TECH FUNDAMENTALS
FALL 2020
OUR STORY NPower is a national nonprofit that offers an alternative fast-track to tech careers for military veterans, military spouses and young adults from underserved communities in New York, Texas, California, Maryland, New Jersey, Missouri, and Michigan. Our six-month program fuels a diverse pipeline of digital professionals hired into entry-level and mid-level jobs by Fortune 500 companies throughout the U.S. Our curriculum equips students to meet marketplace demand—engaging businesses, volunteers and nonprofits in their long-term success. We invest in the growth of our alumni with continued professional development and credentialing. b
NATIONAL
BOARD OF DIRECTORS David Reilly | Chair Chief Information Officer, Global Banking and Markets Bank of America Matt Horner | Vice Chair Senior Vice President, Global Enterprise Sales World Wide Technology, Inc.
Dean Del Vecchio EVP, Chief of Operations and CIO The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America
Viola Maxwell-Thompson President and CEO Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF)
Guillermo Diaz, Jr. Chief Executive Officer Kloudspot
Stephen M. Murphy Sr. Managing Director, Financial Services Technology Global Lead Accenture
Gail Fierstein | Secretary Head of People CaaStle
Michael Fey Co-Founder & CEO Zero Abstraction
Vittorio Cretella | Treasurer Chief Information Officer Proctor & Gamble
Debra King Senior Vice President, Chief Information Officer Corteva Agriscience
Steven Ballantyne COO Watermark Insights Randy Barnhardt
US MARINE CORPS (RETIRED)
VP, Cloud & Innovative Solutions SHI International Corp. Craig Cuffie SVP, Chief Procurement Officer Salesforce
Frank Pedersen Partner Apply Digital Christopher J. Perry President Broadridge Financial Solutions
Dwight D. Shepherd
REAR ADMIRAL (RETIRED)
President Dwight Shepherd Consulting Anupam Singhal Senior Vice President and Business Head Tata Consultancy Services Josh Sutton Chief Executive Officer Agorai Peter Trizzino Senior Vice President, Global Sales Dell Technologies
Jenifer Kleinert Chief Operating Officer, Enterprise Infrastructure Operations & Technology Citi
Dan Petrozzo Partner Oak HC/FT
Sangy Vatsa Executive Vice President & Chief Technology and Digital Officer FIS Global
Thomas Knowlton CEO CSR Talent Group
Larry Quinlan Global CIO Deloitte
Bertina Ceccarelli Chief Executive Officer NPower
Diane Schwarz VP, Chief Information Officer Johnson Controls
MISSOURI
Yvena Atkins Strategy Manager Accenture Matt Holton Senior Vice President, Operations & Technology, NAM Mastercard Matt Horner SVP, Global Enterprise Sales World Wide Technology Jon Joplin Vice President of Technology Express Scripts
Gerry Lewis President and CEO Ascension Information Services (AIS) Brian Mize Department Manager, Global Cyber Security Information Security Office Enterprise Holdings, Inc. Valerie Patton SVP, Inclusion and Talent Attraction, ED, St. Louis Business Diversity Initiative St. Louis Regional Chamber
Scott Richert CIO Mercy Michael Rupinski President ZeroDay Technology Solutions Gary Smith Director, Architecture & Engineering, KTech KPMG Reggie Swanigan CIO Together Credit Union
Nicole Tate Area Vice President, Global Client Enablement World Wide Technology Jerry Walker Director of Information Technology City of St. Louis Treasurer's Office Erica Wilson Vice President, Chief Information Security Officer Cass Information Systems
TECH FUNDAMENTALS | FALL 2020
REGIONAL ADVISORY BOARD
3
NPOWER MISSOURI
TECH FUNDAMENTALS FALL 2020 STATISTICS The curriculum for this program includes a NetAcad learning module courtesy of the Cisco Networking Academy.
