Arcade to IT: Ismael's Job Journey - Byte Back

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Arcade to IT: Ismael’s Job Journey

Author: Byte Back
Published: September 6, 2017

By Anthony Edwards, Program Support

Ismael Alvarez has always been a bit of a tinkerer, exposed to computers for most of his life.

At one point, he worked in a video arcade and would occasionally troubleshoot arcade games that started to “eat” the customer’s quarters or become inoperable. It was his curiosity about the way things work that led Ismael to Byte Back.

After working at the arcade and operating a movie projector at a movie theater, Ismael decided to try a different path. He completed an aptitude test with a vocational counselor, which led him to Byte Back’s intermediate Office Track course. Almost immediately, Ismael found that the the experience at Byte Back was a cut above the rest.

“The instructors at Byte Back are better than adept at what they do; there really was no question they couldn’t answer,” Ismael said. “I really loved their use of visual aids and the pacing of the class was perfect for someone like me who hasn’t been in school for a while.”

Ismael’s natural inquisitiveness and interest in technology, coupled with his comfort working with Byte Back staff, led him to move up in the training pathway. He has completed three courses already and earned two Microsoft Office certifications. Now, he is in Byte Back’s highest-level IT class, training for the CompTIA A+ Certification.

“I’ve done computer repair for my family for years,” Ismael said, but this was the first opportunity he had to get free certification training and make this hobby a career. “The financial accessibility of Byte Back has made it possible for me to take it to the next level with official IT certifications.”

Like all Byte Back A+ students, Ismael’s  goal is to use his new skills to launch a career in IT. “I’ve dreamed of a career in IT for years,” he said. “Byte Back is breathing life into that dream.”

Ismael’s journey may have started with tinkering with arcade games, but he’s now bound to accomplish great things in tech.