification, but I stuck it through. It is designed for people who have zero knowledge. Everything started to fit together like a puzzle. As you continue on, each piece is added and it starts to click. And when it does start to click, it’s so enjoyable.”

Roy Garrett Testimonial

Bearded man in tie in cozy living roomRoy Garrett

“The first 30 days I felt like I wasn’t going to make it. I felt like I was going to fail every single certification, but I stuck it through. It is designed for people who have zero knowledge. Everything started to fit together like a puzzle. As you continue on, each piece is added and it starts to click. And when it does start to click, it’s so enjoyable.”

 

It was super super smooth process getting on boarded and I don’t regret it. So the program I went through was the cyber warrior program. It’s designed for you know veterans but there’s classmates in there that weren’t veterans as well. I have no technology background. Right out of high school I joined the military and out of the military I was like I still don’t know what to do. You know, I fell back to my family’s restaurant, worked there for a couple years and continued doing into the service industry, went on to bartending and I was like, I don’t want to retire bartending. Technology has always been like fascinating to me and I just never really thought about it for a career. But when I was looking around for just the next opportunity for a career, I wanted something I loved. I love technology.

You know, then MyComputerCareer was the first thing that popped up. Researched it and I literally got signed up that same day that I found that link. When I started the program, I passed all my certifications. I did fail my core one the first time, but I passed my core one the second time and core two passed it without failure. And then all the rest of certifications I went on to not failing a single one. I passed all of them first go around.

The first 30 days I felt like I wasn’t going to make it. I felt like I was going to fail every single certification, but I stuck it through. And you know, the program is designed for you to retain the information. And even if you don’t retain it the first go around, they work at it to get you back to that point to where you do pass. Even after the class ends, you do have to put in a little extra effort. They give you enough time during class time to get all the homework done, but if you can put more effort in outside of it, that’s going to help you retain it.

It is designed for students, for people who have zero knowledge. I still didn’t know any of it through about halfway through the program, but as we kept going, everything started to fit together like a puzzle. As you continue on, each piece is added. They gave you just enough to pass each cert as you go. But as you continue on, the puzzle comes together and it starts to click. And when it does start to click, it’s so enjoyable. You will be able to apply it in your home lab. You will apply it at your future job. Yeah, it was awesome.

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William Philips Testimonial

“When you are doing something that you love, you don’t look at it as a challenge. You look at it as an opportunity. I think the only regret I really have is not doing this sooner.”

William Phillips Testimonial

Man wearing headphones during online streamWilliam Phillips Testimonial

“When you are doing something that you love, you don’t look at it as a challenge. You look at it as an opportunity. I think the only regret I really have is not doing this sooner.”

 

 

When you are doing something that you love, you don’t look at it as a challenge. You look at it as an opportunity. My name is William Phillips. I’m 32 years old and I started at MyComputerCareer back in October. I started the military when I was 18. One of my jobs specifically was I was a radio operator. It was kind of my first little taste with technology and at the time I was like, “Wow, this is really cool.” Like, you know, just learning the codes and the commands and just everything like that. But when I got out, you know, I went to college at Ohio State for a few years, but I really just didn’t find my niche of like what I wanted to do. I tried different things, but nothing really stuck.

And then, you know, when I got to my 30s, I’m thinking to myself, well, I’m on my computer all the time. And at one point, you know, I was looking up how to do different things. I was like, maybe I should do it. I have a lot of friends, especially in my church that I go to, who are in IT, and they’re all telling me, “Yeah, you should do it. It’s a great career. You can do this. You can do this.” Like, it’s a very broad field. You know, there’s so many different routes that you can go to. And so, I just, you know, I was at the time I was working at a nonprofit. And, you know, I was thinking, well, I could, but like I really need a job. I really need stability. I got let go from my job and I’m like, “Well, I got nothing else better to do now.” So, I might as well figure out what I’m going to do.

I went and I looked up online and I found MyComputerCareer. And I just said to myself, “Okay, well, I’m just going to fill this out. I’m going to find a bunch of different things and fill them out and see if maybe I can get into a program somewhere some way somehow.” I’m telling you, I must have found like five different ones. But MyComputerCareer out of all of them, within 10 minutes, and I’m not even making this up, within 10 minutes, I’m getting a phone call. “Hey, we saw that you applied to MyComputerCareer. We just want to talk to you.” And the guy that I was talking to at the time, I mean, we had an hour-long conversation and then within like a few weeks, he’s like, “Yeah, you start October 8th.” And the rest is history.

I have very little IT experience coming into this. A lot of people know about networking. You know, they’ve worked jobs. I didn’t really have that. You know, I’m more of a jack of all trades kind of guy, but coming in here, it just felt so smooth. Trust in the process and just knowing that over time the repetition, you just ingratiate yourself into the program and you just take it at full value. You will go so far because I’m just taking everything and moving forward. The fact that there’s a program for vets I think is a very very good sign that this is a program that’s worth its weight. I think the hardest thing for vets in my opinion is, you know, when we transition and some guys have it all together, some guys just know like I’m gonna do this. I was not one of those guys. I struggled for a lot of reasons. You know, I think the only regret I really have is not doing this sooner.

Man speaking to camera indoors

Isaac Whitlow Testimonial

“Immediately I knew this was the place for me. The emphasis that was put on my success I felt was above and beyond. Technology is not going anywhere and I wanted to get on that train and grow with it.”

Isaac Whitlow Testimonial

Man speaking to camera indoorsIsaac Whitlow

“Immediately I knew this was the place for me. The emphasis that was put on my success I felt was above and beyond. Technology is not going anywhere and I wanted to get on that train and grow with it.”

 

Immediately I knew this was the place for me. My name is Isaac Whitlow. I did 20 years in the army. I was trying to figure out, you know, what I wanted to do afterwards. I kept hearing the advertisements for MyComputerCareer on the radio, on the TV. So I decided, I know that it’s a growing field. I signed up and quickly got a call back said hey come in and we’ll discuss the program. The emphasis that was put on my success I felt was above and beyond and then the certifications that were offered I was like this is a perfect fit for me.

So, I chose the ITSA program because I wanted the foundational certifications, what I’ve heard called the trifecta, the CompTIA A+, NET+, and Security+. And then, you know, the other certifications were just icing on the cake. It was a bonus. The instructors that I had within the ITSA program were outstanding. Their teaching style was perfect for my learning style. They said, “Hey, if you’re willing to put in the extra time, we are here to help.” Having that support system made it easy for me.

Career Services is another great reason to choose MyComputerCareer. When I was, I want to say, maybe about a month and a half out from finishing the ITSA program, I really started to connect with my Career Services specialist. I sent them my resume. He gave me the critiques on what I needed to do on my resume to make it more IT specific.

I would say to any veteran, you have your GI Bill. You can use your GI Bill to go to school at MyComputerCareer, but if you do not have a solid plan for what you want to do when you transition out of the military, it is not a bad choice. Technology is not going anywhere. It’s only growing from here. And so the way I saw it was that I wanted to get on that train and grow with it.