80% GRADUATION RATE
73%
COMPTIA IT FUNDAMENTALS+ CERTIFICATION
26% WOMEN
4
68%
BLACK / LATINX
OLUWATOBILOBA ADENIYI
JIMANIQUA BALDWIN
KEGAN BAUMGARTE
TECH FUNDAMENTALS | FALL 2020
Before I joined NPower I was working as a cashier at a truck stop. I want to thank NPower for giving Before NPower, I was getting by me a chance to grow as a human with random jobs. While at NPower, I had gone to college and was looking for a chance to grow being and helping put me in place I became more aware of what I in the IT field. I loved technology, to be ready for job interviews. wanted to do in life. NPower gave Before joining NPower, I was a me self-confidence and broadened and college had helped this passion grow. Hardware and supervisor at a Walmart Auto Care my goals to achieve anything I Center for a year. At NPower, I want. I gained skills, both technical networking are the two things that really got me into the IT field. I have learned more soft skills and and professional. I also enjoyed hard skills that can make me experiences from simulations and have a passion for both, and after studying and getting to know an asset to any job. During this certification programs like Cisco process, I developed an interest in Entrepreneurship and Accenture. I more about the hardware and project management. I want to can be my best self, while growing networking aspects of IT, I want to work in IT for the rest of my life. have a long-term career in project and developing new skills. I want NPower taught me everything I management. I’m excited for to continue to grow and learn. needed to know about hardware, what the future holds. Thanks to NPower, I will do this software, and networking. I want with confidence! to become a network administrator and continue to grow!
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6
SAHIL BHAKTA
JOHN BOYD
CENTILUS BUCHANAN
Before NPower I was attending college, majoring in information systems, as well as working as a part-time delivery driver. My interest in IT has been there my whole life as I find the field and industry very interesting. For the long term, I would love to grow and strive in the field as I continue to learn technologies both old and new. What led me to NPower was the desire to get into the field as soon as possible. It aligned perfectly with my interests and what I want to accomplish in life. I learned a lot when it came to tech skills, but the biggest benefit was social development. I was not the best with people and would get nervous, but doing this made me feel more comfortable being around other people and myself.
Before taking courses at NPower, I was in a rocky position. Even The experience at NPower was a though I got my bachelor’s degree once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in information systems and that I will remember for the rest of technology, I had trouble launching my days on this earth. My path a career. After failed attempts, before NPower seemed clear and I went back to the drawing board. concrete because my field of I knew I needed to add to my skills study was information systems; and experience. Obtaining my A+ I also had an interest in economics. certification was a defining factor The tides of time would soon in doing so. After taking classes change life, in a way I wasn’t at NPower, through their training prepared for. My interest in IT and my steady commitment, comes from the essence of my I accomplished what I so yearned being. I am drawn to it like a to reach. I gained foundational moth to a flame. What led me to knowledge of software, hardware, NPower was a friend who told network topologies, and more. me how his experience helped I subsequently presented myself him expand his professional path. as a well-rounded, emerging I learned an abundance of IT professional. I have accepted a concepts that could fill the shelves role as an IT specialist with a solid of a college library! organization, earning a decent starting salary of $45,000. NPower has truly helped me jumpstart my IT career!
Before finding NPower, I worked retail, warehouse, and customer service-oriented jobs, with little room to grow. I was stuck in neutral and didn't know how to move forward. While on Indeed.com, I found NPower and was delighted with what I saw. I was interested in information technology but never had any real training or experience outside of the basics and a few courses, I decided to give it a chance. Turns out this program was what I wanted and more! I felt embraced and supported; my passion for technology only grew as I started to refresh what I already knew while learning things I didn’t. By no means do you have to be a whiz in IT, because the instructors teach the ins and outs so you feel confident going into an entrylevel position. NPower gives you certifications that show potential employers you have a tech foundation. I have accepted a position with Hazelwood School District as an IT specialist and eventually want to start my own tech repair business.
SERGIO (NIKKO) CHIRCO I was attending university, pursuing a degree in information systems, before NPower. After three years, I realized that I could not learn the skills I needed to prosper in the IT world. I started searching online for internships and programs, which led me to NPower. I was intrigued but cautious going into the program, but I soon realized this was an opportunity of a lifetime. NPower helped expand my technical and professional skills in a way that I could not do alone. The instructors care about you and want to see you succeed. I am grateful for this experience and my classmates with whom I have grown close. After graduation, I plan to obtain more certifications and become a network administrator.
