“Before Tech901, I had hit my career ceiling. Now that ceiling is shattered.” - Ben Wilson
Ben Wilson was burnt out.
After eight years of working as a server, bartender, and then manager of a local restaurant, Ben felt flattened by an invisible career ceiling. Tired of working upwards of 60 hours a week in a role he wasn’t passionate about, he knew a change was needed.
“I just started looking for more fulfilling opportunities,” Wilson said. “I always had a passion for technology, so I just Googled how to start a tech career. It pointed me to CompTIA and in searching for where to study for that in Memphis, I found Tech901.”
This was in the early spring of 2020. Do we even need to mention what was looming around the corner?
The COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing lockdown pushed Ben to take a risk and enroll in our IT Foundations course.
“I already wanted to take the CompTIA A+ exam, and the exam itself was more expensive than enrolling at Tech901 and later taking the exam with their discount,” Wilson said. “It was a no-brainer once I knew I wanted to pursue a tech career.”
“My first class was IT Foundations with Catrina Dean,” Wilson continued. “She was a great instructor and made virtual learning more enjoyable than it should’ve been. Passing the course and then earning my A+ certification was all I needed to know this was the right path.”
Ben committed to this path further by letting his ABC license expire so he could focus on his training. Officially unemployed, Ben bet on himself and leaped right from Foundations to our Networking course.
By the spring of 2021, money was tight and he knew he needed to find a job soon.
“Thankfully, my Networking instructor was Aaron Lamey,” Wilson said. “When I approached him about needing a job, he hired me to work at MemFi Networks.”
Founded by our now Executive Director, Aaron Lamey in 2019, MemFi Networks filled a vital role during the pandemic assisting small businesses and non-profits with the sudden rush to upgrade and manage online resources.
Ben’s experience at MemFi deepened his connection to Tech901, as MemFi hires exclusively from our Alumni pool. The connections he fostered in his MemFi role helped push him to continue taking courses.
“Becoming an IT Fellow was very appealing to me,” Wilson said. “I believed that being able to say that I was a Fellow at a Tech institution would give me an edge with Memphis companies where Tech901’s reputation speaks for itself.”
Ben was right.
“After earning my final certificates and my IT Fellow Award in the Summer of 2022, I was offered a position at St. Jude where I have been working for the last two years,” Wilson said. “I had always loved tech as a hobby, but now I get to apply my knowledge in a way that directly helps people.”
As a manager of a local restaurant, Ben made $60k a year working 60 hours a week with no benefits. After two years of IT training? Ben landed a role with St. Jude working 40 hours a week and earning $70k with 401k and insurance benefits.
The journey was not easy. Our classes are difficult and his entry-level role at MemFi required him to take a pay cut in comparison to his managerial role. However, he knew it was worth it because he carved a path of advancement.
“IT is a pathway forward,” Wilson said. “I had plateaued in the service industry, but my career in IT is just starting. All the opportunities that are ahead of me now are because of Tech901 and the achievements I made there.”
And Ben isn’t lying when he says IT is full of opportunities! Since we recorded this interview, Ben has been promoted to Senior Tech Support Specialist at St. Jude.
We couldn’t be prouder of Ben and his achievements. If you feel like you’ve plateaued in your current career, let his story encourage you! In IT, your potential is endless.