Bearded man with glasses speaking indoors

Daniel Dawkins Testimonial

“I was debating roughly between about 12 different programs and MyComputerCareer just stood out. You have the opportunity to get these four certifications at a faster pace than any of the other programs that I personally found.”

Daniel Dawkins Testimonial

Bearded man with glasses speaking indoorsDaniel Dawkins Testimonial

“I was debating roughly between about 12 different programs and MyComputerCareer just stood out. You have the opportunity to get these four certifications at a faster pace than any of the other programs that I personally found.”

 

I would say for anyone that’s thinking of it, go for it. My name is Daniel Dawkins. I am a Marine Corps veteran and right now I’m the owner of Dawkins CPI and IT Consulting. Back about 15 years ago, I got to watch someone perform penetration testing for a school and I’ve always been intrigued ever since. I was debating roughly between about 12 different programs. So MyComputerCareer just stood out as high-quality education at a fast pace.

When I first started the Cyber Warrior program, I really didn’t know how to feel. I knew it was going to be fast-paced, but I did not realize how fast it was going to be. And I remember hearing the instructor at one point say, “You’re freaking out now. Just hold those feelings back. Let’s get through the end after we get to the end of these first two weeks. It’s not going to feel like anything.” I was probably putting in around 10 to 12 hours a day on average. And it was a lot of fun because I’ve made relationships that still now, which hasn’t been that long, but even still, we’re jumping back in the Discord and we’re constantly going back and forth. So, it felt like nothing in the rear view mirror. At the time, it was a bit crazy.

I did heavily enjoy the fact that it was a group of veterans. In essence, that’s all it was. There was one of the instructors out of four who was not a veteran, but every single student and the other three instructors were vets. So, we understood each other on a different level. I walked into the Cyber Warrior program with zero certifications and I had high expectations, maybe too high, but I accomplished those expectations. And at the end, I got my CompTIA A+, Network+, Security+, and CYSA+ along with the other three stackable certifications that go along with those.

It was quite interesting to see that in a matter of four weeks I passed A+ altogether compared to when I was studying for Security+ on my own a couple of years ago. I studied for a year and I didn’t feel comfortable. I managed to get all five exams, all four certifications on the first attempt. If you are a veteran, if you have three months, such a small amount of your GI bill left, and especially if you’re unemployed, go for it. Sign up as fast as you can. You have absolutely nothing to lose. And if you play your cards right, you walk away from the Cyber Warrior program with four highly sought-after IT certifications. And for everyone else, you have the opportunity to get these four certifications at a faster pace than any of the other programs that I personally found.

Person smiling wearing headset indoors

Jennifer Tinkler Testimonial

“I would give a resounding do it. What do you have to lose? The teachers were top-notch and even to this day, I can remember certain pieces of information given to me during the schooling that I use in my work.”

Jennifer Tinkler Testimonial

Person smiling wearing headset indoorsJennifer Tinkler Testimonial

“I would give a resounding do it. What do you have to lose? The teachers were top-notch and even to this day, I can remember certain pieces of information given to me during the schooling that I use in my work.”

 

 

I would give a resounding do it. What do you have to lose? My name is Jennifer Tinkler. I am an IT support specialist at Air Gas, an air liquide company. And I’ve been there going on one year now. Before my CC, I was a firefighter, a career firefighter in Philadelphia for the Philadelphia Fire Department. Been there 15 years. And I actually been interested in IT for maybe 15 years, as long as I’ve been at the fire department. And there I kind of got my feet wet with managing networks. I was in a unit. We had a mobile unit. So we had computers on there, printers on there, and really learned how to kind of manage the mobile network. So I was like, this is it. I love this, you know, let’s see what else I can do.

I ended up going to college for it. I’m a disabled veteran, so I had benefits from that. My VA counselor put me in contact with someone who was currently enrolled in MyComputerCareer, and I said, “Look, give me the long and the short of it.” You know, I know this is what the counselor is saying. This is what the school’s saying. You’re in it. What do you think? And he was just like, “Look, if you’re willing to come in, put in the time, get the certifications, the world is your oyster. You can do whatever you want with it. You can go as far or as short with it as you want.” And that sealed it for me.

It was a really good program. The teachers were top-notch. They were all people that were in the field at some point. So, it wasn’t just like they were talking from book knowledge and not actual hands-on experience. They were all solid. And even to this day, I can remember just certain pieces of information that were given to me during the schooling that I use in my work.

After graduation, Career Services was really good with reaching out and making sure that my resume was good, that it looked good to prospective employers. They really focused on making sure that I had the certifications that I got at MyComputerCareer, but also some of my transferable skills that I brought from a career in public service and customer service and applying that to what I was looking for in IT. I can’t say enough good things about MyComputerCareer.

Man wearing headset and glasses in neon lighting

Ajay Colacchio Testimonial

“If I can do it, I truly believe anyone can. I went from 12 years in the military to 7 years of driving a big truck around the country to now this. I believe that if you want it, you can get it.”

Ajay Colacchio Testimonial

Man wearing headset and glasses in neon lighting

Ajay Colacchio Testimonial

“If I can do it, I truly believe anyone can. I went from 12 years in the military to 7 years of driving a big truck around the country to now this. I believe that if you want it, you can get it.”

 

If I can do it, I truly believe anyone can. My name is Ajay Colacchio. I go by AJ. I went from 12 years in the military to 7 years of driving a big truck around the country to now this. I was ready to move on from the military for a lot of different reasons. In my personal career, I had had a lot go on in my later years as I rose in rank and I was kind of looking forward to civilian life thinking I was going to do 20 when I was sitting at 11, 12. And when the opportunity arose to get out early with my full benefits intact, I said, “You know what? I think I’m ready. I’ve put my body through a lot in this decade and change. I’ve missed a lot. I have a 15-year-old daughter and deployments and everything else. I missed a lot of her younger years and I was tired of missing that.”

A friend of mine had heard about your program and had shared the briefing from a Facebook post or something with me. So, I started looking into it and it seemed very interesting. I was in the CWP program, the Cyber Warrior program. It was extremely intense. That first day alone in A+ where they throw what felt like a thousand slides at us, it was eye opening to say the least, but very well worth it. I definitely always had an interest in it.

My instructors did their best to work with me and work around that learning curve that I have because I’m a very hands-on learner. Lectures I struggle with to be honest with you. My attention wants to go here, there, everywhere. Squirrel, you know, but Jason’s teaching style combined with his assistant instructors, it put the information I needed in my brain even when I didn’t think it was there. Three of my four certificates I passed on my first go. The only one I struggled with admittedly was Net Plus. And even when I was losing faith in myself, Jason never let me lose faith. He was always telling me, “You’re going to get it. It’s in there. You’re going to get it.” And on my third go, I absolutely destroyed that thing.

I had a great career service rep. She was actually new to MyComputerCareer. I still get emails about job openings to this day. So, I appreciate that for sure. She helped me learn how to write my resume and now I feel a little more comfortable tailoring it for when I do apply to this job, that job, whatever. I believe that if you want it, you can get it.

