Many people have asked me, “How to get into the Information Technology field.” Here, I will tell you how I went from Fast Food and Construction to traveling the world, making over $100,000 a year. I want to inspire other people to believe in their dreams and encourage them to work hard for their goals.
Early Life
School was a place where we hung out with our friends, not to learn anything. I would ace the test, even getting extra credit for knowing obscure facts; however, I would not ever turn in the homework. I was expelled from school in 10th grade for disruptive behavior. My father was not upset; he just matter-a-factly asked me what I would do. It was quite surprising to me. Not only was he not pissed, but it happened so suddenly that I did not think about it. I said the first thing that came to mind “I’ll get my General Education Diploma. “Dad said, “well when”? I said 2 weeks. Well, 2 weeks later, I sat for my GED. I fell asleep on the English portion and still passed. No clue how.
During this time, I had some jobs like Arby’s making $5.25 an hour and cleaning the theater for $6.50hr. After passing my GED, my dad got me working construction with Arizona Pipeline. I was 16/17 making $15hr working 12hr 6 days a week jackhammering. That was some of the most demanding work I have ever done. I was 125lbs, and the jackhammer weighed 175 lbs. The crew I was on did not care as long as you did the job. Then I was put on a prevailing wage job making $38hr. Once that job closed, I helped the mechanic for $10/hr. There was little to no work being done in the wintertime, so they laid us off. During this time I got a job washing dishes for $6.75hr at Carson Valley Inn (CVI).
September 11th, 2001
Most people can tell you where and what they were doing on 9/11. My buddy and I just got back from partying for like 3 days straight. I turned on the TV, and the first plane had just hit the tower. The news was saying it could be an accident. I thought it was a movie, so I turned the channel. It was on every channel; it was real. I told my buddy and called my mom to have her watch it. She asks if this is real, then the second plane slammed into the next tower.
That day was surreal. There was a bomb threat at the school, and part of CVI burned down. With all of that, how could I continue to wash dishes?
Army
I knew that we were going to war with someone, and I wanted in. In 2001, I joined the Army on the delayed entry program at 17. In Feb 2002, I went to Basic Training in Fort Benning, GA. Basic was challenging and gratifying, pushing myself every day breaking mental barriers left and right. I enlisted as a Cavalry Scout but changed my MOS (job) because my recruiter (friend of the family) convinced me to switch to 31 Foxtrot Communications (altered to 25F). Army Payscale.
After Basic, we had to do MOS training for 28 weeks in Fort Gordon, GA. We learned a lot about supervising, installing, operating, and performing maintenance on electronic switches, system control centers, node management facilities, and radio interface equipment. I met my future wife during this training.
My first and only duty station was A Co. 13th Signal Battalion, Fort Hood, TX. I was on a very high-speed Small Extention Node team, and we trained to go to war.
On my second trip to the SandBox with 215th Brigade Support Battalion 3rd Heavy Combat Brigade, I had a Chief Warrant Officer that was a super nerd. I had zero computer experience, and he forced me to go through old computers and “tag and bag” them. [Meaning find the ones that can work and the ones that can’t] This got me thinking and questioning, and my Chief had the answers. When we redeployed back home, I was selected to reclass as a 25B Information Technology Specialist. So back to Fort Gordon, GA.
Army IT
Army training is different from civilian training. We spent only a week on subjects such as A+, N+, S+, Switch Configuration, System Administration, and so on. To MOS qualify, we had to build an entire network from several PCs to configuring a Switch and router, subnetting and all. The Army training gets one to a basic level; most of the configuration is done by the Chief Warrant and Senior Non Commissioned Officers (NCO). After Army training, one would not pass the certification tests without more studying.
Post Army
After I got out of the Army, I got a Contractor job as a Counter-Rocket, Artillery, Mortar (C-RAM) operator in Afghanistan. I did the networking for the radar systems. I changed contracts to Iraq as a Site Information Technology Manager for Combat Operation Base (COB) Speicher. Here I learned about managing projects and understood how much I really did not know about “true” IT.
I took and passed part one of the Comp TIA A+. We did colossal cable plant projects and base building and retrograding of the Northern Bases in Iraq. Coming back to Texas, I used my GI Bill to get my AA, part of which was the MCITP (Microsoft Certified Information Technology Professional). I passed part two, A+ and Network+. One mistake I made was taking a Microsoft test 10 minutes after taking a Comp TIA course. I passed the Security+ and failed the MCITP. I did pass my second time.