DEVAN COLLINS Before finding NPower, I didn’t know what I wanted to do for a career; every job was unfulfilling. At one point a friend told me a program; I thought that it sounded interesting and looked into it. Later I found NPower on Indeed. com and decided to give it a try. I was pleased to find out how supportive and helpful the program is and how nice the instructors are. I also liked how the program offers help in other ways I didn’t expect, such as how to do well in interviews. NPower provides different employment and internship opportunities. I am happy that I decided to stick with the program, and I look forward to my future with NPower! TECH FUNDAMENTALS | FALL 2020
ANTHONY CARTER
7
THOMAS CROFT
CHRISTOPHER DAVIS
A friend referred me to NPower, since she knew I had a passion for I am grateful to NPower on this game development and believed journey. The company I had NPower would be a great start for invested six years in went out of me to launch my career. I was business. I had worked my way up struggling to get a job and provide the ranks faster than most. I was for my family. NPower gave me in a managerial position, and I the wonderful opportunity to get worried about looking for work. my ITF & A+ certifications and This forced me to take a step start my career. This is just the back and assess what I want in life. beginning of my journey, and I The work I was doing made me am extremely grateful for this feel empty. I decided to make a opportunity. I honestly had no change. I was looking for tech idea where my life was going or jobs but couldn’t get my foot in what I wanted to do. So many the door. When I got the call from doors have opened up for me now! NPower, I was skeptical—until the Once I get all my certifications, first day of class. I couldn’t believe it is game time and time to keep anything this valuable would be moving forward. Thank you, free! NPower gave me technical everyone at NPower, for being a and professional skills to make part of my journey. it in IT. I dream of working for a prestigious company. I am excited to learn new skills; I persevere when studies don’t come easy. My father did manual labor all his life. I thought because I didn’t have money for education, I would follow suit. NPower helped me see this is untrue. Thank you, NPower!
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JORIA DAVIS I stumbled upon NPower while looking for IT job opportunities and decided to apply to Tech Fundamentals and complete it along with my college studies. This was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. NPower gave me countless opportunities and built my confidence in my IT skills. From professional development opportunities, including networking, resume building and interviewing tips, to technical instruction, including hardware and software, and the opportunity to earn industry-recognized certifications, NPower has had a major impact on my life. The instructors truly want you succeed. When you have someone else believing in you, it makes it much easier to believe in yourself. My goal is to become an ethical hacker or pen tester, and NPower gave me with the stepping stone I needed!
IAN EDWARDS
Before NPower I was working a My interest in IT started when my dead-end job as a technicalfirst computer caught a virus, support agent, barely paying the leading to a costly repair. I have bills. I was searching for a career since spent numerous hours to challenge me. I had some basic completing general applications, training; however, I was finding regularly submitting unfocused it hard to find and qualify for other resumes, and acquiring a collection IT jobs. I found NPower through of disheartening rejection letters. LinkedIn. NPower helped me grow This was my story until I found with professional development NPower on Indeed.com. Before days, teaching me how to better NPower, I was working full-time present myself with resumes and while taking computer courses in interviews. I learned a vast at university. What I love most amount of technical information about this opportunity is that it and got training I was missing in promised to teach me about my IT job. NPower’s fast pace different areas of technology, and all-encompassing support provide tools that technicians was invigorating and enjoyable. have at their disposal, and show Through learning and practicing different career paths. I gained networking skills, I connected confidence in my technical skills with many professionals and have that school alone could not been honored to have their advice provide. After graduation, I plan and encouragement. I completed to begin a career focused on my CompTIA ITF+ certification cybersecurity and one day and will be getting my CompTIA become a contract technology A+ one soon. consultant.
RYAN FISCHER It took a lot of hard work, but after my NPower training, I feel ready to enter the world of IT. I've made some good friends and met many amazing mentors through the program. I don't think I could have asked for a better group of people to help me along my journey.
TECH FUNDAMENTALS | FALL 2020
NATHAN DAVIS
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10
KAYLA GIBSON
FRED GOODGAIM III
JOSEPH GOODWIN
Before joining NPower, I just graduated from college with a music degree. I had worked temporary jobs in various fields and realized that I didn’t want to teach music. NPower gave me a chance to explore the field of technology, which I had become interested in. While I don’t entirely know what I would like to do in the field yet, NPower helped me experience some of the different aspects of IT. I enjoyed learning about hardware and software and how they are integrated. In addition, learning about cloud computing and cybersecurity gave me something to look deeper into once I get more hands-on experience. I’m eager to join the workforce and apply my knowledge. This program has given me a chance, and I will forever be grateful!
