Graduate Profile: Anacani Briseno
Immigrant Journeys
Anacani Briseno is a graduate of the ActivateWork Summer 2021 cohort.
Anacani first developed an interest in computer systems as a child through her brothers, who often shared their computer games with her. Since then, she has been experimenting with computers in her own time as a hobby.
Anacani was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. She graduated from George Washington High School where she had taken college-level courses with the intent of going to college. She graduated in 2012 and went on to Metropolitan State University of Denver where she received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in management.
Anacani had hoped to continue to graduate school, but her financial situation held her back. Freshly graduated but unsure what she wanted to do next, Anacani joined the Transportation Security Administration at Denver International Airport.
For three years, she worked as an agent and slowly leveled up the ranks to an officer position. But she found herself taking on roles that she didn’t feel comfortable in. Then the coronavirus pandemic shut everything down. With the airports running on survival mode, Anacani watched as many of her coworkers lost their jobs or quit. She remembers, “it was a very stressful work environment for everyone there.” She realized that a career in IT could put her where she wanted to be mentally and financially.
In the beginning of the shutdown, she had been going to work at the airport while many of her coworkers worked remotely from home. There were days where she spent a lot of her time on the phone in the airport with an IT support person working from their home. After a while, Anacani would ask the IT support members about their industry. With her background knowledge and understanding of computers systems, Anacani channeled her frustrations with her workplace into a search for better opportunities. She says, “I went down rabbit holes of information looking for the answers I needed.” And from those rabbit holes, Anacani turned it into a curious exploration of jobs in the industry.
She discovered ActivateWork’s tuition-free IT training through an Indeed job posting. “I thought it was too good to be true,” she said. She was intrigued and felt that she should scope out the program before she wrote it off. She applied and found out that it was an educational course designed to help people like her level up in the workforce. Anacani felt that her participation in the program would give her a leg up in the job search process. She felt confident despite the rigorous 15-week commitment that she could find great success with the support of the community ActivateWork could provide.
“It was a lot. I was up from 4 AM and often didn’t get down time until 12 AM. I was trying to balance work and going to school, but joining ActivateWork was a 180 degree change for me.”
After graduating with her IT support certification, Anacani started her job at Ardent Mills as an IT support analyst.
“I feel like I’ve finally found a company that will put their employees first,” she said. “They’re very supportive of their people and are open to helping them through more workforce development. I’m a lot happier here.”
Anacani feels that she has a great team at Ardent Mills—she appreciates the encouragement and support of her team to help her continue in an upward trajectory. She plans to continue to upskill and expand her skill set into cloud computing and engineering.
Graduate Profile: Randy Cordova
Immigrant Journeys
Randy Cordova graduated this spring from ActivateWork powered by Per Scholas with his IT Support certification.
Randy had been interested in tech all his life but only became involved in the field in recent years. He had previously worked a variety of jobs, including construction, plumbing, and customer service.
While pursuing a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems, Randy realized that his education was not actually providing him with the experience he needed to secure a job. All of the jobs Randy looked at also required specific certifications he wanted to earn, but he found it difficult to find the motivation to pursue them alone. Randy joined ActivateWork’s IT Support cohort and found it to be exactly what he needed. Randy credits the structure and discipline provided by a classroom setting and the support from his colleagues and the team at ActivateWork for helping him complete the course.
He enjoyed the diversity of his cohort and was overwhelmed by the support that the program provided for him.
“The whole program – the professional development, the mock-interviews — it gave me the confidence that I needed,” Randy recalled. “It changed the way that I think. Instead of being intimidated, I had confidence, and I had a whole team of people helping me with what I needed. Doing [ActivateWork] was probably one of the best choices I ever made.”
Since graduating, Randy has begun working full-time as an IT service desk analyst at Centura Health. He is interested in potentially pursuing Networking, Cloud Support, and Cybersecurity certifications and is currently taking an alumni NET+ course through ActivateWork.
