Introduce yourself, along with your new title and your new company.
Right now I’m working with a Red Hat System Engineer, specifically working in support. What we do most of the time right now is we’re using the new storage called self-storage, and that’s the part of the group that I’m working with right now.
Did you have any IT background prior to coming to Yellowtail Tech?
I can say I have it, but I can’t say I fully have it because I took some priority classes, especially SQL and coding. I took a 6-month bootcamp that everyone talked about. I completed it and was able to pass my certification. I got it, and right before I earned the certification, that’s when COVID hit. At that point, I had two interviews, but things didn’t work out, and then COVID hit.
After COVID, I knew I needed to go back and do something. I started doing research. The bootcamp I had taken showed me things on paper, but it didn’t give me real hands-on experience, no “put your hands on this, do that” kind of training.
I started looking for a program that would give me that chance, something like an internship or something practical that would make me feel like, “Hey, whatever I’m learning, I can actually apply it”, not just study it, but actually do it.
That’s when I found Yellow Tail Tech. I didn’t receive any email from Yellow Tail Tech. Nobody told me about it. I was just doing my own research, and based on that, I had maybe 10 companies I was considering. But I chose Yellow Tail Tech. That was my only experience in the IT world aside from the bootcamp, nothing else before that.
Tell me about your experience. Did you feel like they really prepared you to hit the ground running in this new position of yours?
I want to give a big shout-out to Yellow Tail Tech because as soon as I got down there with no experience, the way they put the program together, the way they set it up was very, very, very easy for me. And of course, I put a lot of work into it.
Also, I had a very wonderful teacher, George, Alan, and Arman, who really helped me. Alan told me, “Allow me to teach you.” As soon as you say something like that, I’m like, OK.
The way the class was structured was very easy for me. Yes, I had to put a lot of work in, leave my family, stay up late at night, and stuff like that, but it was very worth it. I was able to be the MVP of my class very quickly because I put so much work into it.
A couple of days after I finished the class, I went and passed my exam on the first round, and it just worked out that way.
Did you purposely come up with a schedule for your studies, or how were you able to balance all of that all at once?
It wasn’t easy. My wife isn’t working. She’s in school right now, and we have two teenage daughters. I was working at Trader Joe’s, putting in long hours to support my family while also attending school.
I had a conversation with my wife and said, “We only have 24 hours in a day. I’ll spend 10 hours working, but the rest will be tough. Things like, ‘Hey baby, when are you coming to bed?’, that won’t be happening, at least for a year.” She understood. I talked to my daughters, too, and they were on board.
Every time I came home, I went straight to my computer. If I didn’t have class, I was meeting with classmates. If not, I was in review sessions every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It was hard, but we all get the same 24 hours; I didn’t make excuses.
What advice would you have for others with no technical background who are interested in getting into tech?
I already have a few people looking into it right now. I’ve been sharing what I’ve learned, and a lot of my ex-coworkers, especially those who’ve seen my journey from where I started to where I am now, are realizing there’s room for them, too.
I reached out to a few of them, especially three I worked closely. I explained the program, how it works, and what to expect. They’ve already signed up.
The advice I give them is simple: be yourself and put in the time. The program isn’t rigid. There’s no strict Monday, Wednesday, Friday setup, and the weekend review sessions really help. I just encourage them to do their best and stay consistent. The process works if you stick with it. There’s nothing to be afraid of.
I’m living proof. I had zero IT experience, and now I’m working at one of my dream companies, Red Hat as a Red Hat System Engineer. That dream was sparked by my teacher, Alan Michel.
It’s not easy. There will be ups and downs. But if you’re willing to put in the work, you’ll get there.
Ready to start your tech journey? Book a 10-minute intro call with Yellow Tail Tech today.