Man in green polo sitting at desk

Michael Mahan Testimonial

“Whenever I felt like this wasn’t going to be for me, they would talk to me and reassure me and let me know, you got this. And sure enough, I would achieve that goal and it just reignited that passion that I had in the beginning.”

Michael Mahan Testimonial

Man in green polo sitting at deskMichael Mahan Testimonial

“Whenever I felt like this wasn’t going to be for me, they would talk to me and reassure me and let me know, you got this. And sure enough, I would achieve that goal and it just reignited that passion that I had in the beginning.”

 

It’s definitely something that you should pursue. Hi, my name is Michael Mahan. I am a retired 24-year Navy veteran. I was what we call a master at arms in the Navy, which involves law enforcement, physical security, and instructor in the Navy. And the reason why I picked this was because cyber security involves security, some things that I was currently doing, and I’ve always been interested in the IT field. I was on LinkedIn and I seen an advertisement for it. So I said hey this looks interesting and I went ahead and said you know what I think I’ll go forward and see what this is about.

It was a lot of information up front, a lot of stuff to digest, but you know the instructors were there to answer any questions and guide you in the directions to get the resources. They made sure that you understood what the course was talking about and what to do to make you feel comfortable. I had no experience with any computing before I got into this. The way the course is given to support you, to get you to understand, to get you through the course and get you to where you need to be is really something. Yes, I’m still new. I’m still learning everything, but I’m feeling more confident every day with this.

So, it’s a good career. I think this is something that people will definitely be rewarded for in the future if they decide to go this way. MyComputerCareer is a school that honestly puts as much into the veteran and puts as much into us learning. You know, that’s big for me. But this school, I’m telling you, from all the instructors, I can’t say enough. These guys were really good to make me feel welcome. And whenever I felt like this wasn’t going to be for me, you know, they would talk to me and reassure me and let me know, you got this. And sure enough, I would achieve that goal and it just reignited that passion that I had in the beginning to start this career.

Smiling woman with long curly highlighted hair

Jam Mcclendon Testimonial

“I had no experience in it at all, but I consider myself to be tech-savvy and I really found Security+ to be very interesting. Mr. Tyreek was awesome. You could tell that he’s been in the field and that he has done it himself.”

Jam Mcclendon Testimonial

Smiling woman with long curly highlighted hairJam Mcclendon Testimonial

“I had no experience in it at all, but I consider myself to be tech-savvy and I really found Security+ to be very interesting. Mr. Tyreek was awesome. You could tell that he’s been in the field and that he has done it himself.”

 

If you’re on the fence, make the choice, make the decision to do it. And my reasoning for that is because it is where everything is going.

I have been in retail my entire life. I tried to transition out of it a few years ago and with no success. So I went back into retail. It’s not ideal and it’s not where I want to be. And so I really had to take an introspective look at myself and sit down with myself and you know I had a conversation and was like hey is this really what you want to do? And I was like, “No, I have interest in technology. I’m a techie girl. I consider myself to be tech-savvy. I would like to be in auditing, auditing systems or compliance.” I really found that in Security+. I found that to be very interesting. I actually started seeing, and I don’t even know how, but I started seeing the advertisements on social media.

I work 50 hours plus a week currently and that’s in retail. So trying to factor in school in that was definitely challenging. And then trying to factor in studying for school, that was challenging as well. But I wanted to do it. And that’s the whole thing I think is if you really want it, you’ll make those sacrifices and you’ll do what it takes to get to where you need to get.

Mr. Tyreek was awesome. He has a plethora of knowledge. You could tell that he’s been in the field and that he has done it himself and so with somebody like that you can go into depth about whatever questions you may have. I had no experience in it at all. So certain things you know you pick up because like I said I am tech-savvy so there’s certain things that I did know.

Everybody’s going to need somebody to work on something technology-wise. Like I said, I’m interested in auditing and in compliance. Everybody’s going to need somebody. Every business is going to need somebody in compliance to help them, you know. So, it’s really kind of like a recession-proof industry. Whereas some of these other industries are not, you know, and we’re getting phased out slowly but surely.

Smiling man with glasses indoors

Brian Berrios Testimonial

“I had zero background in IT and now look, I have a job starting Monday for BAE Systems. All it takes is just one opportunity and you just got to take it.”

Brian Berrios Testimonial

Smiling man with glasses indoorsBrian Berrios Testimonial

“I had zero background in IT and now look, I have a job starting Monday for BAE Systems. All it takes is just one opportunity and you just got to take it.”

 

 

Definitely take that leap because I took that leap. I had zero background in IT and now look, I have a job starting Monday for BAE Systems. My name is Brian Berrios. I grew up in Miami, Florida and I enlisted into the United States Marine Corps and I also was part of the Army as well. The pandemic hit the year that I transitioned out. So, I decided to join the Army and I always knew I wanted to transition out. I started asking a whole bunch of my veteran buddies what they do, what’s their work life balance. That’s something that mattered a lot to me. So, one of my buddies, his name was Shaston Chavez, and he actually recommended MyComputerCareer. But I had no prior IT experience whatsoever. So it was a big leap and it was a great learning experience.

I didn’t know there are so many things in computers, you know, and networking and stuff. Starting MyComputerCareer was completely brand new to me. It was a great experience. I loved it. I met some great people, some very motivating classmates. Just learning. It was very very hard at first because I’m brand new to IT obviously, but I definitely learned a lot. I gained very valuable skills and overall it was a great program.

After the program was done, I was actively transitioning out of the Army. So, you know, life happened and I had to set aside my studies and fully transition out, move my family from Texas to Utah and then begin my studies again for Net+ and thankfully I passed. Another rough patch I hit was definitely the 4 months of being unemployed. I was ready to give up honestly. But thankfully I got past it and I’m thankful to be here because MyComputerCareer enabled me to get the certifications and the skills needed. And my career service advisor Carlos, amazing gentleman. He told me to keep pushing through and I had two job offers.

I think it’s very essential to start off at help desk because it really did open my eyes to where a lot of the individuals who become network engineers and cyber security, they start off there. My company literally had multiple cubicles of network engineer team, the cloud team, the threat analysis team and they all started at help desk. You work with other individuals, it’s nice, it’s not too high stress either. You learn a lot of the ins and outs, connecting printers, troubleshooting, users who lock themselves out of their accounts. So, it’s always great to start at help desk.

I’m very, very thankful. It was very hard. But to those who are still looking for employment or are hitting that rough patch, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. You’ll get there. Someone’s going to offer you a job. All it takes is just one opportunity and you just got to take it.

Woman with red hair speaking indoors

Kindra Couch Testimonial

“Trust the process, trust the program, and listen to your instructors. When your instructors tell you that you’re ready, they’re telling you that because they see something that you don’t. They’re the pros.”

Kindra Couch Testimonial

Woman with red hair speaking indoorsKindra Couch Testimonial

“Trust the process, trust the program, and listen to your instructors. When your instructors tell you that you’re ready, they’re telling you that because they see something that you don’t. They’re the pros.”