In 2013, I received a job offer in Seattle, WA, with Lockheed Martin supporting a contract with the Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) as a Tier 2 Deskside Support Technician. So, we packed up and moved. I learned more about Information Technology than ever before. Our Systems Admin and Network Admin were very patient with asking so many questions.
I started my Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Network with Western Governors University. I was able to have Vocational Rehabilitation pay for my first Information Technology boot camp with InfoSec Institute. Wow, I was used to Army training, but IT boot camps are trying to get you ready to test. Heaping amounts of information are being shoved into your mind. The class was Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), not a beginner class. I failed my first attempt because I did it the day after the course finished. The following week I passed. One of the most demanding and longest certifications, 9 domains, 250 questions, and 6 hours (2014).
Federal Employee
In 2015 I was hired on as a GS employee in South Korea. So, we packed up the family and moved to Seoul, South Korea. I started as a GS 11 Help Desk Technician. During this time, I was still going to WGU. What I really like about WGU is that you have to pass the industry certification to pass the class. Two birds and one stone.
I received the following certifications through WGU:
- Project+
- LPI: Certified Linux Administrator
- Web Design Specialist
- MTA: Windows Operating System Fundamentals
- Microsoft Certified Professional
- CIW Web Foundations Associate
- Linux+
- CompTIA Linux Network Professional – CLNP Stackable Certification
- CompTIA Systems Support Specialist – CSSS Stackable Certification
- LPIC-1
- CCNA
- CompTIA IT Operations Specialist – CIOS Stackable Certification
I was promoted to GS 12 Systems Administrator and Internet Administrator (SharePoint). I had a lot of fun in this role. I was able to take New Horizons’ Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) – Productivity Solutions Expert training. I did not sit for the exam. However, our SharePoint Farm was out of date, and I built out a new 2016 Farm. It worked too!!
One of the funnest classes that I was able to take was SANS SEC504: Hacker Tools, Techniques, and Incident Handling. The instructor was terrific, and the Capture the Flag at the end of the training was so fun. I did not sit for this exam. But this is a great certification for cyber security.
In 2018, I was presented with an opportunity to become the Information Technology Customer Service Branch Chief for Tobyhanna Army Depot. This was a promotion to GS13 and a Supervisory position. So, we packed up and moved to PA.
This position was challenging to put it mildly, but I did love leadership. I was no longer a technician but a leader. I will write more about leadership and how I see it. I provided top cover for my people, something that they were unaccustomed to. It was a toxic environment all around. More so in the Information Technology Division as we were seen by the powers that be as an overhead cost.
I was sent to many leadership courses, and I sent my people to Information Technology boot camps.
I finally finished my BS (only took 5-6 years).
In 2020 I took a lateral position with USACE as an Information Technology Operations Officer. So, we packed up and moved to Anchorage, Alaska. Here I do a lot of what I did as a Supervisor with little stress, mostly.
As an Operations Officer, I am more of a Systems Analyst who deals with budgets, project management, customers, and everything that needs to be done.
Final thoughts
Looking back, I feel that I have accomplished a lot, coming from knowing very little to becoming a Subject Matter Expert in some areas. I have been asked many times as to the best way to break into the Information Technology field. I may flesh this out further in the future, but a quick answer would be:
Always be ready to move for opportunities.
What interests you in IT? Coding, Hacking, Fixing, Building, or Leading
What are you curious about? I spent hours or even days on my own researching, figuring out, and testing servers, routers, hacking techniques, and leadership theories. It motivated me to learn more.
What are you good at? Some are good with people, others aren’t. Some can code, others like me not so much.
If you start to look into a program like WGU, you will get your Bachelor of Science degree in IT and Certification. You will also figure out what fits you. If you already have a degree, look at a job posting and see what they are looking for. Google has a 6-month program certification that can lead to a job. Do not get stuck in a rut, either. If you are working an entry-level Help Desk job, keep learning skills to get you to the next level.
As a hiring manager, I would look for what the applicant was learning. I would ask them what their home network looked like; if they said, “I just got the cable box…” that is very telling. When studying for my CCNA, I had 2 routers, 3 switches, 1 VOIP, and a firewall.
Not to mention the VMs I had during the SEC504 course.
I love it when I see the “nerd” light come on in someone’s eyes talking about something that they are passionate about that is exciting.
So, Nerds, you have read this far. I hope you can take something away from this to help you out. You can reach me by commenting on this post or emailing me. I thank you.
