“I was aimless,” said Tyrez Lindsay, current Tech901 student and IT support team member at International Paper.
“I was in college working on my Urban Planning degree when the pandemic started,” Lindsay continued. “I couldn’t get any interviews and needed some kind of direction.”
The sinking weight of uncertainty is a plight all too common in colleges across the country. While the narrative is that not enough people want to work, the reality is that young people are being turned away from entry-level positions because of a lack of experience far too often. Paying off college loans and supporting oneself requires working a paid job, rendering unpaid internships impossible for most.
Studying at the University of Memphis on an athletic scholarship, Tyrez felt his time overwhelmed with obligations for the football team and with classwork he described as mostly “busy work.” One night, he discovered the world of IT through social media while scrolling through his feed.
“I was stuck at home because of the pandemic, and I stumbled on a TikTok that talked about how many opportunities there were in IT,” Lindsay said. “I thought this could be the direction I needed, so I Googled ‘IT training in Memphis’ and picked Tech901, as it was rated the highest and super affordable.”
At first, Tyrez was nervous about joining as the structure of many college courses is not as hands-on as our classes. Quickly, however, those fears subsided. Supported from the jump, Tyrez immediately felt he was receiving direction from a community of those working to build each other up through shared passions and connections.
“I came into class every day ready to learn, and they supported me the whole way,” Lindsay said. “My classmates and I would meet at Tech901 outside of class hours to study for in-class quizzes and exams. Tech901 always provides us with so many helpful resources.”
After passing his foundation course and attaining his certification, Tyrez took advantage of our built-in networking opportunities to explore career options. A few months ago, he accepted a temporary position with International Paper. Just three weeks ago, he was offered and accepted a full-time position with the company.
“I got this role through connections I made at Tech901,” Lindsay said. “One of my instructors emailed me and told me about this opportunity, and now here I am!”
Along with making leaps forward in his career, Tyrez is continuing his education by taking our Networking class this July.
We are incredibly proud of Tyrez and his hard work and are honored to have him represent our program. To others in need of finding a career direction, Tyrez believes in Tech901’s mission and recommends it to anyone.
“Tech901 builds in responsibility and fosters drive (in students),” Lindsay said. “They help you build the mindset that these are your decisions and this is your career. They’re with you every step, inside and outside the classroom, and set you up for success.”