Meet Aaron. Today, he is a successful Service Technician living in Washington state. Aaron worked hard for his success. He faced housing insecurity, a long pause in his education, and obstacles related to his mental health. He credits earning his Google IT Support Professional Certificate Program for helping him rediscover his passion for technology.
My name is Aaron Page. I am a Service Technician at a Managed Service Provider company in Washington state. My role involves answering phones and troubleshooting technical problems. What I love about this industry is coming across different problems that require unique solutions. I enjoy finding new ways to troubleshoot issues that may unexpectedly arise.
I often catch myself applying material I learned from the Google IT Support Professional Certificate Program on Coursera, which shows how applicable to real-life situations the skills are that I gained.
Before completing the program, though, I was actually at risk of becoming homeless. I had been facing obstacles related to my mental health, and I dropped out of college after two and a half years. But I knew I wanted to get my life back on track. Having a solid support system helped me realize that I should follow my passion in the technology field. I had previous IT experience from a few internships, including one at my local school district, where I helped various schools prepare for an upcoming school year, and another at a local computer repair shop.
Technology has always been a strong interest of mine, and I wanted to pursue the career goals I’d put on pause. What intrigued me the most about the Google IT Support Professional Certificate program was the opportunity to work at my own pace and schedule—all while being cost-effective.
Starting the program reignited my interest in technology and enabled me to go after a goal I had previously set for myself. I was able to learn new techniques that I am now using professionally. The program has challenged me to continue fostering my knowledge through learning new techniques and technologies that continue to be released.
Shortly after completing the program, I received and accepted an offer for a full-time position!
As I reflect on the Google IT Certificate, I can wholeheartedly conclude that it gave me the ability to revitalize my career and helped me reconnect with my passion for computers. If I could give some advice to anyone that is thinking about starting the program, it would be that taking the initial leap is the most daunting, but reaching that next level is worth it. No one else is going to do it for you—why not take that first leap?