 

You know, you pretty much have a technical degree when you graduate within 9 months. I was an enterprise sales executive. So, I sold software licensing to companies with 500 seats and above. I would go in, do demos. I could talk about a software, but if they asked me anything technical, I would say, “Sorry, I have to get back with our technicians or our engineers because I didn’t know anything besides what I was demoing.” I kind of got tired of that. And I was like, I don’t want to lie anymore. I felt like sales was just kind of lying, fake. And I wanted to know more than what I was just doing a demo on. So, I looked into going into the real technology portion, not just talking about it.

I had already done a traditional university that just didn’t fit my lifestyle. I happened to find MyComputerCareer and I liked that they had an in-person program. I’d seen ads here and there online. I would see banners, but a radio station that I listened to religiously, they had ads on it every once in a while. And I liked how they talked about the program being pretty quick. And of course when you hear those things at first, you’re like, that’s too good to be true. But when I went in to actually talk to them, I was like, “Oh, no. This is real. You really can get all these certifications and it’s equivalent to an associate’s degree, which it is because it is accredited.” Which I loved as well.

I was very intimidated because like I said, I didn’t know technology. I knew how to talk about technology, but I went in, I loved the energy and decided to sign up. And you know I remember my first day of class everyone was talking about themselves and we had to say one interesting thing or one fact about ourselves. Everybody was saying I like to work on computers, I like video games. Mine was I like makeup. So that’s how green I was compared to everyone in my class. I knew how to turn on a computer. I knew how to type and I was great in Word and Excel because I was in sales and had to create pipelines, but I did not know anything about computers when it started.

Trust the process. The program does seem like a lot, and it is a lot, but it’s a lot for a reason. And when your instructors tell you that you’re ready to test, test. I was never successful on the first attempt, but you get multiple vouchers. You get two vouchers. So, the first one’s kind of like a throwaway voucher. Go in, take that test, see where you’re lacking, and then study those pieces that you’re not really strong at. So, when your instructors tell you that you’re ready, they’re telling you that because they see something that you don’t. Because they’re the pros. We’re the students at that moment. So, trust the process, trust the program, and listen to your instructors.

So I’m a VP now. I’m a vice president. I’m over the QA team and I’m also a mentor on my team and one of the team leads. I absolutely love what I’m doing. I love my team. I love the culture of my company. And I love the high pressure atmosphere.

Bearded man wearing headset indoors

Rick Yauger Testimonial

“If you’re reading threads about maybe going into IT, that’s a pretty good indicator that you should just jump out of the bird’s nest and fly. The instructors in Cyber Warrior are top-notch, no doubt about it.”

Rick Yauger Testimonial

Bearded man wearing headset indoors

Rick Yauger Testimonial

“If you’re reading threads about maybe going into IT, that’s a pretty good indicator that you should just jump out of the bird’s nest and fly. The instructors in Cyber Warrior are top-notch, no doubt about it.”

 

 

One day I was working in a factory, the next day my life will have changed forever. My name is Rick Yauger. I just finished an 11-year stint in the Army. I started a position as a machinist trainee in a local steel factory, but being so green to the profession I ended up doing mostly general labor. A lot of my friends are in IT and cyber security, and I’ve been a user of computers since I was about 10. And the answer came to me — my path and happiness lies in the world of IT. After being accepted and setting a Cyber Warrior program date, I put my two weeks notice in exactly 14 days before the start of the Cyber Warrior program.

The Cyber Warrior program is four total certifications, which is actually five tests because A+ has a Core 1 and a Core 2 testing component. And these tests are no joke. The instructors in Cyber Warrior are top-notch, no doubt about it, and they’re going to teach you every single topic that’s covered in the exam objectives. I know how hard teaching can be and if you really don’t understand a subject, that will quickly reveal itself when you’re teaching. And there was not one single moment during the entire course that I felt that way with any of the instructors at Cyber Warrior.

So overall, you spend less time with the career services guys than you spend with your actual instructor team, but they did it all. I mean mock interviews, resume development. They are on a first name basis with a huge network of recruiters that are just searching and searching to fill level one IT roles, and they spend a ton of individual time with each student. I had two job offers before I even finished school.

I think if you are at the point where you’re finding these types of conversations and you’re reading threads about maybe going into IT, I think that’s a pretty good indicator that you should just kind of jump out of the bird’s nest and fly at this point. It is true that the certifications can get you a job. I’m living proof. You could go to a literally 3-month school if you just try as hard as you can the whole time. I absolutely recommend MyComputerCareer and feel free to contact me directly and I’ll help you get connected.

Bearded man in blue shirt sitting indoors

Ben Smith Testimonial

“MyComputerCareer is the best when it comes to support for veterans transitioning, just hands down. The ability to set yourself up for the rest of your life in 6 months, where else are you going to find something like that? You can’t. You won’t. You don’t.”

Ben Smith Testimonial

Bearded man in blue shirt sitting indoorsBen Smith Testimonial

“MyComputerCareer is the best when it comes to support for veterans transitioning, just hands down. The ability to set yourself up for the rest of your life in 6 months, where else are you going to find something like that? You can’t. You won’t. You don’t.”

 

MyComputerCareer is the best when it comes to support for veterans transitioning, just hands down. I joined the Air Force because I did not have a lot else to look forward to right out of high school. I was not a particularly bright student. So right out of high school I took some time off, came to the decision to join the military, and from there I decided that I wanted to get out as fast as possible from my small hometown in Colorado.

My decision to go into IT really revolved around the possibilities that I saw for my life when I was going to get out of the military. And for me personally, that revolved around rock climbing. It was a program I noticed that was just down at Nellis Air Force Base, and the Cyber Warrior program. I decided, you know what, I think it is the best career path for me to be able to find remote work, do what I want to do with my life, but then also build a steady career and potentially actually invest in my future beyond just the desire to climb.

The moment I realized that instructing and climbing could be something, and that IT could of course be something that I can tie together, was right after I finished the MyComputerCareer program. I was looking for a job and I realized that I had years at this point of instructor experience teaching people how to climb. I had been taking military members out, I started my own coalition, and I had been instructing them how to climb technical big wall. From there I moved on to realizing that the best thing for me to do was to harness the strengths I had and also the skills I had developed in the program. And I applied for a job at MyComputerCareer.

The ability for me to not only feel fulfilled in my own work and changing people’s lives is great, that’s awesome, but the ability for me to teach from anywhere — that was a concept and a dream of mine since I started teaching. If I was to speak to somebody who’s interested in becoming a part of the Cyber Warrior program, active duty or veteran, somebody who wants to join and become part of this program, the one thing I would say to them is how do you see yourself living your life in 15 to 20 years? What does that vision look like for you and how are you going to get there? And I can tell you right now the fastest way to 90% of what I hear is IT. The ability to set yourself up for the rest of your life in 6 months — I mean, come on, where else are you going to find something like that? You can’t. You won’t. You don’t.