“I feel like my path is on the right track for everything I need to do, so I’m very excited,” Randy reflected. “My confidence is up! This was a great opportunity. My whole cohort was so intelligent, and the teachers were great. I think this really changed my life.”
Graduate Profile: Mamadou Diallo
Immigrant Journeys
Mamadou Diallo, an ActivateWork graduate of 2021, is a dedicated student of personal and academic growth. He spends much of his free time studying subjects of philosophy, computer science, and general well-being.
Before immigrating to the US from Senegal, Mamadou had completed his bachelor’s in biology. He worked as a mental health counselor and health technician for a while after graduation. While it was honest work, he felt that IT was where he wanted to be in the long run.
Mamadou’s interest in IT grew when he worked as a customer service rep troubleshooting iPads and desktops. When Mamadou moved to join his cousin in the US, he knew he would want to enroll in school and began studying computer networking at the Community College of Aurora.
He felt that doing so would give him a leg up in the job market and make him eligible for more diverse job opportunities.
However, the transition was difficult; despite his interest and passion, he found that the school’s affordability was taking its toll. He had begun applying for entry-level tech jobs to no avail. At the time, Mamadou didn’t have a strong resume, nor did he have the tech certificates to back up his skillset. He thought that all his years of IT work experience should have qualified, if not over-qualified, him for all the positions he was applying for.
“I just needed someone who could allow me to start from the bottom.”
One day, he had brought this sentiment to his friends at a barbecue his brother hosted, and someone from the BBQ told him about ActivateWork.
“He said they helped you with everything; school, resume, and getting a job, so I applied. I thought it was too good to be true,” he said.
The next day, he applied. When he came to ActivateWork, Mamadou had already stopped applying for jobs. He was discouraged by the requirements employers were asking for in entry-level positions.
At ActivateWork, he was given a team of support. Before long, Mamadou was flying through his coursework. He worked with Dulcy Booth, Director of Career Development, to spruce up his resume. With the help of Ace VanWanseele, Manager of Business Solutions, he applied for jobs until he landed a position as Advance Video Engineer I at Spectrum/Charter.
“I am so happy. This is real.” Mamadou had been self-studying IT material for years. He took courses online through sites like Udemy and read textbooks, but ActivateWork helped him fill the gaps where self-teaching fell short. “I am so grateful for what ActivateWork does.”
Aside from studying, Mamadou enjoys spending time with his friends. You can catch him playing soccer in our local parks or enjoying a meal at Noodles & Company. His longer-term goals include upskilling in areas including Python, Terraform, Docker, and Kubernetes. Ultimately, he hopes to work in Cloud systems where he can expand his diverse skillset.
Graduate Profile: Elena Kim
Immigrant Journeys
A multicultural professional with Russian, Korean, and Uzbekistan roots, Elena moved to the US at the age of 24 without knowing any English.
Her diverse professional experience as a former accountant, bakery manager, photographer, and real estate agent has provided her with a rich skill set that she now brings to her tech career.
Elena’s journey at the Credit Union of Colorado exemplifies dedication and growth. As she neared her six-month milestone, Elena’s enthusiasm and engagement in her help desk responsibilities were evident.
“When I was an accountant, I worked with QuickBooks and often collaborated with my best friend, who is a cybersecurity specialist. Watching her work and asking questions sparked my fascination with the process.”
Her commitment to continuous learning and development is evident as she aims to transition from an end-user specialist to a full-time help desk technician, with a future goal of moving into cybersecurity.
Pursuing a CompTIA Security+ certification upon transitioning to full-time status highlights her dedication to advancing her skills and career within the organization. Elena credits her ActivateWork career coaches for playing a crucial role in providing the necessary guidance and resources for her personal and professional growth.
“My coaches at ActivateWork have been instrumental in ensuring that I received the guidance and resources I need for professional development.”
Elena’s story is a testament to resilience, growth, and the relentless pursuit of excellence! Her journey is an example of what can be achieved with hard work and the right support.