From VCC student to VCC employee

Wilbert Salvador completed his training in the Networking Technology Certificate (now the Information Technology Operations Certificate) at Vancouver Community College (VCC) and then gained the title of Service Desk Technician at the college. Now he shares some of his insights about studying and working at VCC:

 

What prompted you to study Networking Technology at VCC? 

I started working night shifts when I came in Canada, but I wanted to continue to work in Information Technology (IT). When I checked the availability of colleges that offer part-time studies, it was VCC’s networking technology courses that fit my schedule, and the subjects were very applicable to rebuilding my IT career.

I was working as a yard specialist in a warehouse. Before that, I had 10 years of experience as an IT engineer in the Philippines where I managed computers and users, networking devices, and servers in a business process outsourcing company.

Can you tell me how it felt to go from VCC student to VCC employee? 

It is very rewarding! I took a couple of years to finish my program and when I did, there was an opportunity open to work at VCC. The college prepared me with the knowledge I needed to return to IT. Now it is my turn to help VCC students and employees with their IT inquiries, issues, and concerns.

What is your best piece advice for someone starting out in this industry? 

IT is a broad area of expertise. Pick the field that you love to do, study hard, and get certified. Certification will give you a higher chance to be hired in IT. After finishing my information technology program, I did not stop there. I studied, on my own, the two most popular cloud services: Azure and Amazon Web Services. I now have the certification for both.

What was the best part about studying at VCC? 

Continuing Studies courses in VCC have schedules that are very manageable and student friendly. I was working a full-time job and studying. The teachers were also very approachable. If I had some questions, they were just one SMS or call away and they gave answers in detail.

What would people be surprised to know about VCC? 

Aside from the great relationship between students and teachers at VCC, the 96% student satisfaction rating for the VCC programs. And after you graduate, there are jobs waiting.

What would people be surprised to know about working in IT? 

Working in IT is fun and challenging at the same time. IT technicians are more than PC repairs and password resets. We need to study, to be certified to move forward, and to level up. For me as a Service Desk Technician at VCC, resolving issues on time and with a high degree of customer satisfaction is my cup of tea.

Start your IT journey at VCC with one of these courses starting in January: 
ITOP 1101 A+ Hardware (in-person or online), ITOP 1104 Active Directory (in-person), ITOP 1106 Service Manager (in-person or online), ITOP 1107 Linux Server Fundamentals (in-person).