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Gilbert Castillo Testimonial

“One of the things that I really loved about MyComputerCareer was my instructors and mentors and the real connection that they had with their students. We really leaned on each other to prepare ourselves for the certifications.”

Gilbert Castillo Testimonial

Man smiling indoors with wall clock behind

Gilbert Castillo Testimonial

“One of the things that I really loved about MyComputerCareer was my instructors and mentors and the real connection that they had with their students. We really leaned on each other to prepare ourselves for the certifications.”

 

My name is Gilbert Castillo and I was originally interested in IT back in high school. I took a C++ course and BCIS courses and I really enjoyed working with computers. Life happened and I ended up working retail and restaurant management. I really enjoyed what I did and helping customers but it became a grind.

I chose to attend MyComputerCareer because I’d heard it on the radio multiple times. I heard testimonials and said, “You know what, I’m gonna look this up.” And when I looked it up I saw the certifications that were available. I reached out to somebody I knew in the IT field and said, “Hey, what do you think of this program?” And he said, “That’s amazing.”

I graduated the ITSA program and I came out with the MTA Networking Fundamentals, MTA Security Fundamentals, CompTIA Security+, Net+ and A+, as well as the LPI Linux Essentials. I currently work for Edge Communications as an IT specialist. My duties at work range from helping people set up new passwords, change their passwords, onboarding new personnel, offboarding personnel as changes happen. But it also can include anything up to my internet’s not working, can you help me get that fixed, or I can’t access certain programs on my computer, can you help. And really being able to help support them with the functions they need to serve their customers.

MyComputerCareer helped me prepare for my career by helping me build a foundation to grow from. I have the skills now to be able to provide support to my customers so that I can feel confident when I’m telling them what needs to be done and what I need to do to help support them, so that they can do their job in a better place.

One of the things that I really loved about MyComputerCareer was my instructors and mentors and the real connection that they had with their students. And as well, all of the other classmates that I had. We really leaned on each other to help each other out to prepare ourselves for the certifications.

Man speaking to camera indoors

Joe Davis Testimonial

“If I had any advice for anyone wanting to attend MyComputerCareer I would advise you to act fast. Don’t think about it, just do it. MyComputerCareer was a great tool in helping me stand out amongst the rest.”

Joe Davis Testimonial

Man speaking to camera indoorsJoe Davis Testimonial

“If I had any advice for anyone wanting to attend MyComputerCareer I would advise you to act fast. Don’t think about it, just do it. MyComputerCareer was a great tool in helping me stand out amongst the rest.”

 

 

If I had any advice for anyone wanting to attend MyComputerCareer I would advise you to act fast. You know, don’t think about it, you know, just do it.

My name is Joe Davis. I originally became interested in IT really at a very early age. I grew up in a technical household, played a lot of video games, TVs in every room. Back in those days, things like VCRs. And so I got to have the experience at a really young age of tinkering with a lot of things. And then as I got older, my mother encouraged me over and over and over again that I should get into IT. And I should get paid for doing some of the stuff that I was doing because she’d seen how much of an interest that I took in the IT field.

I currently work at a company called Dataprise and my current title is a transition engineer. What I do at work is I work with our transitions team and our sales team. The sales team provides us with purchase agreements that we review. And then it’s our job to set up the products and services that are sold to all of our new or existing clients. In short, another way to put it is I’m involved in the onboarding which makes us responsible for providing our service teams, our network operations, security operations teams, with the tools that they need to effectively service our clients when they’re troubleshooting incoming calls.

I graduated from the Information Technology and Security Program and I earned the title of World Class IT Professional for both the first and the second half. I feel MyComputerCareer helped prepare me for my career because, number one, it gave me confidence. I think that’s the number one thing that I was really able to take and put to use to work around other professionals in the business and to do my job just as well, if not better, than others. MyComputerCareer also gave me a really great baseline knowledge of what’s needed so that I could speak to it when I’m on the job, and really most importantly in the interviews. A lot of the interviews can sometimes be a little bit technical and you want to be able to speak to your experience, provide examples, and it helped me to be able to talk like I know what I was doing. So MyComputerCareer was a great tool in helping to build up my confidence for me to be able to stand out amongst the rest.

Bearded man in striped shirt indoors

Jordan Lanphear Testimonial

“If you’re thinking about attending MyComputerCareer, just sign up and go for it. They don’t let you fail unless you choose to fail. Computer skills are always going to be needed. It’s never going to run out.”

Jordan Lanphear Testimonial

Bearded man in striped shirt indoorsJordan Lanphear Testimonial

“If you’re thinking about attending MyComputerCareer, just sign up and go for it. They don’t let you fail unless you choose to fail. Computer skills are always going to be needed. It’s never going to run out.”

 

 

Yeah, I would absolutely do it if I had to do it all over again, because I just feel like, especially in today’s world with how society’s going, it almost seems like the four-year and two-year college is almost being phased out a little bit. So this is a great opportunity to learn fast. And it’s more about getting you in the field, because that’s where you learn the most. You can learn so much from slides and stuff, but it doesn’t really stick and solidify until you’re able to use it every day, in and out.

Hi, my name is Jordan Lanphear. I was originally interested in IT because I realized that computer skills, with where society is going, are always going to be needed. It’s never going to run out. So you’re always going to have job opportunities. As a kid growing up, I’ve always been interested in computers and tech stuff. I’ve been able to work side by side with an IT department before, and just seeing how important they are to the functionality of a business, it was a no brainer decision to follow that career path.

What I do at my job is I’m a point of contact for all of our other schools. They’ll contact us with any IT related questions, whether it be iPad issues or laptop issues. I’m the main point of contact. I deliver equipment to them. I kind of help coordinate with our third party vendors. If there’s a project that needs to be done, I’m one of the points of contact. And just anything my boss has tech related, I do.

MyComputerCareer helped me the most by just introducing all the terminology that is involved with the field. So for every conversation that I’ve been a part of, or anything my boss has asked me, nothing has seemed foreign at all. The hardest hurdle will probably just be hands on, but in terms of picking it up, I don’t see myself having much trouble with that because I’ve learned so much through my time in the course.

I absolutely feel that MyComputerCareer really was integral in helping me obtain this position, because it introduced me to terms and concepts that I didn’t necessarily know how they worked or how it all came together. But learning about it, studying the material, and passing certifications, it all helped solidify it in my brain. So now, any conversation that I may have, or if my boss throws a term around, it’s not foreign to me. I automatically know what it means and I know kind of where the conversation’s going from there.

If you’re thinking about attending MyComputerCareer, just sign up and go for it. You don’t have to really have much experience with computers. They teach you from step one all the way until the end. They make it very simple to understand. There are lots of labs that you can go through. You get the hands on experience. You have mentors that are there every step of the way to help you. They don’t let you fail unless you choose to fail.

Man with glasses sitting indoors near kitchen counter

Benjamin Mccoy Testimonial

“I wanted more freedom and financial stability. I want to be respected in a field that I love doing. MyComputerCareer helped me get there and I was proud to have gone through the program.”

