How Did You Get Into Tech – Jonathan Jenkins

I recently spoke with our own Jonathan Jenkins as a part of our How Did You Get Into Tech blog series. Jonathan is one of our outstanding IT trainers.

Where Did your interest in technology start?

My interest in technology started when I became a PC gamer. Building my own computer, configuring, and seeing the results in detail or failure of my work.

What was your first job?

My first job in IT was for the United States Army. I was trained in a broad variety of computer skills related to different layers of the system until I found a path that I wanted to pursue.

What is your current position?

Today I train IT related certifications for Phoenix TS.

What type of educational background do you have?

My educational background varies. I have OJT from the United States Army, certificates from many educational bodies, and I attended a Tech School (ITT) for electronic engineering, and courses through UMUC.

Did you have any mentors, professors, colleagues or supervisors who offered career guidance?

I can’t single out out anyone as a mentor for career guidance. In many ways I’ve worked strictly off merit.

What resources do you find to be the best when continuing your education?

For continuing education I’ve been very self-motivated looking for new resources and technology anywhere I can find it. Also, I give a lot of credit to the Open Source environment for research.

If you were to give an individual advice about starting a career in tech, what would you say to them?

If you intend to start a career in technology, know what you want to do. If you like applications, then learn programming. Find specialized practices that set you apart from the many administrators that are also looking for positions in the IT field.