Tell me a little bit about your background prior to coming to Yellow Tail Tech.
I’ve been all over the place. Right out of high school, I joined the military as an infantryman. I retired due to an injury, then moved into marketing and promotions. After that, I worked as an electrician, and eventually ended up at the post office, where I stayed for 10 years. At the time, I had to focus on providing for my family, so I couldn’t really take a step back to focus on myself.
My wife also works for the post office. We eventually reached a point where we were stable, and she could see I wasn’t happy, I was just doing what I had to do. She said, “Why don’t you go do you? Go after what you love,” which was IT. I had been trying to get into it for years. Eventually, I was able to resign from my job and join the Yellow Tail Tech program.
Did you have any IT experience prior to coming to Yellow Tail Tech?
I’ve always been passionate about the IT world, but all my experience was self-taught, and not very technical. As for Linux, I only knew it by name. I had never actually used it. I just knew how to spell it.
I remember talking to Jubee while I was still working at the post office. I was really excited about the program, but when I told him my work hours, he said, “Those are the same as class hours, so this probably won’t work for you.”
It was scary to think about quitting my job to pursue this. The post office was a steady, reliable source of income. Leaving that behind felt like a big leap.
How long did it take you to find a job after completing the program?
It took about a year from starting the program to completing the internship and landing a job. I actually started the Lnx for Jobs program on July 26th, and now that I think about it, I got hired exactly one year later, on July 26th.
Has your financial status improved since completion?
Definitely. My first paycheck was three times what I used to make every two weeks at the post office. I essentially tripled my income. To be honest, the job I landed was slightly below what I had hoped for, but the experience I’m gaining is invaluable. I couldn’t pass it up.
How did Yellow Tail Tech prepare you for this journey, getting your certification and all of that?
I want to say that the Yellow Tail Tech program does a great job of preparing you for the exam. Their instructors are highly knowledgeable and very approachable.
If you stick to the program, follow the structure, and don’t try to do your own thing, you’ll pass the certification, no question. That’s the first step: helping everyone get certified.
Beyond that, the internship gives you real experience with the tools used to monitor Linux systems and work in actual development and production environments. It helps you build practical knowledge so that when you go into interviews, you’re not just repeating things you’ve read, you’re speaking from real experience.
You’ve worked in development and production settings. You’ve deployed applications and systems. That kind of hands-on experience shows employers that you’re not just familiar with the concepts, you’ve actually done the work. Even if it’s not the exact setup they use, it proves you’re teachable.
For example, in my case, we deal with a lot of enterprise-level firewalls, something I didn’t see during the internship. But because I had experience working with vSphere, deploying IPA clients, and managing systems, it was easy to transfer that knowledge. It’s just about learning how to apply a new skill to the environment.
Having that solid foundation to stand on made it a lot easier to make that transition.
Definitely. The foundation the Yellow Tail Tech program provides is solid, it takes you from the basics of Linux all the way to a point where you’re confident and capable. If someone starts talking about logs, you know exactly which directory to check.
You don’t need to stop and research every little thing because you’ve built a strong understanding of everything that revolves around the Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system. As a Linux server admin, you know exactly what to do and where to look when issues arise.
Did Yellow Tail Tech also help you on the career side, as far as preparing you for entry into the workforce?
Definitely. The mock interviews were a huge help, especially for someone like me. I tend to be shy during interviews. I overthink, try to overprepare, and end up feeling overwhelmed.
I also got a lot of support with setting up my LinkedIn profile and learning how to structure my resume. What I appreciated most is that they don’t just do it for you, they teach you how to do it yourself.
That way, as you grow in your career, you already have those skills. It adds real value to you as a professional. When you learn something new on the job, you can update your resume confidently and present yourself professionally to future employers.
In your words, what does it take to succeed and have a career in IT?
Perseverance, dedication, and passion are key. But most of all, you have to commit.
It’s a big commitment. I think a lot of people, not just in the Yellow Tail Tech program but in any program, assume they just have to show up on certain days. But it’s more than that.
It’s not just attending classes. It’s about putting in the work afterward, practicing everything you’ve learned. You have to keep practicing and stay open to learning.
If you want to be successful as a Linux server admin, you need to develop a mindset of continuous growth. The tech industry evolves quickly, and keeping up with the latest trends, tools, and best practices will make you stand out.
Ready to start your tech journey? Book a 10-minute intro call with Yellow Tail Tech today.
