Having worked in the banking industry for his entire career, Justin Mayhew implemented his IT hobby into his work from time to time by building mobile banking apps. When the pandemic hit, he decided to turn his hobby into a new profession. Justin enrolled in UTC’s CompTIA ITF course to sharpen his foundational IT skills. Now, he has plans to continue expanding his IT knowledge as he prepares to enter the IT sector.
Marah: Why did you choose to pursue CompTIA ITF certification? Why at UTC?
Justin: I heard about the course by word of mouth, as I have close business associates who work at UTC. Technology has always been a passion of mine, and when I decided to shift gears in my occupation, I knew certifications would help to open more doors. I decided to start with the basics, which is why I chose ITF.
M: What were the most beneficial aspects of the CompTIA ITF course?
J: The program was very in-depth. Before the course, I considered IT to be a hobby and had some IT background knowledge. However, I was surprised by how much I learned about topics I thought I knew a lot about. The course also covered topics I had minimal familiarity with, like networking. I was happy to see this covered since I wanted to learn as much as possible!
M: What was an aspect of the course you really enjoyed?
J: The instructor, Troy Carroll, made sure to not only give us information but also shared how we would apply that information in a real-world setting. I believe that learning to apply information is what will truly help me be the most valuable asset I can be to an organization. I also thought the instructor was outstanding and knowledgeable on the subject. I respect the breadth of his knowledge, and CPE is fortunate to have an employee like him on their payroll!
M: What advice would you give to someone preparing for their CompTIA ITF certification exam?
J: The test is not anything to take lightly and is very thorough. Pay attention to what you are learning in the course; you can’t give half of your attention and expect to do well on the exam. Troy more than sufficiently prepared us for the exam and was highly informative regarding what to expect on the test. Without his instruction, the exam would have been much more difficult.
M: What advice would you give someone interested in the CompTIA ITF course?
J: Take the course! If the pandemic has taught us anything, it has taught us the importance of tech and the infrastructure we need to work and study remotely. IT and data science are the future. It’s making the world go round nowadays!
M: Did your confidence grow by taking the course?
J: Certainly. Now, I have a lot more information to bring to a business scenario.
M: What’s next now that you’re ITF certified?
J: UTC’s course actually motivated me to pursue a master’s degree in computer science. I also know that I want to take more CompTIA certification courses in the future. I am always looking to expand my horizons and to keep learning!
M: Is there anything else you would like to share about your CompTIA ITF experience?
J: My experience was extremely positive. The communication was instantaneous and there were no technical hiccups with it being online. The course was well-orchestrated and structured well. I want to give a big shoutout to the instructor, Troy, and CPE’s director, John Freeze. They made the program wonderful.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Marah Whitaker (think Laura with an M) serves as the marketing assistant for the UTC Center for Professional Education. During the workday, she spends time writing blog posts, creating content for social media, developing email campaigns, and building relationships with CPE’s customer base. During her free time, you can find her getting lost in a good book, having spontaneous dance parties, playing piano, and going to Buffalo Wild Wings on Wing Night. Professionally and personally, she aspires to live by Mr. Feeny’s advice, “Dream. Believe. Try. Do Good.” She strives to use her passions to serve others and contribute positively to the world around her.
Connect with Marah on LinkedIn.