NPower has been an amazing experience! Before NPower, I had just graduated from college and was looking for full-time employment. The pandemic made me rethink this route. I needed more technical skills and a way to better myself as an IT professional. I found NPower on Indeed.com and saw that I had an opportunity to do just that. They have taught me things that I didn’t learn in college, mainly about the hardware components of a computer and router. They also taught me personal skills and how to be the best person I can be in the workspace. Thanks to NPower, I earned multiple certifications and feel more confident than ever in my ability as an IT professional!
After high school, I served in the U.S. Army and spent eight years in the food industry. I looked for opportunities requiring a wide variety of skills. During my time at NPower, I experienced many new areas of study and my passion for work. In the future, I plan to enter the human resources field of the tech industry.
MAYSON HENDRIX
JOSHUA HYATT
Before NPower, I planned to return to college. Academic excellence has always been a goal, but I was juggling jobs and paying expenses from the prior semester. Once the pandemic hit, I decided to apply my learning experiences to gain opportunities in the corporate world. I was introduced to NPower by an employee at World Wide Technology who explained how they help young adults develop professional backgrounds and offer free IT training. I enrolled and learned the basics of hardware infrastructure and networking software. I enjoyed the professional development days—even when I had challenging moments. I learned to embrace challenges and work on self-improvement from discussions with my peers and instructors. My internship placement with CoLabL will afford me projectmanagement experience and application-software development.
Before NPower, I was working as a waitress. Trying to pay my bills and save money with an unsteady income was difficult. I needed to make a change to find stability and comfort, so I searched Indeed.com every night, looking for career possibilities. I didn’t have money for college. I stumbled across NPower, and it was the answer to my prayers! I had always been interested in technology. NPower helped me in more ways than I ever imagined. Not only did I gain IT skills, valuable IT experience, and knowledge about IT, I also learned life skills. NPower doesn’t just care about your education. The staff genuinely cares about the well-being and mental health of trainees. All we had to do was put in the hard work. I’m working for Transcom, troubleshooting devices as a valued team member. I even have benefits! I will be forever grateful to NPower!
I had the best, most welcoming experience with NPower! Everyone was kind, and the instructors were always willing to help. I made friendships the very first week. Before joining NPower, I was going to community college and working at a restaurant. This was a big opportunity as I love learning about new technology and figuring stuff out. I found out about NPower through a friend. I learned many things about IT, and I most definitely do not regret it. My long-term career goal is to get a good job in IT and lead a happy life.
TECH FUNDAMENTALS | FALL 2020
AJA HENDERSON
11
12
THOMAS IRONS
LOVE ISAAC
JORDAN JENKINS
Before I was introduced to NPower, I was a full-time student working 40 hours a week at an ice cream shop. I was not satisfied with where I was in life and felt I needed to get more serious about my career. I was interested in technology because my parents work in the profession, so I was around computers a lot. I changed my major while in school, but still felt behind in my progress towards a career. That is when one of the recruiting team members from NPower reached out to me on LinkedIn. This was the opportunity I was waiting for! I got the boost in confidence and knowledge I needed to compete with my peers. The training at NPower provided more than enough knowledge of hardware, networking, professional development. I will continue to work on my college degree, but this time I will have a foot in the door of the technology field.
Before NPower, I was working in customer-service roles. I got interested in IT because I feel like you can do a lot with it. The field is always changing, and the ways to help the world are ever expanding. I would love to be a penetration tester for the government or a high-level tech company. I think this is a cool way to get experience in hacking. I think NPower is a great program to not only learn soft skills you need as a person, but also to learn the basic fundamentals of IT. Everyone cares about you!
I went to college to study computer science, leaving after five years with zero work experience. I had no confidence and wondered if I wanted anything to do with technology. I knew I’d struggle to find a job with little work experience, so I had mentally prepared myself to work wherever I could find a job. Then I found NPower, a program that not only promised to help propel me in a field notorious for its high entry gate, but also boasted that its graduates felt confident and comfortable in the workplace. I applied thinking I would be starting over at ground zero, but honestly, I’m leaving more well-rounded and confident. This is why I am currently pursuing a position at NPower as an assistant instructor. I want to provide the same boost in confidence to future NPower students that my instructors gave me.
