Technology Awards Luncheon: Virtual Event

Prior to enrolling in ITWorks Philadelphia, spring 2017 graduate Chomno was working in his parents’ restaurant in South Philadelphia, trying to self-study to earn his CompTIA A+ certification. He had worked various jobs since high school but couldn’t seem to find a career path. Then, he found ITWorks.

Chomno expressed what he had learned and how he had changed: “ITWorks has been extremely beneficial in my life. I have struggled a lot of with verbal communication. Now, I am more confident in regards to working with people which will make me a better professional and a better person. The people I met, the knowledge I learned, the events I experienced have overall increased the quality of my life. There’s been many times where I have felt stagnant in my personal life and work life, because there was no ladder to climb. ITWorks allowed me to pass the CompTIA A+ certification exam on my first try. That is saying something!”

Chomno completed his internship with Siloam. Shortly after graduation, he began a full-time IT position with Cigna Corporation, and most recently he’s held contract positions as a Hardware Development Specialist at Subaru of America, Inc, an IT Support Specialist at Kimmel Group and as IT Desktop Support at Tower Health.

When Alonzo left college, he was forced to take any job he could find. Before ITWorks, he was working at a restaurant in South Philadelphia. With a passion for technology and no resources for developing a career, he heard from a friend and former ITWorks student about our program. ITWorks gave Alonzo a second chance to fulfill his dream of a career in IT.

A week before his graduation, Alonzo said: “This program has given me purpose and drive to pursue something I enjoy. It has impacted my life so positively. I had no idea what I was going to do with my life when I left college, so when I got that call from Heather that I was accepted – I was 150% committed. This has rejuvenated me and has gotten me excited about life and my future. I know that I have more to look forward to than just working in a kitchen, and that is a big deal.”

He got hands-on experience during his internship at PNC Bank and his good performance secured him an extension of his internship after completing the program. Alonzo is not a full-time employee at Tower Health as a Field Service Technician 1.

Evan developed an interest in technology at a young age, which only grew stronger over time. He said, “As I grew up, the IT industry seemed like a near impossible field – a Catch 22 of sorts – requiring training only offered in professional environments that require prior experience, until I learned about ITWorks.” With determination to reach his goal to become an IT professional, but unsure of his path, he decided to join ITWorks.

“The selling points for me were that it was founded in a nonprofit; propelling the program to reach motivated students who might not be able to pursue a degree. Once I began interviewing, I got a sense of genuine passion from the ITWorks staff which made it feel like I was coming into something that values each individual student and their future success. These kinds of programs are a saving grace for a lot of people. I bounced around in various trades, customer service jobs, but I did not want to lock myself down to an occupation that I didn’t enjoy. I’m ready to move beyond that.”

Evan completed his internship at Reed Smith, graduated with two IT certifications, and secured a full-time IT contract position with Wallingford-Swarthmore School District. While enrolled in college and studying for his Network + Certification, Evan secured a full-time position working for Comcast’s Tech Bar in September 2018.

With more women joining the technology field, Lea decided the time for self-improvement through IT training was now. A career in IT was never something she thought she would be capable of, or even have access to, until a friend recommended the ITWorks program.

Lea said, “Being a part of the program has encouraged me, and built my confidence as a technology professional. I proudly earned my spot in a male-dominated and competitive field, and will continue to learn new information, as well as computer languages. I no longer see a glass ceiling, but a doorway that IT works will help me open.”

Lea completing both her 5 week IT Support internship and an extended internship with Accenture, graduated with her Cisco IT Essentials certification and secured a full-time Help Desk position with Cigna. She has come a long way from being an unemployed high school graduate prior to enrollment, and we believe her journey is far from complete.