Benjamin Mccoy Testimonial

Man with glasses sitting indoors near kitchen counterBenjamin Mccoy Testimonial

“I wanted more freedom and financial stability. I want to be respected in a field that I love doing. MyComputerCareer helped me get there and I was proud to have gone through the program.”

 

 

My name is Benjamin McCoy. I was originally interested in IT because I wanted more freedom and financial stability, which played a big part in it. I want to be respected in a field that I love doing. I want to be able to get up in the morning and say that I love my job. And I haven’t had that in recent years. And that’s a big deciding factor for me, is being able to get up in the morning and say, I love my work.

The program I was in was the ITSA program. I got the security fundamentals the first chance I got right away, didn’t have any challenges with that at all. Career services really helped me. They went out of their way to help me find a job with Lumen Technologies, one of the largest telecoms in the country if not the world. The job itself is assisting customers with internet issues, troubleshooting modems, making sure that they’re online, that they’re authenticated, they can surf the web, making sure that their home phone service works, even fiber.

As far as MyComputerCareer and the ITSA program that I went through, it felt like something that I really wanted to do, mostly because, like I said before, I wanted to change. I was proud to have even gone through the program. It’s a major change and it’s something I’m excited to complete.

Smiling woman indoors near staircase

Winnetka Gray Testimonial

“Obviously we sign up to get an education, to learn and to get certs, but I found so much more. Sign up at MyComputerCareer. You will not regret it. You give your all and they will go above and beyond for you.”

Winnetka Gray Testimonial

Smiling woman indoors near staircaseWinnetka Gray Testimonial

“Obviously we sign up to get an education, to learn and to get certs, but I found so much more. Sign up at MyComputerCareer. You will not regret it. You give your all and they will go above and beyond for you.”

 

 

Hey, my name is Winnetka Gray. IT is basically a field with just multiple opportunities. It’s one that you really have to focus, you have to concentrate, troubleshoot. And that’s who I am. I like problem solving so I thought it’d be a good field. And also, there are a variety of different ages in IT. So, you can be young, you can be middle age, you can be older, and I like that.

I like the fact that MyComputerCareer is all about engagement, when I say student engagement. Obviously we sign up to get an education, to learn and to get certs, but I found so much more.

Shortly into the program, my husband and I received a call about our son. He was medically retired so we had to take care of him. So, I had waffled back and forth with, okay, do I withdraw from the program? We sat down as a family, we prayed. Hey, what do I need to do? And my husband was like, keep on going, just go as long as you can. So throughout the program, I would receive words of encouragement from the students, our peers, of course. But Toni was just, it was just something about her encouraging words. They seemed to come at the right time. And I was just really literally blown out of the water when I opened my email in the mornings and I see an encouraging email from Beth, and they would send a card. And I’m just like, oh my gosh, this is really personal. And it just seems like the littlest things, you know, they really truly meant a lot.

I can’t say enough good things about the Pathways Program. I like the family feel. And the individuals, some I will never forget. We’ve linked in and connected. And for someone who’s kind of like, eh, should I do this versus another school or whatever, you can’t go wrong. Sign up at MyComputerCareer. You will not regret it. You give your all, you do your part, and they will go above and beyond for you. Absolutely.

Woman smiling indoors near window

Tiffany Brymer Testimonial

“I grew such a network with just my mentors and my teachers and it’s opened up a lot of doors for myself. I landed with Insight Enterprises and I’m working on my Ethical Hacker certification and building my first app.”

Tiffany Brymer Testimonial

Woman smiling indoors near windowTiffany Brymer Testimonial

“I grew such a network with just my mentors and my teachers and it’s opened up a lot of doors for myself. I landed with Insight Enterprises and I’m working on my Ethical Hacker certification and building my first app.”

 

 

I worked fast food for a very long time, and when I was working there, I noticed nobody was fixing anything. So registers would go down and controllers would go down, and I was frustrated with that, so I started fixing them. Then there was actually a program with the company I worked for where you could do IT for the organization, and that’s what I did. Then when I got out of that industry, I went into office administration and I enjoyed the work but I always knew I wanted to go back to IT, so that’s what I did.

For me, I’m a working mom. I was working at the time 50 hours a week, and I have four kids, so the traditional four-year college does not fit for me. I kept hearing MyComputerCareer on the radio for two years and I was like, “I’m gonna make the call. I’m gonna make the call.” And then, finally, one day, I was done being where I was at. I didn’t want to be stuck there anymore, so I was like, “I’m gonna make the call.” And I called them and two weeks later, I started.

With MyComputerCareer, I was able to learn how to apply my troubleshooting skills across the entire OSI model, all the way from the power source to the interface, and I was able to learn how to navigate the client systems better and understand how they work, especially the security aspect of it. Meeting so many people from different backgrounds and walks of life, and everything you’re going through, somebody else is going through too, is super cool. And then the mentors, I grew such a network with just my mentors and my teachers, and it’s opened up a lot of doors for myself.

It’s awesome because when you go to that school, you get a family that comes with it. So all your mentors and all your teachers are 100% there. They have your back. You can call them. I called my mentor all the time. I was the greasy wheel, but for personal or school issues, they’re there to help and support. I mean, all around, it’s just been a really good experience, and there is just a tremendous outpour of resources that you can use at any point, so that’s awesome.

I was doing IT help desk support for State Farm, and I just actually landed with Insight Enterprises. Insight is global so there’s opportunity to work with different systems and kind of learn all of those and move into network administration and security further down the road. So I have a lot of spinning plates right now. I started with doing the Salesforce administration and going through that training. I’m also working on my Ethical Hacker certification, and I’m going to continue getting the remaining CompTIA certifications that I need. So I’m working on the next one, which is the CySA. And I’m also trying to build my first app. So yeah, I got a lot of spinning plates. We’ll see how it goes.

Woman smiling indoors near window and plant

Angela Butler Testimonial

“It is a class not like any other online class I’ve done before. It’s not recorded, it is live. The mentors are there for you, the instructors are there for you. This is the best way they prepare you for your future.”

Angela Butler Testimonial

Angela Butler Testimonial

Woman smiling indoors near window and plant

Angela Butler Testimonial

“It is a class not like any other online class I’ve done before. It’s not recorded, it is live. The mentors are there for you, the instructors are there for you. This is the best way they prepare you for your future.”

 

 

My name is Angela Butler. Why did I choose MyComputerCareer? That was honestly pretty quick and simple. A friend was telling me about MyComputerCareer and I happened to find out that there is a campus very close to me here in Charlotte. So I made an appointment, met with the admissions officer, and it was a no-brainer for me. Everything is virtual, so I could study and attend classes from home, which works better for me as a mother. I have to be home when my kids get off school. They offered day classes and night classes, so the day classes worked out amazingly for me.

Ultimately, the main reason why I chose MyComputerCareer was also how short it is. In eight months, they offer six or seven certifications, depending on if you count A+ as two. That was ultimately the decision for me. It basically made me sign up because otherwise, if I looked into another two years of getting a bachelor’s degree or anything equivalent, that would not have worked for my life right now.