GERMAIN KIRKWOOD
LEILANI KLEIN
Before discovering NPower, I had just finished high school and was searching for jobs. I was eager to explore the workforce and start making money. I found that hard to do in the pandemic. I've known since I was young that technology was my passion, and I love helping people. My brother recognized those qualities and sent a link for a program that would alter my trajectory. NPower gave me tools to develop my passions and turn them into tangible career opportunities. My instructors have been engaging and encouraging. Despite our interactions occurring over Zoom, I feel connected to my NPower family. I’m grateful to them for teaching me how to achieve my goals and guiding me towards the path to success. I’m incredibly honored to be graduating along with talented people.
I found NPower while searching for internships on Indeed.com. I Before NPower I was working as had been pursuing my bachelor’s a lead supervisor at a technology degree in information systems company while working on my and was looking for experience computer engineering degree. and hands-on training. NPower Working in IT has always been a was that and so much more. Even passion. and after hearing about in a pandemic, with my peers and the certifications NPower offers, the awesome instructors, we I was hooked. I had found a program that offered everything I powered through so much information and built so many wanted to pursue a career in IT. great connections as we prepared NPower taught me things that for our certifications and had college didn’t. The instructors made sure to include every detail, professional development workshop days. I hope I to use my from pictures to simulations, to experience to start my career in IT make sure we would pass tests while I finish my bachelor’s and get certifications. I loved the degree. I have learned so much, professional development days and networking with professionals. as well as acquired a better understanding of my career goals. I learned to be more confident in interviews and how to boost my professionalism. NPower inspired me to take my IT career to a new level. My long-term plan is to pursue a career in cybersecurity.
TECH FUNDAMENTALS | FALL 2020
CALEB KELSEY
13
14
SETH KLOTZBACH
ALEC LEE
DAYJA LOWE
Before NPower, I was working as an automotive technician. After browsing jobs for something that would be more career-focused, I found a job posting for an IT internship with NPower. I was interested in learning how technology works and how to repair and troubleshoot, so NPower seemed like the perfect fit. It was exactly what I had been looking for—a training course with a real career path and the added bonuses of professional development and a staff that is dedicated to trainees’ success. I went from barely being able to set up a router to being able to list off and explain anything from BIOS to DHCP. I learned about troubleshooting, hardware, networking, and even a bit of ethical hacking. Long term, I hope to get into the cybersecurity field, ideally working in a government job to help prepare for and prevent cybersecurity threats to the nation.
Embarking on a journey of growth in the midst of a pandemic is challenging. The genuine support system of the NPower staff prepares you for your future. I felt a sense of community and evolved my own level of thinking. Moving forward with the skills I’ve obtained, as well as the resources, launching my digital career is only the beginning. Discovering how I can implement my tech hardware knowledge to improve my film editing will be a game changer.
Before I joined NPower, I worked a full-time job and was in college studying to get a degree in IT. I was hoping to start a dream after graduating. I became interested in tech in high school when I took an advanced computer course. Reading about NPower and how they have helped many people my age made me feel confident about being a woman in the IT field. After joining NPower and receiving my ITF+ certification, I didn't feel lost anymore. With all the things I learned, I want to take extra courses to receive different certifications because this world is limitless due to NPower!
Before I learned about NPower, I went to university seeking a quality education in technology. But I still felt like I wasn’t understanding enough. That’s what brought me to NPower. I wanted to learn and acquire the skills needed to get into the technology field. This program brought me the much-needed confidence and reassurance that I was taking the right steps, especially with the opportunity to be CompTIA certified. On top of the technological advancement NPower offers, they also take time to help their students improve professionally with a weekly professional development class. Everyone makes sure you know that you’re supported and pushes you to be the best you can be. I have grown in more ways than expected. After I graduate, I will enroll in an advanced NPower program and use the skills and certifications that I’ve earned so far to find a stable place to work.
DESIREE OSBORNE
CODY RAMEY
I started my IT educational training at a technical college, where I graduated with a two-year certificate in Microsoft Windows Server. However, I was having a difficult time getting a job. I was on Indeed.com looking for a job when I saw that NPower was accepting applications for IT trainees. I applied and was selected. NPower is great because the instructors go over computerbased information such as software application and computer hardware. This helped me study for the IT certifications that companies prefer that applicants have. NPower also does mock interviews to help prepare students. I passed the CompTIA ITF+ certification. I am confident that I will pass the CompTIA A+ certification as well. I hope to get a job in IT because I'm eager to start my career!
