FROM TEACHING TO TECH: THE JOURNEY TO A NEW CAREER
Valeria Martinez graduated from Northeastern University with a degree in environmental studies. She dreamed of a career in Environmental Sustainability or Natural Resource Management. Unfortunately, finding a career in those industries within the hustle and bustle of Chicago – or even the surrounding areas – proved difficult. So, Valeria expanded her career possibilities by becoming a teacher in primary education. This career change set Valeria up for an interesting path that took her to live and work in places rich with culture and unique experiences, like Korea and Spain. After a few years, Valeria says, “I realized that teaching wasn’t really for me, and I wanted to pursue a career that would allow me to work remotely so I decided to try IT. I took Google courses and earned Google certifications – while still teaching in Spain. In 2023, I moved back to Chicago and continued to study IT. A friend of mine had recently graduated from IT Career Lab, and when I looked into it – I knew it would be perfect.”
Once she was accepted into IT Career Lab, she began to study and gain experience for three certifications: the Microsoft 365: Endpoint Administrator Associate, Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), and IT Infrastructure Library Foundation Level Certification (ITIL 4). Valeria says, “These certifications are well known and would get me a good career.”
As she continued the IT Career Lab program, Valeria also received resume and interview support. She says, “I know that I needed more help in those aspects. So, the fact that IT Career Lab is an all-around holistic program to help people be really prepared is what I appreciated.”
Valeria has successfully earned the CCNA and the ITIL 4! She’s currently studying for the Microsoft 365: Administrator Associate certification, and with her drive and determination it’s almost guaranteed that she’ll earn this certification as well. It’s been about a year since she fully dedicated herself to pursuing a career in IT, and reflecting on this time, she says, “I really did accomplish a lot! I’m putting my foot into job search and in IT there’s always something new coming in so I’m always learning. It feels like this is good for me. Once I get into IT, I can work in anything – including an environmental focused organization which is still my passion…and every company needs IT! So, that’s what’s really driving me. The opportunity to get back to my passion with my new skills.”