So how do the instructors and mentors prepare you for an IT career? Basically with amazing classes that are very interactive. The instructors so far have been amazing. They chat with you, you see them on camera. It is a class which is not like any other online class I’ve done before. It’s not recorded, it is live. So you basically sit in a class with your other classmates, an instructor, and the mentors, and we talk. And you’re being taught material which is very relevant for right now, whether it be cloud services or security, et cetera.

What I love about it is the instructors have been very, very supportive. They have been very personal. They know you by name, they ask you how your day was, how your weekend was. They prepare you in ways also by promoting soft skills, the way they present themselves, the way they talk to you and the way they support you. If I earn a certification, they want to know. You just feel very, almost not only like a real class, but almost very personal, like a family almost.

The mentors reach out at least once a week by phone. They will ask you if you need any help. They will invite you to the flex room if you have any questions, to study with you. Another thing which I find very important is how they encourage you to take the certifications and keep up with the material. Now, if you do eight months of classes and do not earn any certifications, that may be a struggle or a problem for later. However, the mentors prepare you by reaching out and supporting you with any help you may need to earn those certifications. And they will also encourage you to go back, even if you don’t get a certification on the first try. If you do earn a certification, they party with you. The classmates have been amazing too by celebrating with you.

Another thing that made me choose MyComputerCareer is the lifelong career specialist help they offer. My career specialist was reaching out to me to help me with updating my resume, which had been a few years old. That was very, very helpful because I wouldn’t even know where to start with that. We actually talked about goals. She offered to help me look into internships, she helped me with my LinkedIn account, she looked it over, and she also sent me some resume questions I could go over. So ultimately that helped set me up for success for a future career, which was another thing that was very intriguing to me, because like many others, I wouldn’t even know where to start. Where do I start? Who do I reach out to? Is my resume good enough? What are companies actually looking for right now?

One more thing I really would like to say about MyComputerCareer is my personal experience with the campus. I’m blessed to have the campus nearby here in Charlotte and everybody who works there has been amazing, from the admissions officer to the front desk. When you come in, they are so personal. I personally go in even though I could test from home. I look forward to taking my certification just to see them, because everybody has been super friendly all the time. They’re very cheerful. They greet you like they haven’t seen you in a long time, even though you go there every couple of weeks. Once you earn a certification, they have a bell you can ring, they will take pictures if you want. Once you ring the bell, everybody comes out of the office, they congratulate you, they cheer with you. It’s been such an amazing experience. I cannot say enough good things about that campus.

Bald man with glasses speaking on camera

Lanny Langston Testimonial

“Going to MyComputerCareer has been a big deal for my family. We have a lot more income, we’re putting more aside for retirement, we’re making investments. After 16 years of marriage, we’re finally taking our first vacation together.”

Lanny Langston Testimonial

Lanny Langston Testimonial

Lanny Langston Testimonial

Bald man with glasses speaking on cameraLanny Langston Testimonial

“Going to MyComputerCareer has been a big deal for my family. We have a lot more income, we’re putting more aside for retirement, we’re making investments. After 16 years of marriage, we’re finally taking our first vacation together.”

 

 

My name is Lanny Langston. Before going to MyComputerCareer, I had hopes and dreams tied up in my degree that I had gotten in college. But like a lot of college degrees, there were no guarantees. I was at a point in my life where my college degree in the arts wasn’t paying much, like they don’t, and I wanted to make some more money. I’d always enjoyed working on computers. Previously, I had done a master’s degree, which took me seven years. I had invested six plus figures to finish that up. And then, like a lot of college graduates, when I finished I didn’t have the job opportunities that I had hoped for. I was often not getting the jobs I was hoping for and having to settle for jobs that didn’t bring me any satisfaction.

So when I saw MyComputerCareer’s opportunity, which was only nine months, as opposed to several years and significantly less money, and also pretty much guaranteed job prospects, for me it was a no brainer. I went through the program and got my certifications. In the program I took, there were nine certifications offered, which I got eight of. I missed the Linux one, which is still a burden on my soul. I did it with a few kids on my back too, but I would say, go for it. A few weeks before graduation, I landed my first job as a Tier 1 technician with a large insurance company. It was a great opportunity to get my foot in the door. Despite having no IT experience, they were very impressed with all the certifications I had and the dedication that showed to my career.

I worked at that job for about six months and had continued to keep my LinkedIn profile up with my information on it. Six months in, another company, one that was particularly attractive, reached out to me about a Tier 2 position. I interviewed for that job and six months later I was working as a Tier 2 technician with a significant pay raise. Kind of like my first job, they were also very impressed that I had so many certifications. Even though the experience wasn’t quite there, they were very happy to bring me on, and that’s the job I’m still in. I’ve continued to grow. I actually went back and did the CSS program with MyComputerCareer and got more certifications through that. With those certifications, I have gotten a raise every time with my current company, which has also been very nice.

After going to MyComputerCareer, I now have a very clear career path. I’ve been very interested in the networking field and have been going in that direction, and I can actually see my career mapped out for me. The most exciting part is I often get emails from people trying to recruit me all the time now, which never happened in the past. I’m very happy at my current job, but I probably get two or three emails every month from some company that sees my profile on LinkedIn and wants me to apply for a position I didn’t even ask about. It’s a very good feeling to have.

Going to MyComputerCareer for my family has been a big deal. We’ve been very blessed that my wife has always been a professional and has a great job. So I was a part-time stay at home dad through our early marriage. But once our kids got old enough to be in school, I wanted to move on from looking for part-time work to getting full-time work and really contributing to our family on a larger scale. The degree I had gotten in college was not providing that. There were not really full-time jobs that would give us the type of income we were looking for. So going to MyComputerCareer allowed me to have that in a career that I still enjoy a lot, that took significantly less time to establish. It’s just been a great boon to our family. We have a lot more income. We’re putting more aside for retirement now. We’re making investments. We’ve been married for 16 years and literally never taken a vacation together, which is going to happen this year now that the pandemic is just about done. So just nothing but positive.

One of the great things that I’ve really liked about MyComputerCareer is the assistance that you have when you’re looking for a job. As part of the schooling, they have what’s called Pathways, which helps you with resume writing, interviewing skills, and other soft skills like how not to be a jerk at your office so that people actually want to hire you. And even afterward, I’ve been in the IT field now a little over two years, and even though I’m in a job that I’m happy about, I still have Career Services reaching out to me probably every month, sending me opportunities and saying, “Hey, if this is something you might be interested in, here’s something in your area.” And it is area specific, which is really nice. I don’t live near one of the schools anymore, I’m actually in Wisconsin, but they still find opportunities for me out there, which is just really awesome. I just always feel supported. I know that if anything fell through with my current position, they would have my back and I’d be able to find another job quickly.

