Haben was in a cycle of job hopping when his lack of vocational purpose inspired him to begin a career in the tech industry. His friend recommended he visit a Goodwill Job Training Center to obtain a free, industry-recognized certification.
So, that’s what Haben did.
“The process was amazing. The instructors are really good at their jobs and offered great resources,” Haben said. “For me, the practice exams and hands-on learning were crucial. When you are going into a tech job, you need practical experience. You can’t just learn the principles; you have to know how to implement them.”
Haben took advantage of Goodwill’s evening classes, coming into the Brice Road Job Training Center four times per week while maintaining his daytime job. After 15 weeks of classes, Haben passed his CompTIA A+ exams and now works at Amazon as an IT data center technician.
“It’s the most engaging job I could have wished for,” Haben – who loves troubleshooting – said. “I recommend Goodwill’s programs to all my friends. As soon as I earned my certification, I noticed immediately how good it would be for my career. Recruiters are still reaching out to me for job requests. At Amazon, I even work with someone who was in the class with me.”
When asked what he is most proud of, Haben said, “For making a brave decision to dive into the tech field. It has paid off.”
For more information about Goodwill’s free career pathway programs, visit www.goodwillcolumbus.org/services.
