There’s No One Way to Start a Tech Career – How Rogelio Found the Best Path into Data Analytics Through the GED Tech Apprenticeship™ Program
Rogelio’s educational future started out bright – after completing high school at a prestigious private school in Mexico, then going onto college at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey), “the MIT of Mexico”, he was on his way to a great tech career. But, as it often does, life happened.
While Rogelio was in the United States for an exchange program, studying in California, his father got the bad news that his job was eliminated – which meant no more budget for Rogelio to continue at his university.
Given this news came while Roger was already visiting his fiance, Mary, who is now his wife, they decided to expedite their marriage plans and begin the immigration process, in hopes that Roger would be able to continue his studies in the United States. However, this proved especially difficult because his university in Mexico refused to provide records of his high school diploma and college transcripts. Rogelio felt helpless; he didn’t have the power to win against the school in this situation.
Throughout all this, he decided to make the best of a frustrating situation where his education got unfairly disrupted. Roger started learning online to build his tech skills while working any job he could find to pay the bills. Without proof of a high school diploma, it wasn’t easy. One of his jobs even felt dangerous – as a cable technician, he had to go into basements where he didn’t feel safe or climb high ladders for installations, all without health insurance.
Eventually, he found a desk job as a customer service representative, which was thankfully safer and more stable, but Rogelio knew he could achieve so much more.
Months later, in fall of 2023, Rogelio discovered the best way to attain a high school diploma in the United States while watching the show “Orange is the New Black,” where one of the characters was taking the GED® test.. He turned to Mary and said: how come I’ve never heard of the GED? She replied: you’re right, it’s the perfect option for you! Getting his GED meant he would be able to apply for a more stable, satisfying job.
Naturally self-motivated, Rogelio didn’t waste a minute. He signed up for a student account at GED.com and took practice tests to gauge his current knowledge. Then he practiced using GED Flash™ to reinforce concepts. Rogelio did everything in English, but it was good to know that there was a Spanish option.
Then, Rogelio took the GED test in just two weekends! He took two subjects per weekend and passed all four subjects on the first try. Rogelio did well despite the pressure and was more excited than ever to take control of his future.
Rogelio shared some advice from his journey for current GED students:
“When things are hard, whether it’s money or family or work, just focus and keep going. It’ll work out, you’ll find a way. Since I immigrated to the US, I felt like doors were shutting in my face, that my dreams would never happen. It made me sad. But I kept studying, improving myself, and networking. I’m glad I didn’t give up because [with the GED] I found a window of opportunity and my career [in tech] is on track now.”
After getting his GED, Rogelio didn’t stop there. He decided to reach out to leaders at GED Testing Service to thank them for offering such a great way to obtain an official high school credential and to potentially explore career opportunities. He received an invitation to an online event about the GED Tech Apprenticeship™ program, where he met Vicki Greene, President of GED Testing Service, and Tom Moore, Co-founder of WithYouWithMe.
GED Testing Service and WithYouWithMe have partnered to create the GED Tech Apprenticeship program to provide GED learners with free globally accredited training. Participants become ready to step into entry-level tech roles in high demand areas, including software development, cybersecurity, data analytics, and more.
As part of the GED Tech Apprenticeship program, Rogelio took an aptitude test that showed his skills would be a good fit for working with data. He had taken an introduction to databases before through a course with Harvard University and even got certified for data analytics through Google Learning.
Rogelio chose the Data Training pathway in the GED Tech Apprenticeship program, which led to his current apprenticeship role as a Data Analytics Associate at EdTech leader Pearson, the parent company of GED Testing Service, among the many organizations that are part of the GED Tech Apprenticeship network.
Rogelio shared his thoughts about participating in the GED Tech Apprenticeship program:
“With GED and WithYouWithMe, I found the perfect match. The GED Tech Apprenticeship is really the future of social intersectionality. I get to be immersed in tech operations, learn data analytics, and rotate training with different team members – it’s amazing to learn while working. I’m truly part of the team with hands-on projects. I love the inclusivity [here at Pearson]!”
Good news travels fast…Rogelio’s wife also joined the program. She chose the Digital Project Management training pathway and is exploring apprenticeship options.
Are you dreaming of a career in tech? Whether you already have a high school diploma or are preparing for your GED, be sure to explore amazing opportunities waiting for you as part of the GED Tech Apprenticeship program.