When I was going to MyComputerCareer, I didn’t know what to expect. I went to the online program. I had gone through traditional schooling and been in the classroom with teachers. So going to an online environment, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but was very pleasantly surprised. One of my very first teachers at MyComputerCareer was named Corey, who was probably one of the most supportive human beings I’ve ever met in my life. Not only was the instruction great, they knew our names, they reached out to us all the time. There’s not only the teacher, but there’s support staff within the classroom that you can ask questions to as you’re going. They’re often texting or calling you, so get ready for that. But they push you all the time to make sure you’re doing your best. Anytime I was getting ready to go into a cert, I had messages saying “Good luck on your certification.” As we were getting close to the end of classes, we had constant reminders to make sure we were getting those certifications scheduled. It was always a very positive push to accomplish the most that we could.

Having someone in your corner was just a really great feeling. You often doubt yourself when you’re getting into a new field like this. I can remember sitting through my first class at MyComputerCareer and thinking, “Oh my gosh, what have I gotten myself into?” But slowly as you go through it, things start to add up, you start making connections, and having people like Corey and AJ and the other instructors in your corner has just been really amazing.

The one thing that is going to make you successful is staying on top of your homework and actually scheduling out your certifications. I always stayed a week or two ahead on homework and always tried to do my certifications within each class so that those were actually done and I could start fresh on the next one. Don’t trust that you’re going to do it later, do it now. And by the time you’re done, you’ll be ready to go in the career field. In less than a year, with some work, you’re very easily going to be landing in a career that’s going to put you on an upward trajectory.

I grew up believing that going to college and getting a degree was going to be what made me money. But instead, it put me in a ton of debt, took a lot of my time, and I would have been 100% better off to take significantly less time, significantly less money, and go to MyComputerCareer and start my career off a lot earlier. I couldn’t imagine I would be working this job a few years ago, but here I am.

Smiling man in front of sunlit window

Nyler Gaskin Testimonial

“I can always go back for the rest of my life and tap into career services, revamp my resume, revamp my LinkedIn. The jobs available to you after MyComputerCareer are so much better than anything you had before.”

Nyler Gaskin Testimonial

Nyler Gaskin Testimonial

Nyler Gaskin Testimonial

Smiling man in front of sunlit windowNyler Gaskin Testimonial

“I can always go back for the rest of my life and tap into career services, revamp my resume, revamp my LinkedIn. The jobs available to you after MyComputerCareer are so much better than anything you had before.”

 

 

My name is Nyler Gaskin. I learned a lot from the moment I walked into MyComputerCareer to sign up until the moment I left at graduation. Career services was a huge part of both the undergraduate process as well as the postgraduate process. They started with things like lifelong career placement, forever resume building and revisions, and those types of programs made me think, it doesn’t matter what happens, I can always go back for the rest of my life. I can tap into these services, revamp my resume, revamp my LinkedIn, and look for what types of jobs and job roles really fit the type of life that I want to have during my eight to five.

One of the biggest takeaways I’ll give you from MyComputerCareer is that it’s affordable. A lot of the times, higher education and college education are really expensive to get the knowledge you want for the expected value you’re going to get on the job market. MyComputerCareer notified me that I made my final payment and fully paid off my student loans there. I graduated four years ago and paid off my student loans without blinking an eye. I wasn’t paying extra, I barely noticed it coming out. The interesting thing is that once January hits, my student loans from my undergrad are going to start popping back up. I paid off my student loans from MyComputerCareer before I paid off my undergrad. The financial piece is a huge takeaway.

There is a stepping stone that you have to go to after you graduate MyComputerCareer. My stepping stone job was in service delivery, which is a glorified desktop support and help desk support mixed together. When they sent me down to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria to do disaster recovery for two manufacturing plants, I had to figure out why they weren’t getting internet and find a way to get it restored. I also had to go inside the manufacturing plants and figure out why the servers weren’t turning on in the server room, and make sure they not only had power to turn on, but backup power as well. Those tasks I was equipped to do very well because of the certifications, education, and activities from MyComputerCareer. I learned about how the internet works on the public side, and using that knowledge I was able to get an internet service provider and contractors to run the cables, as well as source backup batteries. I also talked to the power company and discovered the blackouts were actually being planned so they could divert power. Learning that helped us prepare so that our servers could be turned back on gracefully. All of these things came from what I learned at MyComputerCareer.

My stepping stone job eventually gave me a promotion by title, and I used that title as a stepping stone to get my dream job, which was my last job before Microsoft, where I was a network and systems engineer. From there I moved into Technical Pre-Sales at Microsoft. And even better news, I just got a new job yesterday and signed the offer letter. This month I’ll be a Next Generation Endpoint Senior Specialist. So I finally have “senior” in my title at Microsoft, and I’m still in Technical Pre-Sales but shifting into a more cybersecurity focus as opposed to infrastructure.

The postgraduate process at MyComputerCareer was more so about giving back for me. I assisted other alumni with understanding what life is like once you have this diploma, and how easy or hard it is to get your dream job versus your stepping stone job. A lot of the time people think, I get this education, I get these certifications, I can get a dream job right away. I was able to help them understand that it really does require a stepping stone job first. And the other thing is that your dream job will almost always change. I’ve had three dream jobs since graduating. The jobs that become available to you are so much better than anything you could have imagined before MyComputerCareer.

Man with shaved head and beard indoors

Matt Jaramillo Testimonial

“Don’t be afraid to fail. Where a company didn’t want to promote me, I went to another one who did. You have to have the determination and the willingness to try, fail, and try again, and you will succeed.”

Matt Jaramillo Testimonial

Man with shaved head and beard indoorsMatt Jaramillo Testimonial

“Don’t be afraid to fail. Where a company didn’t want to promote me, I went to another one who did. You have to have the determination and the willingness to try, fail, and try again, and you will succeed.”

 

 

My name is Matt Jaramillo. I always had a love for technical stuff, whether it’s computers or just learning mechanical things, taking stuff apart and putting it back together. I wouldn’t say I’m a book-smart person, but more of a hands-on person. So when I saw how the program was set up, I figured this is something I can definitely do. And that’s why I chose to go with the program.

It was a big step to get going, and I wasn’t sure if it was the right thing for me to do, but it was amazing how fast I got into IT. I started the program in late 2015, and two months later I was actually working my first help desk job. It’s just been leaps and bounds ever since. It’s been quite an amazing experience.

Like anything else in life, if you’re willing to make the commitment to this program, it’s going to take hard work. Nothing is ever going to get handed to you on a silver platter, so you’ve got to work hard for it. Don’t be afraid to fail. I’ve been turned down for promotions myself. But where a company didn’t want to promote me, I went to another one who did and gave me the job I was looking for. That approach has been working for me ever since.

In not even six years of working in the IT industry professionally, I went from a help desk job making not even $15 an hour to making six figures. It’s been an amazing journey and a truly rewarding experience. I’ll probably look into getting into a management role in a few more years, or even try network architecture. Something along that line. It’s just amazing what’s possible. You just have to have the determination to do it and the willingness to try, fail, and try again, and you will succeed.