See how Army veteran Kent built an entire tech career through mentorship, persistence, and problem solving.
When Kent interviewed for his current position, he was determined to get the job. To set himself apart from the other applicants, Kent asked to demonstrate his skills during the interview. “I said set me up with a temporary ID and temporary environment and I can show you what I can do. So that’s what I did and that’s how I got my job.”
Kent developed his first computer skills over 30 years ago in the Army Reserves, computing firing data for artillery sections. When he left the military, he pursued an associates-to-bachelors transfer program in computer science but found the school-work-home-life balance taxing. Providing for his family, paying the mortgage and covering healthcare took precedence over classes.
Instead, he built his skills on the job. He was lucky to have an excellent supervisor who served as a mentor and gave him the opportunity to learn. He had some ups and downs over the years as contracts came and went. There were times Kent found that as a young Black man doing a technical job, he was not supported by his colleagues.
Now, Kent is in a stable job that he loves. After nearly 28 years of work in the field, he continues to enjoy his work. “The job is awesome. The people and the politics is what makes it challenging, but I enjoy helping people. I enjoy the troubleshooting aspect of being able to take a problem, an issue, and come up with a resolution. Like I said, the job is great.”
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