Community college for career changers: From social work to IT operations
In this episode Brady share’s how he transitioned from social work at a nonprofit to doing all the things at a small startup. Like many career changers, Brady has a bachelors degree. He put it to good use working at a nonprofit as a social work counselor. But it was his curiosity about tech that created a spark to try something different. So he went back to school at Portland Community College to get a technical degree in computer information systems.
We talk about what it’s like to go through a hands-on technical program. Brady also shares how he uses his soft skills from his nonprofit work in his technical role. Plus we dive into the future of work to look at how new technology is reshaping our careers and how new educational paths can help career changers who want to get into tech.
Listen to this if you're curious about how to get into tech or curious about how your local community college can help you make a career change.
Quotes on getting into tech:
“From a social work background, I had an aptitude for technology but actually learning what’s under the hood is what I needed to do.”
“For every job in tech, soft skills have value.”
Advice for career changers:
“It’s definitely stressful in the moment but it’s totally worth it. If you’re not happy where you are currently, just go for it. There are so many resources out there to help facilitate a career change and the barriers to entry are pretty low because it’s such a good job market right now. Go for it. You’ll look back on it and be happy that you made that choice.”