My name is Tristen, and I live in the state of Georgia. I completed the Google IT Support Professional Certificate program, which helped me land a Technology Analyst role despite no prior experience or education in IT. I had always been interested in learning about IT, so I found resources online and used the knowledge I had to fix computers for my family and friends.
I dropped out of college after my second year in order to financially support my mom. This was one of the most difficult decisions I ever had to make, but I needed to: my mom was making under $1,200 per month to support a household of five.
Before I began working in IT, I worked as a personal banker, a customer service representative, and a business account manager. My Google IT Support Professional certificate showed the hiring manager that I have the technical aptitude for troubleshooting issues. She also was impressed that I understood the importance of having great relationships with team members who might need my assistance.
I loved learning about networking and cybersecurity in the Google IT Support Professional Certificate program. As a Technology Analyst for a call center, I focus mainly on telephony technologies and application management. Because I am familiar with the principles of routing, configurations, and firewalls, I use my knowledge to develop processes so the team executes tasks more efficiently.
There’s never a dull moment in my new role — that’s why I love IT.
The Google IT Support Professional Certificate program also helped me understand the troubleshooting process and why providing excellent customer service is so important. At the call center, if phone ports are down or systems are malfunctioning, it makes for challenging situations with representatives and supervisors. Having an understanding and patient demeanor makes all the difference. Being able to explain the issue clearly shows colleagues that I care about them and their issue.
I come from an area with minimal opportunities for the poor and disadvantaged, especially in a field like IT. My progress in the IT field shows that anyone can accomplish whatever they set their mind to if they get the right opportunities. Google and Coursera are bridging the opportunity gap with this program. I thank them for helping level the playing field!