Before joining NPower, I was trying to decide what career to pursue. I tried many different things, from going to college to becoming an engineer to looking into joining the police academy. Eventually, I looked into jobs that included problem-solving and working with computers. While searching for internships on Indeed.com, I found NPower. After getting in, I was a little nervous since the class was going to be online, but after the first week I started to enjoy coming to class and learning new things every day. I learned more than I could ever imagine. I never expected to also have professional development days. After NPower, I will take all that has been given to me and apply it to my path in tech!
TECH FUNDAMENTALS | FALL 2020
GABRIELLE MCCALEB
15
16
JARVIS REESE
NATALIE ROSE
TJ RUCK
When I was in high school, my computer-programming teacher told me about NPower. I first chose another route towards IT that didn’t work out. My mom introduced me to the Family & Workforce Center of America, and they also suggested NPower. I took the chance to see what it was about. I was working a seasonal job near my home. When my car started to act up, I would have to walk to work. When I couldn’t work anymore, I would sometimes run out of money. NPower helped me get back on my feet. In addition to tech skills, I learned how to manage my money better, write a personal elevator pitch, and how to behave at a work.
I had quite the journey to get to IT, but now that I am here, I’m very happy. I had my first IT experience in college where I built my own computer. I enjoyed that process so much and looked forward to building another computer. I then went to pharmacy school and started doing research involving Python. While pharmacy was not my path, the experience building computers and that bit of coding really got me into computers more, and with all the technological advances in healthcare, science, and VR, I realize that I could have a job I truly enjoyed. I started searching for a way to get into IT and stumbled across NPower. They were kind, professional, and dedicated. They even helped me find a job in healthcare IT. NPower has greatly helped me on my path forward, and I could not be more grateful.
Prior to joining NPower, I had already found a love and passion for IT that resulted in my obtaining a B.S. degree in cybersecurity. The only problem was that the curriculum had far more business classes compared to IT classes, so I felt like I didn't get as much experience as I would have liked before going into the workforce. This is where NPower came in. NPower gave me extra knowledge and experience in IT, as well as the opportunity to obtain certifications. I found NPower through Indeed.com while searching for an internship, and I am very glad I did. The program taught me all I need to know about the basics of IT. I learned valuable communication and interviewing skills which have helped me further my career in the IT field. I plan to use the resources provided to us students to acquire additional certifications such as cybersecurity and cloud computing to enhance my resume as I enter the IT workforce.
LAMONTE RUSAN
SEAN SALOMON
I currently work as a warehouse associate. I enjoy gaming, coding, exercise, IT servers, and food. During my NPower experience, I had some ups and downs. Beyond the stresses of the pandemic, I was diagnosed with diabetes. Dealing with that left me unsure that I would be able to keep up or even stay at NPower. But the culture, people, and trainees kept me going and helped me gain confidence—even in the face of difficult situations. I currently have my ITF+ certification, and I’m preparing for the A+ test.
NPower helped me grow in ways I didn’t anticipate. I went from thinking I knew things about technology to actually knowing them, as well as thinking I had a solid professional demeanor down to knowing what I need to work on. I grew from having an okay knowledge of credit to advanced knowledge. I advanced from a JOB (Just Over Broke) to a Career in IT—all during a pandemic when the world was changing in huge ways. All I had to give up was some of my time. NPower took care of the rest!
Before joining NPower, I was working towards a cybersecurity degree at university. I had recently started a class-based position at my school as a security-analyst intern. My interest in IT started in high school when I was introduced to coding through the Hour of Code. After playing some coding games during the hour, I knew I wanted to have a career working with computers. My long-term career interests lie in cybersecurity, and I hope to be a leader in my field as a manager or possibly even a C-Suite technology or security executive. I joined NPower because I wanted to continue my learning while the world was still working from home. NPower presented me with an opportunity to affirm, demonstrate, and strengthen my foundational IT knowledge and complemented what I have been learning in college. I appreciated NPower’s focus on computer hardware and how customer-service skills can be integrated into the IT industry, two areas which had previously interested me.
TECH FUNDAMENTALS | FALL 2020
ZEDRIC RUCKER
17
18
MELVIN TAYLOR
DENNIS TUCKER
DURANTE TURNER
I learned about the NPower internship from Indeed.com, and I thought it sounded like a great opportunity. I had been applying to jobs to kickstart my career. I have always had an interest in technology. I learned about the technology that I already use. My knowledge of computers, mobile devices, and printers was expanded. I also learned about networking, the troubleshooting process, operating systems, and many more concepts. My instructors were always available to explain concepts privately if needed. It felt like they truly wanted me to succeed. The NPower program is a great way to learn about technology and acquire professional development skills that can translate to any career and even life. After graduation, I would like to be a desktop support technician and return to NPower to gain more certifications.
Before NPower I wasn’t doing anything in particular, but thanks to some of the higher ups at my high school, l managed to learn about and eventually join NPower. What brought me to this program was that I wanted to build my knowledge of computers as I figured having information like this early in life would be very useful in my future. I have learned many things in this program; the most important ones were the troubleshooting process and different security protocols I can have on my computer.
Before joining NPower, I was taking IT courses at a local community college, but I wasn’t challenged. I have always had an interest in computers and technology, but I never fully explored the possibilities in this field. I came across NPower while searching for a second job on Indeed.com. I read the description and just knew it could create opportunities for professional and personal growth. The professionaldevelopment sessions taught me to better handle myself in certain situations. After graduating, I plan to start my IT career and become a software developer.
KIM WELLS
TECH FUNDAMENTALS | FALL 2020
Before I started NPower, I was working at a job without potential for growth. I wanted to get on track and figure out a career path. My knowledge and experience with IT were limited, but now I know that there is a complete world and language out there that I was not aware of. I was interested in NPower because of the opportunity to challenge myself and learn something new. I found the drive to persevere and keep going through all challenges. I see myself in a creative field, as I majored in digital arts in college. I’m looking at going into web programming or UI/UX designing.
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KIYA AARON
JARED BAILEY
KYLE BROOKS
MASON DIXON
ALYSSA JOHNSON
JOSEPH MOORE
SIMON (SUMAN) PATEL
SOM PYAKUREL
CHRISTOPHER THOMPSON
STARSHAY WILLIAMS
JOE XIE
TECH FUNDAMENTALS | FALL 2020
AUSTEN WELLS-MCINTOSH
21
CONGRATULATIONS! TECH FUNDAMENTALS
FALL 2020
22
KIYA AARON
MASON DIXON
OLUWATOBILOLBA ADENIYI
IAN EDWARDS
JARED BAILEY
RYAN FISCHER
JIMANIQUA BALDWIN
KAYLA GIBSON
KEGAN BAUMGARTE
FRED GOODGAIM
SAHIL BHAKTA
JOSEPH GOODWIN
JOHN BOYD
AJA HENDERSON
KYLE BROOKS
MAYSON HENDRIX
CENTILUS BUCHANAN
JOSHUA HYATT
ANTHONY CARTER
THOMAS IRONS
SERGIO (NIKKO) CHIRCO
LOVE ISSAC
DEVAN COLLINS
JORDAN JENKINS
THOMAS CROFT
ALYSSA JOHNSON
CHRISTOPHER DAVIS
CALEB KELSEY
JORIA DAVIS
GERMAIN KIRKWOOD
NATHAN DAVIS
LEILANI KLEIN
SETH KLOTZBACH
CHRISTOPHER THOMPSON
ALEC LEE
DENNIS TUCKER
DAYJA LOWE
DURANTE TURNER
GABRIELLE MCCALEB
KIMBERLY WELLS
JOSEPH MOORE
AUSTEN WELLS-MCINTOSH
DESIREE OSBORNE
STARSHAY WILLIAMS
SIMON (SUMAN) PATEL
JOE XIE
SOM PYAKUREL CODY RAMEY JARVIS REESE NATALIE ROSE TJ RUCK ZEDRIC RUCKER
SEAN SOLOMON MELVIN TAYLOR
WATCH THE RECORDING
npower.org/graduation/fall2020
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TECH FUNDAMENTALS | FALL 2020
LAMONTE RUSAN
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LAUNCHING TECH CAREERS. TRANSFORMING LIVES. NPower’s model is a solution to building a diverse tech pipeline. Our graduates launch tech jobs with an average starting salary of $41,000–$60,000 and are positioned to advance their career path, enabling them to earn more than their peers in lower-wage jobs. Higher earning potential is the key to breaking generational cycles of poverty, positioning our students and their families to achieve long-term economic success.
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WE ARE THE FUTURE OF WORK
81%
› ›
Of students who enroll graduate Of alumni get jobs or continue their education
Through partner and tech industry collaboration, our free training model is a workforce development solution for the future. We prepare untapped, diverse talent to fill the number of technology-oriented jobs that will increase nearly five-fold by 2025, rising from 41 million in 2020 to 190 million in 2025. Our graduates of over 4,000 veterans and young adults are hired at over 2000 companies and nonprofits as interns and full-time employees. NPower is on a mission to create pathways to economic prosperity by launching digital careers for young adults and military veterans from underserved communities. Part of this goal is our ‘40 by 22’ initiative, which aims to advance more young women of color in tech careers. This initiative is supported by the Citi Foundation’s Pathways to Progress initiative.
TECH FUNDAMENTALS | FALL 2020
*based on 2018–2019 national data
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THANK YOU... TO OUR EMPLOYMENT PARTNERS, SPONSORS & FUNDERS Accenture
The Holton Foundation
Aerotek
Kirkland and Ellis LLP
Ameren
KPMG
American Direct Marketing
Maritz
Apex Systems
Mastercard
AT&T
McCarthy Building Companies Inc.
Belden Inc.
Mercy Technology Services
The Boeing Company
Michael Rupinski
Cass Information Systems, Inc.
Peabody Energy
The Centene Charitable Foundation
Regional Business Council
Cigna
Rio Vista Foundation
Citi Foundation
The Saigh Foundation
City of St. Louis Treasurer’s Office
St. Louis Community Foundation
Clayton School District
St. Louis Zoo
The Cultural Leadership Fund | Andreessen Horowitz
Technology Partners
Emerson Electric Co.
United Way of Greater St. Louis
Enterprise Holdings, Inc.
World Wide Technology
Express Scripts
ZeroDay/Keeley Companies
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Google
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Twilio
...AND TO OUR VOLUNTEERS Accenture Yvena Atkins
Mercy Technology Services Scott Richert
Ascension Technologies Gerry Lewis
St Louis Business Diversity Initiative Valerie Patton
Cass Information Systems, Inc. Erica Wilson
Together Credit Union Reginald Swanigan
City of St. Louis Treasurer's Office Jerry Walker
World Wide Technology Matt Horner Nicole Tate
Express Scripts Jon Joplin KPMG Gary Smith Mastercard Matt Holton
ZeroDay Technology Solutions Michael Rupinski
TECH FUNDAMENTALS | FALL 2020
Enterprise Holdings Brian Mize
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NPOWER SUPPORTERS UNDERWRITERS | $750K+
SPONSORS | $250K+ Accenture
PARTNERS | $100K+ Ainslie Foundation
Centene Charitable Foundation
The Hearst Foundation
Prudential
Andreessen Horowitz
Cognizant
Heckscher Foundation for Children
Publicis Sapient
Ascension Information Services
Craig Newmark Philanthropies
Ira W. DeCamp Foundation
Pure Storage
Atlas Data Systems
Dell
JobFirstNYC
Salesforce
Bloomberg Philanthropies
Emerson
Mastercard
Workday Foundation
Bob Woodruff Foundation
Fiserv
Microsoft
The California Wellness Foundation
Gula Fund
The New York Community Trust
The Achelis & Bodman Foundation
CompTIA
The Meadows Foundation
American Express
Corteva Agriscience
Motorola Solutions
St. Louis Regional Business Council
Capital One
Dupont
Netscout
Vodafone
Carl B. & Florence E. King Foundation
France-Merrick Foundation
Shippy Foundation
Cisco Systems
HPE
Zoom
Deloitte
Tata Consultancy Services
SUPPORTERS | $50K+ State Street
TECHNOLOGY PARTNERS
FRIENDS Johnson Controls
Agorai
CSR Talent Group
Apply Digital
GoodScout
Kloudspot
CaaStle
ITSMF
Watermark Insights
TCC Group
Thanks to our government partners, the U.S. Department of Labor, Maryland and New Jersey Department of Labor.
New York | New Jersey | Texas | California | Maryland | Missouri | Michigan | Canada |
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